These are the questions and comments I get most that clients worry about, probably not all in order as I haven’t done scientific research on this!
- What should I wear?
- I’m sorry I haven’t shaved.
- Sorry. (In response to tummy gurgling.
- Sorry. (In response to lifting body part rather than relaxing and allowing me to do it.
- Can you use more/less pressure there?
Every one of these has happened on more occasions than I can count.
- Normally just knickers/underpants but some clients like to take everything off but I don’t suggest that. The use of towels to cover parts of the body not being massaged means the therapist doesn’t see anything more anyway.
- This really doesn’t bother massage therapists! Not even the occasional client who seems to be wearing a rug – I have only had one of these!
- This is a normal physiological response. When the body relaxes, the para-sympathetic nervous system gains ascendency over the sympathetic nervous system increasing peristalsis. In contrast, anxiety reduces it which is why chronic anxiety can lead to constipation.
- A perfectly normal response, certainly in our culture, trying to be helpful. When the client apologises, I always tell them that nearly everyone who hasn’t had a lot of massage before does it to start with and some of those who have!
- Yes! I encourage this question because everyone is different. Just about every client I see, I tell them near the start that it is OK to request this.
