How should I refer to you?

• In this region, the proper term is Licensed Massage Therapist.  We are professionally trained, regulated by local communities and licensed by the State of Connecticut through the Department of Public Health and are considered as Healthcare Professionals.  In New York, we are licensed by the NY State Education Department through their Office of Professions.  Massage Therapists provide safe touch.  It's a shame that our western society has such a limited view of touch, which is more widely recognized in other cultures.  The terms masseuse and masseur are older terms that have been connected with massage parlors and the sex trade.  Massage Therapists don't work in parlors and will not tolerate any inappropriate behavior.  Don't insult, offend or intimidate a legitimate Massage Therapist by expecting sexual acts from them. 

Does the gender of the massage therapist make a difference?

• Very simply, no.  While many men tend to give a deeper massage, I've had some very deep sessions from some very petite female therapists.  I've had great massages and mediocre massages from both women and men.  In reality, many people are nervous about receiving a massage from a man.  Many women prefer receiving a massage from a women and most men feel the same way.  This typically has more to do with personal body issues, fears and the old links to the sex trade.  The old thoughts are that a female therapist will take care of a man's sexual needs while a male therapist is either a homosexual or on the prowl trying to take advantage of female clients.  It's fortunate that massage therapy is gaining in popularity and acceptance as a complimentary healthcare modality, so these older mind sets are gradually disappearing.  The key is finding the right massage therapist for you. 

So how do I find the right massage therapist?

• The best place is to ask your friends for a referral.  They may be able to point you towards someone great or point you away from someone not as skilled.
• If you're looking at a website, check for comments from their clients.  While no therapist will post horrible comments about themselves, the comments that appear may give you a bit of insight into the therapist's skills.
• Look for a therapist who takes their profession seriously.  These massage therapists are continually training in new skills and techniques, are active in professional organizations and give back to their communities.  They're not fly by night operators who will be gone within a year.
• Beware of extremely low prices.  Proper training is continuous and expensive.  You don't go to a dollar store expecting to find an item of true quality, so you shouldn't expect a quality massage for an extremely low price.
• Massage Therapists should be non-judgmental.  They have seen bodies in every imaginable shape and size, young and old, athletic and handicapped.  They aren't trying to ogle your body or to judge your physique.  They won't get excited or revolted by seeing or massaging any part of your body.  Massage therapists should be proud of their ability to offer people the help they want and need, whether it's to reduce a chronic pain or simply to enjoy the sense of safe touch, regardless of gender, nationality, belief, weight, age, or height. 
• A great massage therapist knows that they are not magicians with magical hands.  They help you by putting your body back into balance so that you can heal yourself.
• A great massage therapist truly believes in confidentiality and treats every client as their priority.
• A very wise massage therapist taught me that I should always bring my heart to every massage.  The day I can no longer do that will be the day I retire.

This is my first massage.  What should I expect?  

• It is a good idea not to eat any large or heavy meals, sugar, caffeine, alcohol or any stimulants before your session.  You may want to shower or bathe before you come to the office, not only as a courtesy to your therapist, but to also help start loosening any tight muscles you may have.
• At Greenwich Healing Hands, your safety and comfort are our first priority.  Our staff will conduct a brief medical history to make certain there are no health concerns that may be contrary for a massage session.  We will then ask you about your specific needs and goals in order to tailor your session to you.  If you'd like us to focus the time on a sore spot or tense area, we will do exactly that.  We may assess any problem areas by observing your posture, checking for restrictions or painful movements and gently pressing for tender areas.  We'll show you the treatment room and explain how the session will progress.
• The treatment room is a private and comfortable environment. We tend to keep it comfortably warm.  We ask that you turn off any cell phones and pagers for the duration of the session.  This time belongs to you and nobody else.  Your therapist will not be answering any phone calls during your session. 
• Depending on the type of treatment, the therapist may ask you to disrobe in private and drape yourself with the sheets that are on the table.  The type of session you are receiving and the specific areas of your body that the therapist will be working on will determine your required state of undress.  I suggest that clients be completely undressed under the draping sheets, but that they should leave on whatever clothing is necessary for them to be relaxed during the massage.  If removing your undergarments makes you too nervous and you're unable to relax, then you won't be able to obtain the maximum benefits of your session.  Some women find that thong panties allow the therapist access to the buttock muscles while still providing them with the degree of modesty they need. 

• You will always be draped during the treatment ensuring that your modesty is respected at all times.  The only area of your body that will be uncovered during the session will be the area your therapist is working on at that time.  A separate robe is available should you need to run to the restroom during the session. 

• Generally the areas of the body included in a full body massage session are the neck, shoulders, arms (including the area of the underarm), hands and fingers, upper and lower back, buttocks, legs (including the areas of the inner thigh), feet and toes, upper chest (collar bones and above the breast), face (including the ears, nose and around the eyes and mouth) and scalp.  Abdominal and rib cage massage, while very beneficial, is not included unless specifically requested.  Breast tissue and genitals are not touched during a massage.  If there are any areas you would prefer not to include in your session, please be sure to let your therapist know.

• Massage therapy is a healing art, not a sexual service.  Although massage may be considered sensual, please do not confuse that for being sexual.  Inappropriate behavior is cause for termination of any session. 

