a community of practitioners

What do you do about would-be comedians who interrupt chair massages?

It happens in some chair massage settings, usually among people who know each other somewhat, and who engage in good-natured kidding around.

Someone will see their friend/co-worker getting a chair massage, and yell, "Hey, Joe, shouldn't you be working?" Or they'll run up and try to startle the person receiving the massage. Sometimes the friend-who's-trying-to-be-funny will push their face into the space between the face crescent and the arm rest, hoping the person receiving the massage will open their eyes and see them.

The interrupters rarely intend any harm; they just think they're being funny. But for the person in the chair, such interruptions are rarely amusing. They have been zoning out, and suddenly they are startled out of their experience. Sometimes I feel like I'm a musician trying to play a calming tune to my audience, when someone else thinks it's funny to come and bang pots and pans next to me.

What do you do? If you see an interrupter coming, do you try to stop them? Or do you just let it go? Either way, the massage flow is broken.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joan Annunziata on February 13, 2010 at 7:40am

Try putting up screens around your chair, and hang a sign up " Quiet please massage in session Thank You" Hope this was helpful.
Joan Annunziata

Permalink Reply by Jody C. Hutchinson on February 13, 2010 at 8:48am

When I do chair massage it's usually in a conference room where there is privacy. I've had this happen at outdoor events where someone will start asking questions while I'm working, I ask them to come back later. I'd suggest that you ask the interrupter to leave politely at first, then be firm and tell them that you don't appreciate being interrupted at work. I don't have to say this more than once.

Permalink Reply by Erica Olson on February 14, 2010 at 7:06pm

*nod* I know the type of interruptions you're talking about. I don't have any suggestions, but I'd love to hear some good ones!

Christine (Chris) Robinson said:

Perhaps you haven't experienced the particular interruptions I'm asking about. It's not at all the same as someone coming up to ask questions. Those who think they're being funny, are acting impulsively and they move too fast to read signs or to be able to "register" a polite request to stop. By the time they've "heard" the request, they've already done what they wanted to do.

Permalink Reply by Debra Rilea on February 16, 2010 at 11:43pm

I know exactly what type of interruptions you are referencing in this question. Having done chair massage in an amazing variety of venues from an airport concession, golf courses, convention centers, street fairs, hotel lobbies, black tie events, blue jeans events, workplaces from board rooms to bathrooms - I have encountered my fair share of this behavior. My primary concern is always for the person in the chair, it is my responsibility to provide the best massage I can and honor their willingness to receive a chair massage in a public setting. Therefore, it is the rare joker that gets by me to bother a person in my chair. When I see them coming I will deftly position myself between them and my client (it can be done smoothly and without too much disruption to the client) and then I will give them a look that lets them know I will not tolerate any interruptions. If they continue to advance, I will put up my hand in a firm stop movement. This works for almost everyone. For the extremely rare time someone gets by me, I will immediately apologize to the person in the chair and let them know their massage has been hijacked and I would be happy to start over if they would like. This usually embarrasses the offender and makes the person in the chair feels less upset but not always. And no, I don't care about offending the joker, again my primary concern is the well-being of the person in my chair. Hope these ideas help!