6 Things I Want You to Know Before Your Massage
After more than 27 years as a massage therapist, these are six things I genuinely want every client to know.
I don't believe massage should be a mystery.
You shouldn't have to lie there wondering why I'm working on a particular area, why I've changed my pressure, or whether what you're feeling is normal.
I want you to understand what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and how you can be part of the treatment.
Because the best massage isn't simply about what happens on the table.
It's about communication, experience, individualised treatment and working together.
So, here are six things I wish every client knew before their massage.
I don't believe massage should be a mystery.
You shouldn't have to lie there wondering why I'm working on a particular area, why I've changed my pressure, or whether what you're feeling is normal.
I want you to understand what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and how you can be part of the treatment.
Because the best massage isn't simply about what happens on the table.
It's about communication, experience, individualised treatment and working together.
So, here are six things I wish every client knew before their massage.
1. PAIN DOESN'T TELL ME HOW MUCH PRESSURE YOU NEED
“You can go harder. I have a high pain tolerance.”
I hear this quite often.
But having a high tolerance for pressure doesn't necessarily mean that more pressure is what your body needs.
When pressure becomes too intense, your body can respond by becoming tense or guarded. If you're bracing against the pressure, simply pushing harder isn't necessarily going to make the treatment more effective.
Sometimes deeper pressure is appropriate.
Sometimes a lighter touch or different technique is a better approach.
And sometimes the best thing I can do is change the angle, position or technique rather than simply increase the pressure.
My goal isn't to see how much pressure you can tolerate.
My goal is to find an approach that is appropriate for you.
Because sometimes harder is deeper.
And sometimes harder is just… harder.
2. MY HANDS ARE ASSESSING WHILE THEY'RE TREATING
Massage isn't simply rubbing the area that hurts.
As I work, I'm paying attention to what I can feel through touch — things such as changes in tissue texture, areas of tension or tenderness, movement and how your body responds to different techniques.
And I'm constantly reassessing.
What I feel at the beginning of your treatment may not be the same as what I feel 20 minutes later.
That's why my approach can change throughout the session.
I may alter the pressure, technique, angle or position. I may also spend time working on an area you weren't expecting.
If I do, there's usually a reason.
And I'm always happy to explain what I'm doing and why.
3. THE PLACE YOU FEEL DISCOMFORT ISN'T ALWAYS THE ONLY AREA I WILL CONSIDER
The body doesn't work as a collection of completely separate parts.
Muscles, joints and connective tissues work together to produce movement. The way you sit, stand, move, work and exercise can also influence how different areas of your body feel.
So if you come in with shoulder discomfort, for example, I may also look at areas around the neck, chest, upper back and shoulder region.
That doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem in those areas.
It simply means I'm looking beyond the exact spot where you feel the discomfort.
I want to consider the bigger picture rather than treating one spot in isolation.
That's why I assess the person attached to the uncomfortable body part — not just the body part itself.
4. I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK
I can learn a lot through my hands.
But I cannot feel what you feel.
I may be able to feel that an area is tense or sensitive, but I cannot know exactly how that pressure feels to you.
That's why your feedback matters.
Please tell me if the pressure feels too strong, too light, uncomfortable, sharp, burning, electrical, numb, or simply not right.
Not every sensation during massage means something is wrong. Focused therapeutic work can sometimes feel intense or tender.
But if something doesn't feel right, tell me.
Speaking up doesn't interfere with your treatment.
It helps guide it.
You are not expected to simply lie there and put up with something because you think that's what massage is supposed to feel like.
This is your body.
Your feedback helps me tailor the treatment to you.
5. I MAY NOT TRY TO DO EVERYTHING IN ONE SESSION
More treatment isn't automatically better treatment.
Sometimes there are several areas we could work on. Sometimes an area needs a more gradual approach. And sometimes trying to address everything in a single session simply isn't appropriate.
After more than 27 years of treating people, I've learned that there's a difference between doing more and doing what is appropriate.
I'd rather focus on what is most relevant to you on the day, see how you respond, and use that information to help guide future treatment.
Some people may also experience temporary tenderness following more focused massage work.
That's why I don't measure a good treatment by how sore you are afterwards.
My goal isn't to see how much treatment you can tolerate.
It's to provide treatment that is appropriate for you.
6. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY BETTER WHEN YOU LEAVE MY TABLE
This might be the most important one for me.
Education is part of the treatment.
If I notice something during your session that may be relevant to what you're experiencing, I want to explain it to you in language that actually makes sense.
We might talk about movement, posture, stretching, positioning, rest or other simple things you can consider between treatments.
And if I think something would benefit from assessment outside the scope of massage therapy, I'll tell you and may suggest speaking with your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
I don't want you to feel that you need to rely on me to understand your body.
I want you involved.
Because therapeutic massage isn't simply something I do to you.