• You will lie on a padded table or mat or sit on a specially designed chair, depending on your treatment.  Pregnant women will be treated in slightly different positions with lots of padding to support the ever changing body contours.  Your therapist will take a few moments to ensure that you are comfortable, properly positioned and sufficiently covered.  Remember that this is your session, so please inform your therapist of anything that distracts from your comfort.  The room temperature, lighting and music are at your control.
• Some clients like to talk while others like to quietly listen to music.  Your therapist will follow your lead.  Long conversations can be a distraction to your session, so please try to limit your responses to any questions the therapist may ask.  Please be aware that anything that is discussed in the treatment room is completely confidential. 
• Some people fall asleep during a session, which is perfectly natural as you let go of your stresses and tensions.  If you do fall asleep, the therapist will gently awaken you if it is time to reposition or when the session is completed. 
• If you feel the therapist is working too lightly or too deeply, please let the therapist know which you would prefer.
• If at any time during your session you experience any pain or discomfort, please immediately inform your therapist.  Massage therapy is a very pleasurable experience when administered to healthy muscle tissue, but can cause some discomfort in areas holding tension or areas that have suffered injuries.  We usually refer to is as "good pain" vs. "bad pain".  Our goal during a standard session is to stay away from the "bad pain".  Your therapist will employ a variety of techniques to try to bring balance to your system.  If your natural tendency is to tense up and hold your breath, your therapist will try to guide you with breathing and relaxation exercises.
• If you find you are really enjoying the work on a particular area or a techniques the therapist is using, please let them know that too, before the therapist moves on to another area.  If time permits, your therapist can spend some extra time in the area or using that technique.
• During the session, your therapist may move your limbs in a variety of positions or apply some small stretches.  Please try to be as loose as possible and don't try to "help" the therapist.  The therapist is well trained and will not stretch you beyond what your body naturally allows, unless you request a longer stretch.
• Your body releases tension in many different ways, some physical, some emotional.  You may hear your stomach begin to growl.  Don't be embarrassed.  We consider this a sign of relaxation.  You may release some small grunts or groans, or even pass some gas.  These releases are perfectly natural.  If you suddenly feel angry, sad, joyful, or afraid, these too can be emotional releases.  Allow yourself to express these feelings by laughing or crying.  Trying to stay in control just keeps these tensions inside your body.  Once again, your session is completely confidential.
• After your session, your therapist will suggest that you drink plenty of fresh water over the next day.  This is to help flush out any toxins that were released into your system from the tightly contracted muscles and lymph system.  If you feel sore or suffer flu-like symptoms after a massage, it's usually a sign that you need to drink more water.

How often should I get a massage?

• That depends...  That's a very hard question to answer.  It probably depends mostly on your reason for receiving a massage in the first place.  If a client comes in for injury rehabilitation, we might suggest seeing them two or three times a week for a few weeks.  Then we may not see them until they suffer another injury.  If a client has a very high stress profession, we might see them weekly.  Many people come in once every other week and some come in once every 3 or 4 weeks, mostly using massage as preventative medicine and to help with the stresses of everyday living.  Some come in on a regular basis because they just enjoy getting an hour to themselves.  For most people, their budget is their limiting factor.  Once people realize how great they feel after a session they often try to adjust their budgets to include a regular massage session.  That's one reason we offer packages.

 Do you take credit cards or checks?

• We currently cannot accept credit cards but we happily accept cash and checks.  We also offer billing services for our corporate clients.

Do you offer discount packages and/or gift certificates?

• We offer both massage packages and gift certificates.  While our standard packages are for 5 or 10 sessions, we can customize packages to meet your needs.  Gift certificates may be written for single sessions, packages or dollar amounts.  Let us know what you'd like.

Do you make house calls?

• Yes.  But please be aware that we are an established practice with a large group of weekly and bi-weekly clients already in our schedule.  Home visits within Greenwich, CT are priced more reasonably than visits outside of our home area.  We do charge an additional fee for visits outside our home area based on the day of the week, time of day and the amount of time requested.  We all know how horrible and difficult traffic can be in this region.  Workplace chair massage, massage parties and events have a 2-hr minimum requirement.

Massage Parties?

• While Chair Massage was once used in primarily in corporate settings and at trade shows, it has become very popular with birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, pre-wedding events and private cocktail parties.  We bring a specially designed chair to your event and work on the guests for 5, 10 or 15 minute sessions, depending on which you request.  Your guests keep their clothes on and still benefit from some work on their backs, shoulders and neck.  Longer sessions include the arms, hands, hips and some other movements.  On occasion, we can also arrange for more traditional table massage sessions or 30-60 minutes.

Can I just walk in to your office for a session?

• Sorry, but due to the nature of our business, we cannot accept any walk-in traffic.  We might already be booked for the entire day or we may be out of the office on a home visit or at an event.  That's why all of our sessions are by appointment.  It's best to contact us by phone at (203) 253-5576 to check if we have an opening today or to schedule an appointment.

Why don't you work on Sundays?

• Most importantly, we need a day to recover and rest our hands, which are the healing tools we use.
• Some of our Sundays are spent in continuing education, learning new techniques and skills to better help you and to bring additional services to our practice. 
• Do you work 7 days a week? 

©2005 Greenwich Healing Hands