Dogs love me, and I love dogs. Cats love me, and I love them too. When this massage therapist does house calls, I suddenly find myself surrounded by four-legged fans. I didn’t mean to, but I have managed to train all of my house clients’ domesticated beasties to expect a mini-massage when I get … Continue reading Massage Me, Massage My Dog
One of my massage therapist friends had a good bit of extra time on her hands when she first started her practice, so she picked up a Spanish book and taught herself to speak it.My therapist friend has not used her knowledge of Spanish much in her day spa, but it has come in handy … Continue reading Adding New Skills
Sometimes during a massage a client will ask me how I got into the business of doing massages. I don’t really like to take that question seriously. I have a serious answer, but I don’t like to share it. I’d rather say that it just happened that I noticed one day that I had … Continue reading Just Lucky, I Guess
Going to massage school, this massage therapist learned a lot about dealing with “tense” situations and people. The other day my local association asked for some massage schools memories and it made me laugh. Warm Fuzzy? More like shrieking students levitating on the practice tables. My first scream came during the first class. We were … Continue reading Massage School Memories
Holidays bring out the best in people – and the visiting relatives. I have just moved the office and the massage therapy room still looked a little bit like a MASH unit. My phone message, for a change, said I was off for two days before and after the holiday – but the calls just … Continue reading Family Matters
This massage therapist thinks she is organized. She thinks she has a good grip on where things are and handy when needed. Ho, Ho, Ho, delusional again. Moving is a drag under the best circumstances. This circumstance was a Wednesday. I had clients on the book. Ho, Ho, Ho. Mistake again. When we got to … Continue reading Moving Grumbles and Sage Advice
Stress comes in all forms, and I feel it on my massage table. Most likely it is a personal issue, a problem, a challenge in life or relationships. But a lot of people get their biggest stress from work, most specifically the feeling of being out of control, powerless, voiceless. It is a tall order … Continue reading Touch and the End of the World as We Know It
Independent massage therapists (like myself) have a few extra duties to perform during the course of their careers. One of the least fun is leasing space. My first office was a pretty simple deal. I rented two days in another therapist’s office and we had a handshake deal. I paid once a month and kept … Continue reading Boundaries and the Fine Print
Nothing makes fear quake in many massage therapists than the entrance of the super, hyper-mobile client. I too, have experienced the fear, the trepidation and the surprise. For the record, in Gumby folk symptoms of troubles are completely different than my true forte, people as stuck as me. What I would normally assess test … Continue reading Adventures in Super-Mobile Massage
This week I spent a lot of time sitting on some uncomfortable vinyl chairs on the surgical waiting room at St. Joseph’s Hospital. I have been there before, waiting on friends or family and often working on medical articles for the local paper. I thought I knew my way around, but hospitals change … Continue reading The Waiting Room