Comments for www.thebodyworker.com http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog Exporations in the Theory and Practice of Massage Fri, 18 May 2012 17:25:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Comment on Things they never tell you about being a massage therapist by rebecca brumfield http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/things-they-never-tell-you-about-being-a-massage-therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-91146 rebecca brumfield Fri, 18 May 2012 17:25:40 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1516#comment-91146 I love your blog. I have to do TONS of laundry- and I cannot find a service that is up to my standards in washing my linens. It's hard to wash them properly because of the oil. I use "soap nuts", baking soda, & essential oils for my linens and they have lasted me 3-4 times longer than usual. and its 100% natural and they dont stink. yes, the hairy guys are indeed a challenge. i tend to do a lot of range of motion (stretching, table top thai yoga etc in order to use the time wisely. i also start people face down for three reasons: [01] most peoples problem areas are back, neck, & shoulders- i want to focus on the problem areas first. [02] i dont want to end the massage with someone feeling congested (this is also why i keeps bottle of eucalyptus oil near my table.. clients LOVE it!) [03] guys will most likely get excited during the massage (and im sure it takes a lot of willpower not to) so they are already familiar with my touch when they are facedown, and usually know to keep it under control by the time they are face up. Also make sure to have a very detailed consent form so they read that massage isnt sexual, but therapeutic. I always have a bottle of mace in my office as well. Stick up for yourself. learn how to end a session if you need to. I never say "Im sorry but blah blah"... once a guy tried to grab me repeatedly and i said "You have 30 seconds to put on your clothes and walk out of my office." and he did. .....oh, and barterting is AWESOME! :) I love your blog.

I have to do TONS of laundry- and I cannot find a service that is up to my standards in washing my linens. It’s hard to wash them properly because of the oil. I use “soap nuts”, baking soda, & essential oils for my linens and they have lasted me 3-4 times longer than usual. and its 100% natural and they dont stink.

yes, the hairy guys are indeed a challenge. i tend to do a lot of range of motion (stretching, table top thai yoga etc in order to use the time wisely.

i also start people face down for three reasons:
[01] most peoples problem areas are back, neck, & shoulders- i want to focus on the problem areas first.
[02] i dont want to end the massage with someone feeling congested (this is also why i keeps bottle of eucalyptus oil near my table.. clients LOVE it!)
[03] guys will most likely get excited during the massage (and im sure it takes a lot of willpower not to) so they are already familiar with my touch when they are facedown, and usually know to keep it under control by the time they are face up. Also make sure to have a very detailed consent form so they read that massage isnt sexual, but therapeutic.

I always have a bottle of mace in my office as well.

Stick up for yourself. learn how to end a session if you need to.
I never say “Im sorry but blah blah”… once a guy tried to grab me repeatedly and i said “You have 30 seconds to put on your clothes and walk out of my office.” and he did.

…..oh, and barterting is AWESOME! :)

]]> Comment on Massage Price Wars – What’s a massage worth? by Jenny http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/massage-price-wars/comment-page-1/#comment-88803 Jenny Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:25:00 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1346#comment-88803 This is a great post! The clients that I lose when I raise my rates are the clients that I don't need anyway. There are more fish in the sea! When someone questions why I raised my rates, I say, "You can be the cheapest, or you can be the best, but never both!" This is a great post! The clients that I lose when I raise my rates are the clients that I don’t need anyway. There are more fish in the sea!
When someone questions why I raised my rates, I say, “You can be the cheapest, or you can be the best, but never both!”

