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Asking A Massage Client To Undress

Fresh Out Of Massage School· Running A Massage Therapy Practice

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In this Post: Asking a massage client to undress is a regular part of your job as a massage therapist. This simple request, can be challenging for those dealing with certain emotional and physical realities. It is important as therapists to be sensitive to this reality!

How to ask them to get naked.

Asking a massage client to undress may seem like no big thing to you or me, but your clients may feel differently! Many people have hang-ups about getting naked, and if we fail to be sensitive to this reality we stand a good chance of alienating them before their massage even begins!

Take Off Your Clothes

Um, excuse me? Take off my clothes. I don’t think so. I don’t know you.

Even though clients may be aware that removing their clothes is part of the massage experience, if they are new to the practice of massage it still may be really intimidating!

How much should they take off? How little? Where should they lay? What should they do?

You can almost feel the anxiety rising!

Because of the reality of reticence when it comes to massage, it is important to have a clear “What to Expect” section on your website. This can help alleviate apprehension a client might be feeling before they even arrive for their appointment.

Check out: Eliminating Anxiety For Your Massage Clients With A “What to Expect” Section, for more on how to make it really clear to the client what they will experience the first time they come to you for massage.

There are a variety of reasons someone might be uncomfortable getting naked.

A history’s of sexual abuse or assault.

With 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men being raped at some point in their life, there is a good chance that we as therapists are working on people who have a turbulent touch history. We need to be aware of this prevalence!

People who have experienced this type of abuse might present as extremely jumpy or nervous. They may have a hard time standing up for themselves.

Because of this, it is imperative if we see these warning signals that we tread lightly! The last thing we want to do is alienate an already delicate client — one who is coming to us to experience safe touch.

Poor body image issues.

Most of us have parts of our body we wish we could change, while others of us are obsessed with the idea of “improving” our physique. Massage can be a great antidote for the mental and emotional effects of having poor body image issues.

Our job as massage therapists is to create a space where our clients feel we aren’t judging their flaws. That really they aren’t flaws, that we all are beautifully and uniquely made, and that they are deserving of healthy human touch.

Uncomfortable with the opposite gender.

Even though they booked an appointment with a massage therapist of the opposite gender, they still may feel modest when it comes time to actually take off their clothes.

Our jobs as therapists is to make our clients feel comfortable and accepted. We have a responsibility to tap into our intuitive sense to see when our client’s unspoken needs are not being met. WE ARE NEVER TO TELL SOMEONE THEY MUST TAKE OFF MORE CLOTHING THAN THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE!

Really when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter why they are uncomfortable with getting naked. We don’t need to know the reason, though sometimes it can be helpful and does explain a lot. But when we don’t know the reason, that’s okay too. Our job is to hold space for whatever experience our clients are having and to nurture them through that process.

So often we get calloused to the reality that undressing is a big deal for many. We spend the majority of our day looking at naked bodies, and we forget that we need to be sensitive! Alert to unspoken cues.

We must be vigilant in our observations. We must be delicate in our approach. And we must remember not to get stuck in ruts, that each client has a complexity of emotions and past history that they bring to the table, and it is our job to be sensitive to those experiences.

Asking A Massage Client To Undress

Say things like, “You may undress as much or as little as you would like. We are happy to work around clothing if that is what makes you feel most comfortable.” My hope is we can say such things and mean them.

We should never tell someone they HAVE to take something off. I know, I know, it is way easier to do focused rhomboid work when someone isn’t wearing a bra. But if they chose to leave their bra on, for whatever reason, respect their decision!

It is our job to develop tools that allow us to give fabulous treatments regardless of whether or not our clients are fully clothed. Healthy touch is an important aspect of life, especially to the many who have experienced a lack of such touch! Let’s try to bring healthy touch to as many starving bodies as possible.

Please stay vigilant! Listen to the unspoken needs. Tap into your intuition to make sure you are present with what is truly going on with your clients! And remember if a client wants to leave ALL of their clothes on, that that is OKAY!

Massage

Author Profile

Ali Boehm
- Boulder College of Massage Therapy Graduate
- Nationally Certified through NCBTMB
- Colorado Licensed Massage Therapist
- Certified CranialSacral Level 1 through Upledger
- Certified Herbal Therapist through Nutrition Therapy Institute
- Certified Fujian Massage through Barefoot Masters
- Fort Lewis College - Majored in Art, Minored in Business Administration
- 6 Year Winner of Best Massage Therapist for "Best of The Boat" Competition
- Massage Business Owner Since 2008
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  • Episode 003: To Niche or Not to Niche Your Massage PracticeFresh Out Of Massage SchoolPodcast Episode 049: Diversifying Your Income with Soul Care Coaching with Christine Boye

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Comments

  1. Evelyn says

    March 31, 2020 at 4:38 am

    Please can u suggest an online massage therapy school …I wanna be certified

    • businessmama says

      April 2, 2020 at 8:02 pm

      Evelyn,

      I’m sorry but I don’t have an online school I can recommend. It is my opinion that massage simply cannot be taught 100% in the online space. I know that this is a time when it might be nice to learn online, but I don’t know of a program I trust that educates in a way that you could walk away being fully prepared for the demands of a career in the massage therapy industry.