It's something we work through together.
I bring my experience, assessment skills and hands-on knowledge.
You bring your history, your feedback and your understanding of how your body feels.
Both matter.
I can assess what I notice through touch and movement.
But you are the expert on what it feels like to live inside your body.
And when we bring those two perspectives together, we can make your treatment more individualised, more informed and more meaningful.
After more than 27 years as a massage therapist, that's still one of the things I value most about what I do.
I don't just want you to have a massage.
I want you to understand more about your body, too.
“You can go harder. I have a high pain tolerance.”
I hear this quite often.
But having a high tolerance for pressure doesn't necessarily mean that more pressure is what your body needs.
When pressure becomes too intense, your body can respond by becoming tense or guarded. If you're bracing against the pressure, simply pushing harder isn't necessarily going to make the treatment more effective.
Sometimes deeper pressure is appropriate.
Sometimes a lighter touch or different technique is a better approach.
And sometimes the best thing I can do is change the angle, position or technique rather than simply increase the pressure.
My goal isn't to see how much pressure you can tolerate.
My goal is to find an approach that is appropriate for you.
Because sometimes harder is deeper.
And sometimes harder is just… harder.
2. MY HANDS ARE ASSESSING WHILE THEY'RE TREATING
Massage isn't simply rubbing the area that hurts.
As I work, I'm paying attention to what I can feel through touch — things such as changes in tissue texture, areas of tension or tenderness, movement and how your body responds to different techniques.
And I'm constantly reassessing.
What I feel at the beginning of your treatment may not be the same as what I feel 20 minutes later.
That's why my approach can change throughout the session.
I may alter the pressure, technique, angle or position. I may also spend time working on an area you weren't expecting.
If I do, there's usually a reason.
And I'm always happy to explain what I'm doing and why.
3. THE PLACE YOU FEEL DISCOMFORT ISN'T ALWAYS THE ONLY AREA I WILL CONSIDER
The body doesn't work as a collection of completely separate parts.
Muscles, joints and connective tissues work together to produce movement. The way you sit, stand, move, work and exercise can also influence how different areas of your body feel.
So if you come in with shoulder discomfort, for example, I may also look at areas around the neck, chest, upper back and shoulder region.
That doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem in those areas.
It simply means I'm looking beyond the exact spot where you feel the discomfort.
I want to consider the bigger picture rather than treating one spot in isolation.
That's why I assess the person attached to the uncomfortable body part — not just the body part itself.
4. I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK
I can learn a lot through my hands.
But I cannot feel what you feel.
I may be able to feel that an area is tense or sensitive, but I cannot know exactly how that pressure feels to you.
That's why your feedback matters.
Please tell me if the pressure feels too strong, too light, uncomfortable, sharp, burning, electrical, numb, or simply not right.
Not every sensation during massage means something is wrong. Focused therapeutic work can sometimes feel intense or tender.
But if something doesn't feel right, tell me.
Speaking up doesn't interfere with your treatment.
It helps guide it.
You are not expected to simply lie there and put up with something because you think that's what massage is supposed to feel like.
This is your body.
Your feedback helps me tailor the treatment to you.
5. I MAY NOT TRY TO DO EVERYTHING IN ONE SESSION
More treatment isn't automatically better treatment.
Sometimes there are several areas we could work on. Sometimes an area needs a more gradual approach. And sometimes trying to address everything in a single session simply isn't appropriate.
After more than 27 years of treating people, I've learned that there's a difference between doing more and doing what is appropriate.
I'd rather focus on what is most relevant to you on the day, see how you respond, and use that information to help guide future treatment.
Some people may also experience temporary tenderness following more focused massage work.
That's why I don't measure a good treatment by how sore you are afterwards.
My goal isn't to see how much treatment you can tolerate.
It's to provide treatment that is appropriate for you.
6. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY BETTER WHEN YOU LEAVE MY TABLE
This might be the most important one for me.
Education is part of the treatment.
If I notice something during your session that may be relevant to what you're experiencing, I want to explain it to you in language that actually makes sense.
We might talk about movement, posture, stretching, positioning, rest or other simple things you can consider between treatments.
And if I think something would benefit from assessment outside the scope of massage therapy, I'll tell you and may suggest speaking with your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
I don't want you to feel that you need to rely on me to understand your body.
I want you involved.
Because therapeutic massage isn't simply something I do to you.
It's something we work through together.
I bring my experience, assessment skills and hands-on knowledge.
You bring your history, your feedback and your understanding of how your body feels.
Both matter.
I can assess what I notice through touch and movement.
But you are the expert on what it feels like to live inside your body.
And when we bring those two perspectives together, we can make your treatment more individualised, more informed and more meaningful.
After more than 27 years as a massage therapist, that's still one of the things I value most about what I do.
I don't just want you to have a massage.
I want you to understand more about your body, too.
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