At end of massage

[HoxInaxy]

When you finish giving a massage do you let your client know and then leave the room? Or do you say nothing and leave the room?

Today I had a hot stone massge to check out the local competition. At the end when she held my toes, she then just left the room without a word. Hearing the door close was a good indication that she had left the room. She came back a few minutes later with somewater. I lay there thinking - what now? Is it over? Do I wait for her to return? Do I get dressed? I should have asked why she didn't say it was over. I didn't let on that I was a therapist.

When I finish a massage I hold the clients feet, then I walk to the top of the table and let them know that the massage is over. I ask them to stay on the couch whilst I go to get them some water.

it's a little thing but it does annoy me when you are just left on the couch wondering what to do. The good thing is that it makes you aware of how clients might feel.

 

[Jonesy]

I always used to touch my client gently on the shoulder and say the treatment is now over.. or I'd gently move my arms away and ease off slowly on the last stroke..

Since I've done No Hands I've adopted their approach of gently bringing the massage to a close and walking away, but staying with the client, until they have drunk every last drop of healing energy they need for the treatment to complete, if this is 10 seconds no problem, if it's ten minutes, no problem, it's their healing, their session, when I have done my work, they indicate to me when my works done. Only then do I talk, and let them know they can stay on the couch as long as they need and they can dress in their own time and privacy, I alsopour water for them.

I did think this wouldn't be a nice thing to do, but as a client, it's wonderful to know I can control my own treatment.. and I'm not rushed.. the touch is constant from start ti finish so they know when their treatment is over (unless they are so far under they still feel the treatment is going on.. that's a lovely feeling..)

Just recently I've asked that they open the door just a touch when they are ready for me to renter the room.. this beats hanging about trying to listen in as to whether they are ready.

 

[ShootOutTheLights]

I think its an important part of our continuing professional development to go for regular therapies with different therapists to a) be treated like a real client (if you have massages from colleagues its never quite the same "full" experience and b) be reminded how it feels like to not "know" what is going to happen next ie remind you how your client feels when they come to see you.

I personally gently press on their shoulders and when I release I say "that is the end of your treatment", I then wait a few minutes and give them gentle instructions like:
1. please stay on the bed for a while
2. I will go and get you some water.

Imagine that every client that lies on your bed has never had a massage before..........they do not know what to expect, for all they know you are going to expect them to lie on the bed naked, so reassure and inform, this empowers the client and reassures them.

 

[iaiylnje]

A massage to me is like a dance; you move with your partner's body and become one unit. So at the end of the massage, I usually pat or do a few strokes on top of a towel and lower the couch for them to get off easily, saying "I'll just lower the couch so you can get up". Then I let them know again, saying "Thank you Sir/Madam, I'll let you put your clothes on while I wash my hands, and I'll be back very soon". Then I quickly was my hands. The next bit gets our clinic colleagues in hysterics - I pretend to be quickly putting on imaginary clothes. in the kitchen. As soon as the pretend clothes are "on", I inch the door open and ask if I can come in. I find this captures the mood of the massage and allows a smooth transition to the outside world.