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  • Podcast Episode 050: Show Up & Shine on Social Media with Stacey Hagen
  • Negotiating A Massage Lease
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the.massage.business.mama

the.massage.business.mama
My son is becoming quite the portrait photographer My son is becoming quite the portrait photographer. Don't you think? 

Today is moving day for my business, and I'm finding myself quite sad! 

I've been in my current location for a little over three years. It was a COVID move that brought me to my current location. For FOREVER I was month to month, not fully committing to the space. 

And here we are 3+ years later, finally moving to a space that feels more like home, more aligned with my goals, more appropriate. 

Yet I'm sad!

I'll miss my neighbors and my current routine. I've helped so many people in this space. I've spent some life here! 

So today, I'm just going to feel the feels:)

#themassagebusinessmama #massagestudent #massagelife #massagetherapist #massagetherapistlife #massagebusinessowner
A few years ago, when I still had therapists worki A few years ago, when I still had therapists working for me, we had an unfortunate occurrence.

A young woman who had recently been sexually assaulted came in to receive massage. She was trying to regroup and recover from her negative touch experience through massage. 

Her therapist insisted that she remove her bra.

Under "normal" circumstances, this wouldn't have been a huge deal. Not appropriate, but not a huge deal. But in this situation, it was catastrophic.

The young woman was extremely sensitive. The recent assault left her jumpy, nervous, and unable to stand up for herself.

She didn't feel comfortable speaking up and spent an hour feeling further violated. 

I was heartbroken a few days later when the situation was brought to my attention! 

Our job as therapists is to make clients feel comfortable. We have a responsibility to tap into our intuitive sense to see when our client's unspoken needs are not being met.

WE ARE NEVER TO TELL SOMEONE THEY MUST TAKE OFF MORE CLOTHING THAN THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE!

Chances are good we are working on people with turbulent touch histories. We need to be sensitive!

We must be vigilant in our observations. Sensitive in our approach. And avoid getting stuck in ruts. Each client has a complexity of emotions and past histories that they bring to the table, and it is our job to be aware of this range of experiences.

Our job is to develop tools that allow us to give fabulous treatments regardless of whether or not a client is fully clothed because healthy touch is an essential healing tool! 

#massagetherapist #massagestudent #themassagebusinessmama #massagetherapyproblems #massageentrepreneur #massagepreneur
How do you know you are a “Massagepreneur?” # How do you know you are a “Massagepreneur?”

#massagepreneur #themassagebusinessmama #massagepodcast #massagetherapist #massagelife #massagelifestyle #massagestudent #massagecoach #massagegoddess #massage
Setting your massage rates is one of the most diff Setting your massage rates is one of the most difficult things to determine in the beginning of your massagepreneur journey.

If you have yet to determine your rates, I know this might feel daunting and that you have undoubtedly spent much time lamenting over it, but now is the time to set your prices once and for all! 

However, before you arbitrarily pick a number out of thin air, I want you to do a little research/homework/reflection. 

Setting rates is a tricky thing.

Charge too little, and you will be in the poor house. Charge too much, and you risk pricing yourself out of the market. 

BUT it is important to note that often people perceive those with lesser prices as less than therapists. Charging a higher price might actually make you more appealing. 

Oh, they charge a lot, they must be good! 

Food for thought.

#massagepreneur #massagetherapist #themassagebusinessmama #massagebusiness #massagerates #massagestudent
Have you ever heard, "No publicity is bad publicit Have you ever heard, "No publicity is bad publicity?" While it isn't entirely true, there is something to this notion!

Lately, I have been encouraging therapists to contact their local publications with press releases to get featured in their local news sources. 

While promoting yourself in this way can be intimidating, it IS your job as a business owner to put yourself out there and ensure you are being seen! 

Let's first talk briefly about what a press release is. A press release is a tool you write to a news outlet to announce something newsworthy that you want them to cover in their publication. The purpose of a press release is to get coverage and get noticed by a target audience.

Some Ideas for Press Releases Include:

🖤Opening Your Business
🖤Adding Unique Modalities
🖤Classes or Events You Are Hosting
🖤Touch Deprivation and Massage Benefits

Steps Involved: 

1) Identify who to address your press release to. 
2) Properly format your release. 
3) Include useful and timely statistics. 
4) Make your hook obvious.
5) Supply high-quality images. 

When you successfully follow these steps, you will be amazed as your name and image gets shared all over town! 

If you choose to reach out to your local news sources through a press release, I would LOVE to hear how it goes for you or has gone for you in the past! Please share!!! 

#massagetherapist #themassagebusinessmama #massagepreneur #massagestudent #massagenews #massagebusiness
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