home work

[windy gurl]

hi, i'm new to the forum!
just wondering if any one can tell me how i would explain why and what an in-effective massage treatment is.
i need to know why it would happen
many thanks

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi

Giving an very light massage to someone who has muscle tension and needs to be worked on, would be one example.

hope that helps

Jim

 

[johndehaura]

Jessica, I would expand on Jim's answer - from the clients perspective massage is ineffective when you have failed to identify and meet the needs, wantsand expectations of the client. So Jim's example fits this pretty well. Important to first identify, and then meet the client i.e. youhave to do enough of a pre-massage history/discovery to figure out what the client wants/needs.

A further subtlety is if the client wants something that is contra-indicated, or if the massage is actually effective in helping the client - but the client doesn't perceive it that way. Both of these are debatable at length. Part of the solution to this is in the pre-massage(including your literature) you set the correct expectation with the client.

I would say you need to tell the client what you are going to do and why, and also how you think it will be effective, get their agreement, and then deliver on that - sounds simple - it can actually be very difficult - but it is one of the keys to client retention.

This is not to say that you are inflexible - you need to be very flexible within your range of skills and use them to meet the clients needs, but you also need to be humble enough to recognise when there is no real possibility of an overlap of your skills and the clients wants and needs, and be prepared to refer them to someone else.

Sorry for the long philosophical answer - like most simple questions it was very thought provoking (thank you for that) and Idont thinkthere isa simple answer. If you want we can take it to a deeper level again!

Hope that helps and doesn't confuse

InTouch

P.S. if you want to consider a real example - say Jim's client has osteoporosis - what then is an in-effective treatment? and how do you as a therapist prevent giving it?

 

[Miss Marie : )]

One of the most important questions (for me) on the consultation form is the one that asks what the clients expecations of the treatment are. I always explain to the client that some people want a light, relaxing treatment, whilst others want a massage that will really work out those knots and tension areas. Very different forms of massage!

Any massage that doesn't live up to the clients expectations, thatI cannot explain to them (Eg, as Intouch says, a client with Osteoporosis wanting a firm deep massage) would for me deem to be ineffective.

Karen

 

[angl700]

thanks for all of the replies, they weere very helpful and made me think!!
i asked a tutor friend of mine what she thought and she said that she didn't like the question as a treatment may seem in effective at the time of treatment but may be effective at a later date!

 

[Ben-Dover]

Jessica, glad you found the responses useful, and that they made you think as well!

I had not considered the timing element - the effectiveness and perception certainly seem to change dependant on when you measure them.

The other element to consider is how much of the effectiveness of the treatment comes from theclient agreeing beforehand that it will be effective? Pretty tricky and also deep - but would welcome comments from anyone who thinks this valid, or just rubbish?Compare and contrast conventional and CAM consultation and treatment methodologies!

Cheers, In Touch