Manny Maven
Sunny Southern, CA
Male, 60
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Hello, Kyanks1!
When you say unshowered, how long are we talking about? Days or weeks? If we're just talking, like, a client showered the night before, then worked all day and then came in for massage, nah. Actually sometimes a client that wears too much cologne or perfume is harder to work with than a client that's been a go dog all day long.
I think the question behind your question is regarding a person's hygiene? Well, if you're stanky that's something else. Has it been more than 24 hours since you bathed? Sniff yer pits! Smelling gamey? Um, yeah, then that's an issue.
Here's a relevant story: I once had a female client who was a little eccentric. She rescued stray dogs, never wore shoes and had poor personal hygiene. I suspect that she may have been a dog hoarder because her filthy feet always smelled like poop. I would always start the session with warm towels and baby wipes to clean them off. It was really challenging because I was repulsed by the smell but she was in fact a very sweet lady that I got along with.
As for clients coming straight from the gym? Honest, hard working, sweaty people are cool with me. I've performed sports massage for professional as well as amateur athletes during competitions, games races, meets or triathlons and when you work a sporting event, it's part of the job. However, sometimes an athlete will be so sweaty I am unable to get a good connection with the muscle and fascia because their skin is just too slippery to work effectively. In cases like those, I'll simply towel them off and maybe apply some talcum powder to get a good grip. It depends on the massage modality that's being applied.
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I'll qualify that I have never worked for a "massage clinic" that offers massage and bodywork sessions for relaxation purposes. I'll lump "day spa" in with this type of working environment even though they may provide more services like saunas, manicures/pedicures, body scrubs and facials.
However, I have worked in a clinical setting (i.e. chiropractors and doctors' offices) earlier in my career but that is different because it's a medical setting and there is an entirely different skill set required on top of massage training including the understanding of medical coding, SOAP documentation, etc.
My students report that at one time, massage therapists at massage clinics were hired as independent contractors and would have to provide their own linens, oils/lotions, music, room temperature control devices and any other additional items for a cut that was 15% to 30% of what the spa charged. The therapist got to keep the tips. The trend is for the lower end of the range these days due to a limp economy.
Nowadays it's more common that the bigger chain massage clinics hire a therapist as an employee instead of an independent contractor and pay them an average hourly rate of $18 with the pay range being anywhere from $12 to $20 depending on experience and training hours. I'm unclear if these employees were eligible for medical benefits due to the fact that they usually work part-time shifts. Now that the Affordable Care Act has gone into effect, I'm even more unclear how this plays out.
Another business model I've heard of is where the therapist rents out the room on a weekly or monthly basis like hair stylist rents a station. This is more typical in for an independent massage professional with their own, established client base.
And yes, most therapists in a massage clinic or spa are required to sign a non-compete agreement in which they agree not to treat the establishment's clients privately. I've been told, but cannot verify because I'm a masseuse and not a lawyer, that when it comes to the average massage therapist, non-compete agreements are just a blatant attempt to restrict free enterprise, and they won’t hold up in court.
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Oh, a good question and a great opportunity to educate the public! Thanks for asking, Billy.
I take great pains to market myself by using key phrases as a "therapeutic" and "non-sexual" massage therapist. It's on all my business literature including my business cards, brochures and marketing pamphlets, as well as on my website. And if you ever step into my studio, the first thing you'll notice is the wall of certificates that I hold in many different bodywork modalities for which I've trained.
But once, a long time client who was aware that I was a legitimate masseuse asked me at the end of his treatment if I would massage his you-know-what.
I was crestfallen and angry at the same time. I had worked with this guy for years. But I snapped into professional mode and said "I don't offer that type of service and I never have. You know that! So if you're seeking that kind of treatment, I recommend you check out the back of the L.A. Weekly." (This was before the paper had gone on-line and was proliferated with sexual massage ads in the back).
