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4.3.2 How Can I Tell If They Are Any Good Before I Pay Them |
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4.3.2 How Can I Tell If They Are Any Good Before I Pay Them |
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This article is from the [alt.backrubs] Frequently Asked Questions, posted to alt.backrubs newsgroup. Maintained by Jamie Blustein with numerous contributions by others.
b) When you're satisfied that you have found an above board MT you should try to find out if they will be suitable for the type of treatment you want. Be clear about what your needs are and tell the MT. Perhaps you want massage for relaxation or you have a specific area that needs attention, for example. A good MT will help you pinpoint what it is you want from the session, often just by talking about it with you.
If you are at all uncomfortable with the thought of being unclothed, then discuss draping with the MT before the massage begins. Absolutely no professional MT will demand a client remove any clothing that the client is not comfortable removing regardless of what impact this will have on the massage. Are you comfortable with a male (or female) MT, or would you prefer a MT of the other sex?
Please note however that just because a MT graduated from a professional school they aren't necessarily going to give you a great massage. It has been said many times in alt.backrubs that some MTs have the technical knowledge of what to do but lack the sensitivity to detect what clients really need. Corrina Perrone has written that, in her experience, it almost always takes at least two years of practice after graduation for MTs to a develop a truly professional calibre of massage.
Once you have a short list of MTs you want to consider, then you should ask questions to determine what services these unknown massagers really provide, and how skilled they are in the type of massage you want (see question 2.1). You could ask about their professional education, e.g. how many hours of training have they had (this varies from about 250 to 2000), which massage school did they attend, what their favourite course was and what types of massage they prefer.
Corrina Perrone <corrina@cs.colorado.edu> recommends:
If you still have doubts about the qualifications ask direct questions about the types of bodywork they do -- and expect some technical answers [such as those in question 2.2]. Ask them to describe these techniques, and how they use them in a session. You'll get a lot of `it depends' answers, but a good therapist will be able to give you an example, such as, `I warm the muscle tissue up using mostly Swedish massage strokes, and then use deep tissue techniques to work out tightness. If there is limited movement I might use NMT [neuromuscular massage therapy] work on the muscle attachments, and some Trager techniques to integrate the work.' Find out how long they have been in practice.
If you are screening the therapists by phone, look for qualities that indicate they would be a good person with whom to work:
Do they listen to what you are saying and respond to it?
Do they ask questions about your needs?
Do they impress you as professional?
Do you feel like you are being listened to, or do you feel
like you are getting a lecture in physiology? Take some time to consider those questions strategically. You want something from the bodywork, and you are picking the best partner to help you achieve that goal. You should also be clear in your mind about what you want. The MT's answers will tell you something about them and their massage practice.
Continue to:
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