]]> Comment on Working for a Chiropractor by Wayne Chapin LMP http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/working-for-a-chiropractor/comment-page-1/#comment-85658 Wayne Chapin LMP Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:55:18 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/working-for-a-chiropractor/#comment-85658 I'd like to also point out that regardless of your overhead, expenses and other costs associated within your business, the fact remains that billing excessively over the cash rate for insurance work is illegal. It simply does not matter what you are PAID. The BILLED amount is excessive and tantamount to insurance fraud. Period. It sure seems from reading your knee-jerk reaction to this blog that a raw nerve was touched here. Perhaps you might examine your own business practices. We as LMPs are not simply lackeys at the disposal of DCs to be excuses for adding to the ever increasing cost of healthcare by bilking insurance companies out of excessive charges. I’d like to also point out that regardless of your overhead, expenses and other costs associated within your business, the fact remains that billing excessively over the cash rate for insurance work is illegal. It simply does not matter what you are PAID. The BILLED amount is excessive and tantamount to insurance fraud. Period. It sure seems from reading your knee-jerk reaction to this blog that a raw nerve was touched here. Perhaps you might examine your own business practices. We as LMPs are not simply lackeys at the disposal of DCs to be excuses for adding to the ever increasing cost of healthcare by bilking insurance companies out of excessive charges.

]]> Comment on Why do we need Massage Therapy Research? by lymphatic drainage massage http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/why-do-we-need-massage-therapy-research/comment-page-1/#comment-77252 lymphatic drainage massage Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:24:03 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1431#comment-77252 I still don’t think they really get it as what I see in the way of referrals from most doctors is generally for back and neck pain. I still don’t think they really get it as what I see in the way of referrals from most doctors is generally for back and neck pain.

]]> Comment on A Week of Massage Envy by LadyBeth http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/a-week-of-massage-envy/comment-page-1/#comment-75366 LadyBeth Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:42:28 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1381#comment-75366 Hi. I have over 15 years years experience as an LMT and had my own business in Louisiana for 8-9 years. I am now working in Washington state at both a Chiropractors and an Elements Massage studio. I'm currently making plans to start my own business. What are the pros and cons of an Elements franchise. Obviously they have a brand and a corp behind you, but the franchise costs quite a bit. I also have my own ideas about running my business. Will I be hampered by the franchise or not? I'd really appreciate an honest response rather than someone towing the company line. Thank you sweetheart! Hi. I have over 15 years years experience as an LMT and had my own business in Louisiana for 8-9 years. I am now working in Washington state at both a Chiropractors and an Elements Massage studio. I’m currently making plans to start my own business. What are the pros and cons of an Elements franchise. Obviously they have a brand and a corp behind you, but the franchise costs quite a bit. I also have my own ideas about running my business. Will I be hampered by the franchise or not? I’d really appreciate an honest response rather than someone towing the company line.

Thank you sweetheart!

]]> Comment on A Career in Massage – Is it for you? by Tara http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/a-career-in-massage-is-it-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-74359 Tara Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:42:13 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1392#comment-74359 I totally agree with your comments that there are a lot of very important decisions that need to be made before jumping into becoming a massage therapist. Massage schools can really train anyone to do massage....but its the people who are MEANT to be doing this work that will make a difference for the clients that they work with. No matter what career path someone chooses...it it very important that they do their research before jumping in! I totally agree with your comments that there are a lot of very important decisions that need to be made before jumping into becoming a massage therapist. Massage schools can really train anyone to do massage….but its the people who are MEANT to be doing this work that will make a difference for the clients that they work with.

No matter what career path someone chooses…it it very important that they do their research before jumping in!

]]> Comment on A Week of Massage Envy by Winnipeg Massage Therapy http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/a-week-of-massage-envy/comment-page-1/#comment-73799 Winnipeg Massage Therapy Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:14:02 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1381#comment-73799 Will Massage Envy ever sucessfully expand into Canada? Will the more extensive training & payrate of rmt's prevent this from happening? Will Massage Envy ever sucessfully expand into Canada? Will the more extensive training & payrate of rmt’s prevent this from happening?

]]> Comment on Why do we need Massage Therapy Research? by Randy Crane http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/why-do-we-need-massage-therapy-research/comment-page-1/#comment-73762 Randy Crane Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:04:16 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1431#comment-73762 These are great resources you've linked to. Thank you! These are great resources you’ve linked to. Thank you!

