I'm very pleased that you are considering me for your massage treatment. Here’s some information that may be helpful, particularly if this is your first massage.
FAQ's
Will a single massage help me feel better?
I've seen ads for places charging $39-49 for massage, why are you more expensive?
I've seen massages at other locations for upwards of $130 an hour. Why are they so much more expensive?
What are the contraindications to massage?
What Massage Treatment Style Would Be Best For Me?
What Do I Wear?
What If I’m Uncomfortable During My Massage?
What if I Need to Cancel?
What About Tipping?
Q: Will a single massage help me feel better?
A: Yes and no. For a number of physical and stress related problems, massage can have an immediate impact. Every day I have clients who are stressed out, with a sore neck, tight back, etc. and I leave them feeling a lot better than before came. But if you have you ever had the experience of getting a massage and not noticing an immediate difference in your body after, you are not alone.
Sometimes the effects of the session take time to manifest. You may get up feeling that you still have the issue started with but when you wake up the next day it's resolved.
But sometimes you won't notice a significant difference, even after a day or more. That happens because some of the positive effects of massage are cumulative. In other words, the more massage you get, the more benefit it generally has.
While many studies have been done showing the benefits of massage to treat a wide range of ailments, the problem with this research is that the studies follow participants over a course of many massages, usually during a period of eight weeks or more. Unfortunately, most people can't or won't commit to a series of eight or more treatments.
Instead, they pay for a single session and expect to get the same results as if they are beingseen regularly. While you can very definitely get results from a single session, you will only get the maximum benefit from massage if you get one regularly. That doesn't mean you have to get one weekly. Even a monthly or every six week treatment can be effective in turning massage into a regular part of your life.
I realize that not everyone has the time or inclination to make massage more than an occasional event. I am just as happy to see clients once a year as those who I visit more frequently. I just want you to have realistic expectations as to the benefits if you chose to recive one less often.
If you do decide to become a regular client please take advantage of my discounted series packages. They are a great way to make your sessions more affordable per treatment.
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Q: I've seen ads for places charging $39-49 for massage, why are you more expensive?
A: While you don't always get what you pay for, this is one case where you generally do. First, a number of places lure people in with a "first time client" offer of $39, and then charge more once you become a regular. So if you see an offer for a low priced session, make sure it's good for as long as you are a client. Second, because they pay their therapists less, the massage places charging $39-49 often hire students just out of massage school or therapists who sopme businesses would turn away. While some therapists have an amazing gift of touch right out of school, this is the exception rather than the rule.
Because the "massage mills" tend to have a high turn over rate and need to constantly hire a lot of people, they generally have a much lower standard when it comes to adding new therapists to their staffs. Many also charge extra for deep tissue or advanced work if it is even available, so that enticing $39 massage may turn out to be considerably more once you are on the table.
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Q: I've seen massages at other locations for upwards of $130 an hour. Why are they so much more expensive?
A: In the case of the larger spas in Los Vegas, what you are almost always paying for is their facilities. Spas have become extremely expensive to build and maintain and competition has made it a game of who can "one-up" who in over-the-top decor. I love a great spa environment myself, and they can be wonderful places to spend a day. But you are generally not going to get your money's worth in the quality of the massage care there.
In order to support their operation costs large spas must offer a full range of services and then try to recoup costs by selling the products that go with their services. There is nothing inherently wrong with this except that many good massage therapists don't want to do wraps and facials. Many large spas are also focused on the short term bottom line and pay less than market wages. Because of that, ironically, many large, beautifully decorated spas have a high turn over rate and tend to attract therapists who are new to the industry.
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Q: What are the contraindications to massage?
A: A massage will make you feel worse if you are suffering from any contagious or infectious disease no matter how mild it may seem. If you have a cold, flu or fever DO NOT BOOK a session. I will be very happy to see you once you are feeling 100% better.
If you have certain other medical conditions, for your health and well-being massage should not be performed or may be restricted. These are not all obvious, so before booking, please review all of the contraindications to massage to make certain that none apply to you.
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Q: What Massage Treatment Style Would Be Best For Me?
A: Most therapists charge $20 or $30 extra for deep tissue, shiatsu or other advanced techniques. I don’t. I know how frustrated you’d be if you asked me to work a little deeper and I couldn’t because you hadn’t paid extra for a deep massage. And I know you’d probably be upset if you had already paid extra and then realized you really needed a lighter touch that day. Instead, you can either specify a treatment style when you book, or simply tell me how you’re feeling when I arrive and I will craft your massage especially for you on any given day, drawing from a range of techniques to make you feel great. The key is to communicate when calling, and when I get there so I know how to structure your session.
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Q: What Do I Wear?
A: You will be draped with a towel during your massage and I will only undrape areas that are being worked on. If you want to wear underwear underneath, you may.
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Q: What If I’m Uncomfortable During My Massage?
A: The most common reason people have bad massage experiences is because they didn’t want to say anything to their therapist during their massage. If you’re too hot or cold, the music is too loud or soft, or the touch is too hard or not hard enough, or if you feel uncomfortable in any way, do not hesitate to let me know immediately. Everything from the music volume to the angle of your face rest is adjustable. I will never be offended if you make a request to add a blanket, or adjust the table, pressure or music during your session.
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Q: What if I Need to Cancel?
A: To avoid being charged for the full amount of your session, please let me know 12 hours ahead of time if you will be unable to make your scheduled appointment. If your appointment is booked the same day you call, please be aware that the cancellation policy will be in effect once your appointment is set. This is done in fairness both to clients who would otherwise have wanted the appointment as well as me, who is not paid if they do not perform the session. I ask all new clients to provide a credit card at the time of booking to hold their appointment. The card will be authorized (which holds funds without actually charging them) and you may pay by any method once I arrive at your desired location.
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Q: What About Tipping?
A: This is one of the most frequently asked and perhaps most misunderstood questions I get so please accept my apologies for the following if it seems a bit lengthy.
Just like hair stylists, manicurists, or others providing personal services it is customary to tip massage therapists and estheticians. I do not net the full amount of fees collected from clients. A significant portion of the fees collected goes towards gas and paying for the supplies.
The usual tipping range is 15-20% of the regular cost of services. Most clients tip $8-10 for a 25 minute session, $12-$15 for a 60 minute session, $20-25 for 90 minutes, and $32-35 for 120 minutes. Please note that gift certificates do not include gratuity and it is still customary to tip your therapist or esthetician even though someone else paid for your session.
If you are paying by credit card you are welcome to add a tip to your credit card charge at the end of your session and you can give cash tips when paying for your massage. If you are paying with a gift certificate please note that credit card company restrictions prohibit me from charging tips to credit cards unless the service was paid for with a credit card. I know, it's a stupid rule, and I wish I could do something about it. For now, if you are using a gift certificate, please just plan to pay cash if you want to tip, and accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience.
The last word on tipping: A wide range of people from waitstaff to cab drivers, including massage therapists and estheticians, rely on tips for a significant portion of their living. If you are against tipping or feel it doesn't apply to you, I would encourage you to rethink your philosophy before making an appointment.
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Your Experience:
I take great pride in taking care of my clients. If you have any concerns, comments or questions before or after your massage about any part of your treatment I encourage you to let me know.