Q.Should a massage hurt to be effective?

A.There's a difference between "pain" and a relieving discomfort. The main objective is to relax a muscle, but if the pressure is so deep that it makes you tense up, then your muscle is literally kicking the therapist out. This is wasting the time of both the therapist and the client. If the client ever feels the pressure is too deep, then it is always important to speak up.

Q.I've been really looking forward to my massage, but I woke up feeling a bit sick. It should be fine to come in and get my massage right?

A.No! When you are feeling sick then it is better to stay at home and rest for a few reasons. First off if you are showing symptoms of a cold or flu, then that means you are currently contagious and risk passing it on to your therapist who will in turn pass it on to other clients. This will also mean your therapist will need to cancel scheduled appointments and take time away from work.

Also, massage can actually cause symptoms to worsen, as the body and lymph nodes are put under extra stress and unable to keep up.

Q.I've been enjoying my massage so far, but suddenly there is a technique being used that I just really don't like. Should I just stay silent until my therapist does something different?

A.No! This is your session and ultimately you are here to enjoy yourself and relax. During a deep tissue massage there may be techniques that feel uncomfortable that are necessary for a therapeutic outcome, so you are encouraged to speak up and ask what is being done and why?!

Whether it be technique, draping, or anything you feel uncomfortable with, speaking up is the best way to allow your therapist to adapt and make sure your sessions are always as comfortable as possible. Your therapist will check in with you, but they do not want to spend an hour or more giving you a massage, to find out at the end that you were not really enjoying yourself.

Q.I'm feeling really relaxed during this massage, however, I feel you are moving a limb (arm, leg, head/neck etc). Should I help?

A.Unless I specifically ask for your help, such as to activate certain muscles during a therapeutic deep tissue session, you don't need to do anything other than relax, after all that's what you are here for. If you are moving then you are tightening muscles, which is literally the opposite of what we are trying to achieve. In fact when a client "helps" it often makes the therapists job a little harder. What makes my job easier is when a client leaves all the work to me.

Feel free to reach out with an email should you have any specific questions, I'm always happy to make sure clients feel informed.