FAQ

How often do I need a massage? 

This answer is personal. The standard answer is that an average healthy person should have a massage every 4-6 weeks, massage is like an oil change for your body. That’s fine. But most people aren’t average.

Dealing with an acute issue like coming back from traveling for two days is different than the daily stress from a desk job + 50 mile commute. Training for a marathon and keeping up with a seasonal sport have different needs as well. You know your body best, when you’re ready for another massage, let me know and we’ll make it happen. 🙂

How do I pay you? What credit cards do you accept?

I accept cash and credit cards. I use that handy little Square Reader, which accepts all major credit cards – Visa/Mastercard/Discover/American Express. I have no preference among them.

 

 

That massage was amazeballs, can I tip you? What’s an appropriate tip?

Sure, that’s never a problem.

The average according to various sources online is that a tip for a massage is 10-25% of the service cost. That is a sizable range. I say, if you want to tip me, tip whatever amount feels good to you.

I’ve received tips that ranged from $2 for an hour massage and $100 for a 90 minute massage, the average among tipping clients is 20%.

 

Do you have to use a drape?/Can you just use a hand towel for draping? / It’s okay if I just start undressing now since you’ve seen it all/we’re both girls/I’m post-menopause and don’t care, right?

Yes, I have to use a drape. It’s required by law, by the various codes of ethics I am bound by, and by my own modesty. The drape is always a sheet. Again, it’s required and I’m modest, I really don’t want to see that much of you at once.

For the love of everything ever, you have to stay dressed while I am in the room. It’s required by law that I am not present while you are undressing, and seriously, I’m just not comfortable with it.

 

What about my pets?

I love animals and foster cats when I can (my schedule is too erratic to have dogs). Small dogs and cats are totally fine to leave out, medium and large dogs are probably best kept out of the room. Not only am I stranger, but the table is often strange to animals, and seeing their owners have someone leaning over them can cause unusual, very protective reactions.

 

What about my kids? 

I’m an aunt to eight, so I get the kids things, just let me know what you need. If you need to reschedule at the last minute because your kid is suddenly super sick or broke a leg by falling out of a tree or whatever, that’s fine. If you need me to text you when I arrive instead of knocking on the door so I don’t wake the napping baby or sleeping kids, that’s fine. If you need to keep your phone with you on the table in case the school/caregiver/kid calls, that’s fine.

If your kids are home during the massage, it is best if they are in the other room, unless they can be super quiet like if they are reading.  It is easier for you to relax if they aren’t constantly popping in to ask questions.

Like our four legged friends, children are also pretty excited about new people in their house. 😉

 

What if I smoke? What if I smoke in my house?

If you smoke, but not in your house, it’s fine.

If you smoke in your house, it is in my best interest to not be there. This is a sad dealbreaker for me. I’m not judging you, I’m actually allergic to cigarette smoke.

 

It’s a beautiful day, can we do the massage on my deck?

Absolutely. I never mind working outside. Just give me a heads up that this is an option so I can have my sunscreen ready. 🙂

 

Do you mind taking off your shoes when you come in to my home?

Heck no, I love not wearing shoes! Please give me a heads up before your appointment so I can be sure to that I am wearing shoes that are easy to slide on and off.

 

 How do you pronounce Reiki?

Rei is pronounced like ray in “ray of light,” ki is pronounced like key, the thing you use to open doors. So you say it like ray-key. Don’t worry if you get it wrong, most people do. 😉 I’m happy to let you know the correct way.

 

Can you provide references who I can call?

Nope, it’s illegal. You may have heard about HIPAA and been given a privacy notice at every doctor’s appointment (that, if you’re like me, you just stuff in your purse to eventually toss out). Same thing. I cannot legally provide any of my client’s information to anyone. With their express written consent, I can provide it to other medical or legal personnel for specific reasons.

If I see a client on the street, I can’t acknowledge them because that would be admitting that they are my client, which I cannot do. If my client sees me and wants to say hello and have some small talk as we continuously pass each other in the grocery store (no worries, after 2-3 times, I’ll just pretend to have urgent emails that need a reply at an endcap for several minutes to stop that particular madness), that’s fine.

No one has asked me this question until this year, and it’s come up a few times, so if this is coming from a magazine article or blog post somewhere, please let me know so I can message the author and inform that that massage therapists cannot do this.

To be honest, all the reviews in the world can’t tell you if we are a good fit. Every body is different, which means they like different things (did I bring in jersey sheets when they prefer flannel? do they hate my music?), they interpret pressure differently, they even take my jokes differently. You just have to take a chance and find out.