A massage is intended to be a calm and relaxing experience. But if it’s your first massage, you may feel a little trepidation. Don’t let that hold you back. With a little information about what to expect, you’ll walk into your first massage feeling like a confident pro!

Expect communication

Expect a lot of questions at your first massage appointment. I’ll need to know a little bit about your health history and what your goals are for that session. I usually start by having you fill out a two page intake form with questions regarding areas of focus, what you are looking to accomplish during the session, standard health questions, etc. It may seem like a lot, but it’s a tremendous help to me, so I know how to work with you in the best most efficient way. From there I’ll look over your intake form and perform a pre-consultation. This is a 5-10 minute conversation that helps me better understand what your goals are, it helps to set expectations and can even bring up things that you may have forgotten to include in your intake form. Your clear and honest answers will help me perform the best massage possible for you.

We’ll talk about why you’re coming in for a massage, whether or not you are experiencing pain, or if it’s just that you need to relax and destress. Whatever the reason, knowing this is helpful.

I’ll then walk you through the process. We’ll decide what to prioritize and how you should lay on the table (face up or face down, or on your side) before the massage. This will vary depending on what areas need the most work.

Expect to dress or undress to your level of comfort

What does that mean exactly? Many people worry about having to be undressed for their massage.

Most massage techniques are traditionally performed with the client unclothed; however, what you wear is entirely up to you. Simply put: you can leave your undergarments on or take them off. Something I notice particularly with women who have never had a massage, is that they will leave the bra on. I generally recommend that this be removed, especially if I will be spending a lot of time on the back, because I’ll have more access to work that area. Another thing I notice, is that first time clients may leave on their yoga pants or long basketball shorts, but may want a lot of work done on the legs. For this I also recommend removing pants or shorts. With that said, your comfort is of the utmost importance to me, and if you feel more comfortable leaving these items of clothing on, I can absolutely work around that.

I’ll then leave the room so you may undress, and so I can go wash my hands. You’ll then get on the massage table (it’s super-cozy), and get comfortable under the linen & blanket.

Movies and TV shows always show massage clients naked on a table with just a tiny towel for draping. That’s not what real massage draping looks like! I use linens that cover your whole body. You’ll stay covered throughout the massage, and I’ll only undrape the part of your body that I am massaging right then.

Expect more communication

When I come back into the room, I’ll help you get comfortable with pillows or bolsters. Don’t be afraid to adjust and fidget as needed during the massage to stay cozy.

It’s great if you can let your body relax and sink into the table. If I need to move your arms or legs, etc., I’ll do the work! This takes practice on your part though, because its hard sometimes to let someone move your limbs for you. You’ll probably try to help me, but I’ll always be sure to kindly remind you. I often move the arms and legs around to work different angles of the muscle tissue, and when clients try to help, this can sometimes defeat the purpose. But that’s why practice makes perfect and usually 2 or 3 sessions in, you’ll get the hang of it.

It’s also extremely important for you to tell me if any massage techniques I use cause pain. Pain is never okay. That old adage, “no pain, no gain” is not always the right way to go about things. There may be a certain level of discomfort and a ‘good ache’ if we’re working on a problem area. It’s important that you tell me about that, too, so we can tailor the massage to be most effective without causing injury. But if it hurts, and not in a good way, this can cause your body tense up, making it a bit more difficult to accomplish your goal. I’ll be sure to ask periodically about pressure, if you feel its too light or too firm, and please let me know I promise you will not hurt my feelings either way.

I’ll also check in with you as we go, but please speak up if you become too warm or too cool, if you are not comfortable on the table, or need another pillow, or if you just hate the music! It is your session, and I want to make sure you have the best experience possible on my table.

 I’ll tell you when the massage is over and leave the room to wash my hands and so you can slowly get up and get dressed.

Expect some final instructions

You should expect to feel mellow and relaxed after your massage. We’ll talk about how you feel and I may show you some self-care stretches or share some tips to keep you feeling great between appointments. We can also talk about how frequently you may want to get massage to keep on feeling great.

If we addressed pain issues, you may immediately feel a reduction in pain, or it may take a day or two before you feel that relief.

You can make the most of your first massage by knowing what to expect and asking all the questions you like so you can feel cozy before, during and after the massage. See you at your first massage, you can book it HERE.