You see, Billy, while I don't personally provide a sexual service I'm pretty tolerant of the fact that there are sex-workers who do and there are certainly clients that seek out such services. I just wish they wouldn't call it "massage" because it really sullies the reputation of massage therapy as a profession. Most massage therapists spend hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of dollars to be certified at the national or state level and it's just not right to call a sexual service a massage treatment because it’s not.
As a customer, please use common sense when reviewing an ad for massage services and try to read between the lines. If a massage therapist like me is using words like "non-sexual", "therapeutic", and "wholistic" and they provide a wholesome headshot then it's a good bet this is what you'll get. If the ad reads "tantric", "sensual", "full body release" and the photo is even slightly suggestive, then well, you know what I'm saying? Caveat emptor!
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Occasionally male clients will gain an erection during a professional, non-sexual massage treatment. While they typically are embarrassed, I am never offended, because I realize this is a natural, physiological response to human touch. All certified massage therapists understand this as well as it is a topic that always comes up during training. As long as the client does not exhibit any lewd or unsavory behavior during or after the session, I just simply ignore it. Now, it can be an elephant in the room if there’s some major tent pole action going on, but I believe to ignore it is the only professional thing one can do. These clients came in for relaxation purposes or treatment for a sports injury so the last thing I want to do is make them feel ashamed or judged. I also think that "ignoring it" is probably the most common strategy for other trained professionals.
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Yes, I have been attracted to some of my clients. I'm human. However, I wouldn't risk my income and professional relationship with a client to take it to a personal one.
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You nailed it, Karyn! Learning inspires me and I love to share my knowledge and experience by passing it along.
The anatriptic arts is vast, wide and full of history in almost every culture around the world. Learning new modalities or studying ancient methods has always appealed to me. It informs my work as a therapist and as an instructor.
One can plan an entire trip around learning a new or different technique and use it as a tax write off. However, if you're going to do that, be sure the hours or training is accredited. You'll want to submit your certification to your local governing board when you get back home in addition to saving those receipts for the tax man.
Another reason I stuck with it for as long as I have is that I truly enjoy connecting to people. I've witnessed the life stages of many of my clients. I've trained as a doula to help a client deliver her two children and I've also provided therapeutic touch to those who are at the end of life.
When I started in this profession, I wanted to make a positive difference in a person's day. I could not have foreseen that as the years have gone on, these people have made a positive difference in my entire life. It has been honor and gift to be of service.
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Thanks for asking. I'm a bit concerned about how severe your back pain is and if it's simply due to a sedentary lifestyle (sitting in front of a screen all day), the stresses of the job (that you've indicated), or if you may have past accidents and/or injuries or repetitive motions that are compounding your current state of pain.
Before you begin any massage treatment, it's important that your massage therapist receive information about your general health. This entails completing an in-take form indicating any health issues, your health history to include any accidents or injuries you've sustained as well as any medications you are currently taking. It may also include other questions about your lifestyle to get a sense of how you use your body in activities and how frequently you do so. For example, you mentioned you sit in front of screen all day but a good therapist will also want to know how long your commute is and how active you are. Like if you golf weekly, do yoga daily, hike yearly -- stuff like that.
A therapist will also want to know if you are under a doctor's care and if your primary health provider knows you are seeking massage treatments. Depending on your health condition, approval from your doctor may be required.
Now, assuming you're fit and have no major health concerns, the array of massage modalities is numerous. Depending on your preferences, you could enjoy a Swedish massage, a shiatsu treatment, a deep tissue session, a hot/cold stone massage, etc., etc. There are literally dozens of modalities featured on the website MassageTherapy.com and I invite you to check them out here: http://www.massagetherapy.com/glossary/index.php
If this truly is your first massage session, I recommend a Swedish massage treatment because it's exceptionally beneficial to relaxing the entire body. I also feel that this is what mostly comes to mind when people think about getting a massage. It's the basic Western style of bodywork that most professional massage therapists learn before getting certified.
Now when I say basic, it's doesn't mean bare bones or common. A Swedish massage treatment is yummy and your muscles will melt like buttah!
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