I booked a massage from a mobile therapist during the week. She was a lovely, friendly girl and seemed very professional (she took a full history before starting the massage).
In the history, I filled in the space where it asked about any problem areas - I mentioned that my upper back, neck and shoulders were extremely sore and tight. So there was me with high hopes that she would help with these problems......:rolleyes:
....it didn't happen! Sigh. The massage was light-to-medium (even though I had asked for deep and firm). And there was no difference in pressure when she reached my 'sore bits'. In fact, she barely did ANY work at all around my upper traps, levator scapulae and rhomboids.
My first thought was "what was the point of taking a history if you blatantly ignore the points mentioned in it?". My second thought was "oh well, that's another £40 wasted for what has amounted to little better than a 'gentle tickle' ".
I've now started to think that my ideal massage - ie one that addresses areas of tension and actually manages to unlock tight muscles, one that includes the glutes and doesn't stop two-thirds of the way up the thigh and one that doesn't cost an exhorbitant amount - isn't going to happen. LOL!
Am I being too hard and expecting too much from a swedish massage? I think maybe the fact that I've continued my study and training beyond my swedish qualification makes me expect that other therapists have done the same thing.
I had a "deep tissue" massage from someone recently and it turned out (after some subtle questioning) that they had got their massage qualification on a one-week course - and worse still - they DID NOT have an anatomy & physiology qualification (she said the course didn't require it!). Her massage was basically an hour of effluerage. There's no way it could even have been described as a firm pressure swedish - let alone a deep tissue!
OK, I need a massage after all that ranting!!! LOL! 😀
Kitten
x
I would be too! After a massage you should jolly well feel you have had one. I am not one for massage myself but I like giving it to close ones and you can tell they are benefitting and relaxing as the energies mingle and mellow the tension. Well, It is something else you have learnt. As they are taking your history you take theirs!!! Lol x
Hi Kitten
Sorry to hear about your poor massage experience. I make a living from being able to give a deep massage. The same thing keeps coming across from clients: "I want one of your deep tissue/sports massage, not a light Swedish one, that's irritating to me". So that's what I do, get in deep. First thing I say to a client is what do you want from the treatment and if they say like a client I treated today, "Please do my lower back, glutes and feet around the ankles", that is exactly what I did, plus a bit of time to work her tight shoulders for a more complete treatment.
Unfortunately some massage therapists just do one shortish training course and think they can go out and be a practitioner. Yes I think you are too hard expecting others to have your high standards Lol :-))). If I ask a up and coming therapist (ie aroma, reflex, massage type stuff) what their wish to achieve from their training, they find it hard to reply. Gradually it is said that they just want to make people feel good. Of course there is nothing wrong with that. But where is the focus and vision? It's like the idea of being a therapist is more important then actually being a therapist (and I mean totally in their being).
Or am I being too harsh? It's only because I love what I do and believe in it. That reminds me of the 3 Pillars of Massage:
1. To massage someone is a privilege
2. Massage is an art underpinned by science (not the other way round)
3. Massage is compassion in action!
Best Wishes
RP
Sorry to hear about your disappointing massage experience. Sounds like the therapist didn't know what to do to help you. Thinking back to my initial Swedish massage training I wasn't really shown how to deal with problem areas or how to work deeply. Over the years I have done a lot of advanced massage training to improve my skills.
Another therapist told me about her bad hot stone massage experience. At the end she asked therapist about her training and although she had done her initial training at college she had learnt how to do hot stone massage from a DVD.
You may have to ask future therapists a liitle more about their massage training to give you a sense if you think they'll be able to help you. If a potential clients asked me about my training and experiece I would be happy to answer.
Forgive me for being blunt, but is the client not partially to blame here, you have received inneffective massage on different occasions. What happened to giving constructive feedback during the treatment? Why has the client not said " would you mind going a lot deeper on my shoulders?
I also think (as an assessor) that you probalby are asking too much from a (modern) swedish massage, the quality and depth of teaching I see frequently varies so much from college to college. The "bums on seats" approach "results and retention" means there will be far more inept therapists gracing the industry in the future. CFE funding is determined by the success of the previous years courses, useless masseurs are not being shelved from courses, they are qualifiying and practising on the public.
when I have been on here before and ranted about dvd and distance learning courses. I have been shot down in flames by some.
