1. Your only responsibility is to breathe deeply and stay in the moment enjoying the experience. The therapist should do all the work. If you want to talk that is fine but the therapist will normally not initiate conversation--this is a time for you to relax and enjoy.
2. Massage is most fully experienced without clothing, however, if you feel any discomfort with this you may leave on your underwear or any amount of clothing you desire. Remember that you will be covered by a sheet or towel and your genitals and breasts will never be exposed or massaged. Your therapist will only uncover the areas of your body that he or she is working on.
3. You may feel the need to burp or have flatulence (gas) during the massage. This is perfectly normal because natural bodily functions can be stimulated by massage--no need to feel embarrassed. If you need to use the restroom during the massage the therapist will provide you with a robe and privacy.
4. Sometimes men experience erections and some women become aroused as a normal response to touch. So long as the client's intentions and behaviors, while receiving massage, are non-sexual there is no concern should you experience an erection or aroused state.
5. All massages at RAMPmassage are non-sexual, meaning that genitals and breasts will not be touched or uncovered during the massage.
Arrival Time: On your initial visit please arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the scheduled appointment. This allows time to complete necessary paper work and to cover pre-massage questions. On subsequent visits 5 to 10 minutes should be allowed. Your massage session will then begin on time and you will get the benefit of the entire scheduled time period.
Pressure level: always feel free to let your massage therapist know if s/he is working too deeply. When receiving deep tissue work, please be aware that, at times, it can be a very intense experience. However, you should be able to breathe through the work being performed; if you are holding your breath or resisting the work, your massage therapist is working too deep. While you receive some types of massage therapy, you may experience or notice sensations such as tingling, waves of energy or traveling dull aches. This is known as referred pain. This is part of the healing process and educates us as to what is going on with our bodies. This is different from a sharp pain, which is not the intention of any form of massage therapy.
Letting go: some people have a tendency to hold their bodies stiff because they have a hard time relaxing or they feel uncomfortable having that particular body part being treated with massage. Try to keep in mind that the massage therapist is there to help you. If at any time, you do not want specific part of your body massaged, communicate this to your therapist. To help you let go, imagine that you are a rag doll on the table or that your limbs are cooked spaghetti noodles.
Temperature: if you are too cold or too warm, please let your massage therapist know. Please be aware that during a massage, the lotions and oils that are applied to your skin pull the heat out of your body. If you are chilly, we can give you a blanket, turn up the table warmer or adjust the ambient temperature. If you are too warm, we can adjust or turn off the table warmer or adjust the ambient temperature.
Volume of music: if the music in the treatment room is too loud, too soft or bothering you in any way, please tell your therapist how you would like it adjusted.
Conversation level: each massage therapy session is time that we have set aside for you. If you wish to talk or ask questions during your session, please feel free to do so. If you prefer silence, your massage therapist will accommodate you. Please be aware that during certain types of massage therapy some level of communication is required to provide you with the desired outcome.
See this FAQ for general massage information.
http://www.3riversmassage.com/
