Massages are not one-size-fits-all. To really get the most out of your experience, it’s important to ask some questions prior to your first booking to ensure you’re getting the right kind of massage and the right massage therapist for you.

 

How to go about determining which LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist) is right for you? The process is somewhat similar to dating, actually. You ask the right questions, you give people a chance, you approach with an open mind, but you don’t settle.

 

Here are some helpful questions to ask:

 

What kind of clients do you work on the most?

Healing Hands founder Anastasia says, “When I was in massage school, they told us ‘The massage you most like to GET is the massage you will most like to GIVE.’ ” Meaning that LMTs are likely to give a massage that aligns with their preferences (unless requested otherwise or it does not meet your needs as stated in your intake form). An LMT’s repeat clients are happy customers. Does she find that a certain crowd gravitates to her? Does she dislike a certain kind of massage? For example, if you’re looking for a relaxing massage but the LMT caters to a crowd that works out a lot at the gym, it’s probably not going to fly.

Do you have any specialties? What techniques are you trained in?

Massage therapists are trained in LOTS of different techniques so they can adapt. Some may seek further training in certain areas, or prefer certain modalities. Either way, their goal is to give you the massage you want and need. The key however, is communication. Our LMTs are many great things, but unfortunately mind reading isn’t one of them. Talk to them! Tell them if you’d like them to adjust the pressure, focus more on a specific area, or anything else. And yes, mentioning any of that during the session is just fine (don’t wait until it’s over to let them know what you want to do differently next time!).

Finally, JUST TRY IT OUT.

Like finding the perfect tennis shoe, it can take trying on several before you find the right fit. Or, going back to our initial analogy: in dating, it takes a while to find the right person, and often you don’t know if someone is the wrong fit unless you give them a try. Unless of course…your differences are glaringly obvious. Same principles apply here; communication and experimentation is all you need to find the right LMT for you!