The bottom line is we need more policing of standards, more regulation of the industry and we need to be able to name and shame crappy training centres.
I am a working therapist/ tutor and assessor and I see this years students become next years tutors. with no practical application of their newly acquired skills.
We are now wallowing in a sea of mediocrity when it comes to therapies and therapists.
The bottom line is you need to TELL your therapist what you want, if you dont get it TELL them again if you still dont get what you want... then dont pay and TELL everyone you meet that Therapist A is not an effective therapist, word of mouth works both ways you know, a reputation is hard to build and easy to lose.
Rant over, no offence meant
BGFL back from the wilderness
thanks for the rant.
At the risk of repeating other threads - I couldn't beleive it when I saw that you could do hands-on therapies by Distance learning!!!
Anatomy & physiology; yes. Aromatherapy theory; yes. and I'm sure lots of other subjects are appropriate.
But how can you know how much pressure is enough or too much with massage?
Having seen the local college churn out therapists who are all excited and setting up business straight away and then a year later - pooff - they're gone! Disappointment all round and a very short career as a therapist!
cheers
judith
Is it possible for a therapist to make a living from doing one or two college type courses? Most of the sucessful massage/bodywork therapists I know all seem to have something in common:
*They went beyond their initial training, do regular CPD and upgrade their skills
*Reflective in their practice
*Generally keep themselves fit & healthy (I do understand that is always not so easy, especially with a long-term illness or disability)
*Have good kinesathetic (sp) touch
*Passionate about their work & interested in people
Is there anything else to be added to this?
RP
Fascinating thread.....
I've been in business as a massage therapist since last september. I started with Swedish/Holistic massage, then took training in Hot/Cold stone and have just completed a Remedial massage course. Two years training thus far and will be starting Sports Massage in September.
I have found that it is essential to meet with other massage therapist of varying degrees of expertise and experience in an effort to constantly improve, sharpen and learn new techniques.
I know our professional bodies promote CPD, but I find it random and too generalised.
But what's the answer?
Like many, I've received ineffective massages. So perhaps it's the term massage that's at fault? Perhaps it's too much of an umbrella term? Or are the expectations of Therapist and client set incorrectly?
What I see lacking in the industry are measures of competence at all levels. Certain I've seen the work that some posters are doing to raise standards. But massage standards are esoteric and don't drive the industry.
But what I do see is skill minimalism, i.e. learn the terms and hey ho away you go. Is it time that we established a licensing sytem for massage therapists?
Myarka
I've now started to think that my ideal massage - ie one that addresses areas of tension and actually manages to unlock tight muscles, one that includes the glutes and doesn't stop two-thirds of the way up the thigh and one that doesn't cost an exhorbitant amount - isn't going to happen. LOL!
Might happen if you're ever in the Sunderland/Durham area?? 😉
On a lighter note...I had a sports massage whilst on holiday with the family in Egypt. I was beaten to a pulp. I had asked for some work on my calves that were quite tight at the time. I could barely walk after and needed a holiday to recover!
I think it also depends on the type of therapist they are - I had a massage from an aromatherapist once and could hardly feel a thing, I am sure it works better with the oils...
The only other point was perhaps she was inexperienced, we all have to start somewhere and we maybe qualified but we only really start learing when we get out there and start doing!
We do need feed back, I was always to taught to ask about the pressure and hope that the client then feeds back what they are thinking
I am horriified that people can go and get a piece of paper for doing very little... took me years to build up my bank on knowledge!
Hi Kitten
why not pay a premium price for a therapist that does exactly whats neaded ???
I use a combination of deep techniques that aim to specifically target those area's you are already aware of and highlight many area's you will not have been aware as a source of pain/discomfort.
The only trouble with the above is that it places demands on me that mean I have to limit numbers to 4 x 1 hr a day.:D
Best of luck with your search
PS. I do know exactley what you are going through, I have a nightmare trying to find decent deep work if my two regular guys are'nt available.