Massage Therapy — the Thing That Rubs People the Right Way!

The following is based on an interview conducted June 31, 2006, with Sharon Hebert, massage therapist.

Everybody has those days where one last straw on the proverbial camel’s back starts their eye twitching and their blood pressure rising. The good news is that there’s a terrific, fun activity to make the body start purring again. That activity is massage therapy.

Sharon Hebert, a massage therapist located in Detroit, Michigan, stated that massage therapy is fun partly because it is an opportunity for a person to just relax and not worry about anything else for the duration of the massage. “If you have a good massage therapist,” Hebert said, “then the massage is a time when you can open up and vent, just like you do when you go to a hairdresser.”

Of course, part of relaxation is knowing what to expect, too. Typically, when a person goes for a massage, the massage therapist first has the client fill out a form that informs the therapists of any medical conditions the client may have—pregnant women, for example, should not be placed in certain positions during massage, so a well-trained therapist will get a general idea of the client’s medical history in order to ensure that the client receives a safe massage. Once the medical form is completed, a good massage therapist will give the client a robe into which they can change, or the therapist talks them through the process of draping, where the robe is substituted tactfully with a sheet. A good massage therapist will leave the room until the client has changed or is modestly draped with the sheet.

Usually the massage therapist will dim the lights and play soothing music that incorporates nature sounds to start, and many make use of scented candles or oils depending on the tastes of the client. A massage typically starts with the client lying face down on the massage table, but a good therapist will accommodate to the needs and comfort level of the client. A massage usually lasts from half an hour to a deluxe session of two hours. Depending on where they are, the client may be given an area to shower or be given a cool beverage after the massage is over. It’s a good idea to be familiar with price ranges before getting up on the massage table, however.

“If the therapist operates privately, the therapist can charge pretty much whatever they want,” Hebert said. “As a rule, $65 is probably the standard low-end rate for an hour. The high-end rate for an hour generally can be as high as $120. A person can generally expect to pay about $40 for a half an hour.”

Hebert also advised that clients ask about the exact services the massage therapist offers. “If they offer more than one service, it’s probably worth it,” Hebert said. “Ask for references and talk to other clients. Check out what other therapists are charging and what they offer and if there are bonuses like free samples. If the therapist will come to you instead of you going to them, that can be beneficial, depending on your needs.”

What one client needs may differ drastically from what another client needs. For that reason, a good therapist will tailor the massage to the individual. One perk, for example, is that a client can request the music that is played, or even bring his or her own oil or lotion that they want the therapist to use.

Even for the bodily self-conscious, massage therapy can still be a great experience—Hebert stated that there is no reason why a person should feel uncomfortable during a massage, that the client can keep on whatever level of clothing makes them feel best, and that she assures self-conscious clients that she’s seen all kinds of body types and can stop the massage at any time.

“A person who doesn’t like massage the first time shouldn’t just give up,” Hebert said, “because they might not have found the therapist with the right touch to satisfy the personal needs of the client.”

Even though all kinds of people go to massage therapists for all kinds of reasons, the prime candidates for massage therapy are those in environments of high stress. People who benefit most from massage therapy thus include those who have jobs where they are in contact with others (e.g., social workers), people who are constantly at a desk (e.g., secretaries), and people on their feet a lot with long shifts (e.g., doctors or nurses).

While massage therapy can be fun and reduce stress, other great reasons to go are that it helps to flush toxins from the body, increases circulation, and has been proven to lower blood pressure.

Fortunately, a person who wants to take advantage of the benefits of massage therapy needn’t work very hard to do so. Hebert stated that potential clients easily can find massage therapists by looking on the Internet (keywords being massage therapy and the client’s city). Massage therapists are also found at local fitness centers, hotels, and day spas. Relaxation, then, is literally at a person’s fingertips, and massage is certainly worth trying at least once!