]]> Comment on The need for Male Massage Therapists by Kevin Tomford, CMT, AMTA http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/the-need-for-male-massage-therapists/comment-page-1/#comment-73576 Kevin Tomford, CMT, AMTA Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:10:05 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=398#comment-73576 Good morning, I realize that this thread is beyond “dead”, having had its last posting in 2008. However…as a male massage therapist, I entered the profession fully aware of the challenges and stereotypes facing males in the bodywork industry. I did not let this dissuade me though. My personal experience with this is that I give a FABULOUS massage. And those clients of mine, whom most are female, that become regular clients, have realized that this is the case. Clients rebook because you give them what they’ve been looking for! I’ve had to deal with the same issues that female therapists deal with. As a male, in some respects, I’m less fearful about some of the issues that arise…such as clients who act inappropriately. And again, client’s rebook when you give them what they’ve been looking for – even the inappropriate ones! So…if you don’t want that client’s business anymore, make sure you don’t give that client what they’ve been looking for. Admittedly, in this touch deprived, body conscious, and overly intimacy-phobic society, those men that DO seek male therapists out, predominantly tend to be homosexual or bi-sexual, but certainly not ALL of them. I have only a few male clients that are what I’d consider ‘regular clients’. I personally don’t know their gender-preferences (nor do I care in particular) when it comes to intimacy, but I do know that they behave the very same way on my table that my regular female clients do, which is professionally. Those female clients who DO seek male therapists tend to do so for a wide variety of reasons also. I’ve had female clients act inappropriately also. Though, some of them tend to withdraw their inappropriate behavior and / or discontinue it, and a healthy, professional, therapeutic relationship evolved. Being a male massage therapist to me is about the quality of my bodywork and the clients who grow to want and need it. Sure, it might take more effort and/or time to generate income, but to me it’s been worth it! Because I’m doing what I ENJOY – and I’m getting paid for it. Kev ~ Good morning,
I realize that this thread is beyond “dead”, having had its last posting in 2008. However…as a male massage therapist, I entered the profession fully aware of the challenges and stereotypes facing males in the bodywork industry. I did not let this dissuade me though.

My personal experience with this is that I give a FABULOUS massage. And those clients of mine, whom most are female, that become regular clients, have realized that this is the case. Clients rebook because you give them what they’ve been looking for!

I’ve had to deal with the same issues that female therapists deal with. As a male, in some respects, I’m less fearful about some of the issues that arise…such as clients who act inappropriately. And again, client’s rebook when you give them what they’ve been looking for – even the inappropriate ones! So…if you don’t want that client’s business anymore, make sure you don’t give that client what they’ve been looking for.

Admittedly, in this touch deprived, body conscious, and overly intimacy-phobic society, those men that DO seek male therapists out, predominantly tend to be homosexual or bi-sexual, but certainly not ALL of them. I have only a few male clients that are what I’d consider ‘regular clients’. I personally don’t know their gender-preferences (nor do I care in particular) when it comes to intimacy, but I do know that they behave the very same way on my table that my regular female clients do, which is professionally.

Those female clients who DO seek male therapists tend to do so for a wide variety of reasons also. I’ve had female clients act inappropriately also. Though, some of them tend to withdraw their inappropriate behavior and / or discontinue it, and a healthy, professional, therapeutic relationship evolved.

Being a male massage therapist to me is about the quality of my bodywork and the clients who grow to want and need it. Sure, it might take more effort and/or time to generate income, but to me it’s been worth it! Because I’m doing what I ENJOY – and I’m getting paid for it.

Kev ~

]]> Comment on Why do we need Massage Therapy Research? by Julie Onofrio http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/why-do-we-need-massage-therapy-research/comment-page-1/#comment-73500 Julie Onofrio Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:00:07 +0000 http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/?p=1431#comment-73500 I added a link to an article on the lactic acid myth and a link to more on toxins...thanks! I added a link to an article on the lactic acid myth and a link to more on toxins…thanks!

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