Your First Session
Before your appointment
You have a confirmed booking once you have received an email from my online booking system, or agree a time and date with me by text, online messaging (e.g. Facebook or Google), email or phone. Please arrive 10 minutes early to your first session so I can carry out a consultation before we begin.
Arrival and beginning
When you arrive, please come in and take a seat in the waiting area. I will fetch you 5-10 minutes before the start of your session. I’ll ask you to take a seat in the treatment room and carry out the initial consultation.
Before the treatment starts, I will ask if you are warm enough and will let you know that I will check in with you during the massage to see if you are okay and to find out if you want more or less pressure. I’ll also let you know that you can speak up at any point if you want anything to be different, and ask for extra support, such as pillows or a blanket.
I’ll let you know whether I want you to be face up or down to start with and point out the towel for you to cover yourself with. You only need to remove clothing from the area we are working on, and only to whatever level feels comfortable for you. I can work on and around clothing.
Then I will leave the room to wash my hands and give you chance to get on the couch. After a few minutes I will knock and see if you are ready. Once you let me know that you are, I will come in and begin the massage.
Have questions? Read my Massage FAQs
Relaxation massage in Shropshire
During the massage
I will check in with you about how you feel, the level of pressure and if you feel any particular sore spots.
You may feel sore during a massage and this is part of the healing process. However, you shouldn’t feel acute pain. If the pressure feels more than 7 out of 10, or you feel yourself tensing up, then it is too much and you can let me know that. While I can feel areas of tension in the body, I don’t know how the pressure feels for you, or what your pain level is, so feedback is really helpful.
Feel free to close your eyes, fall asleep, to talk or not, whatever feels relaxing and comfortable for you.
Wrap up and aftercare
I will let you know when the session is complete then leave the room. Take all the time you need to come round and get ready.
Be aware that you may feel a little spaced out or drowsy and take it slow if you need to, particularly when you are getting off the table. I leave long gaps between clients so there is no rush.
After a few minutes I will knock on the door and ask if you are ready. You can let me know if you are or need more time, which is absolutely fine. Once you are ready, I’ll come back into the room, ask you how you are and if there is anything you want to ask about.
I will suggest aftercare which I will email to you, give you your new client Welcome Pack and arrange payment if needed and follow up sessions. You are welcome to take a drink of water and to sit for as long as you need to in reception.
Post session
Take an hour or two to relax afterwards to allow your nervous system to absorb the massage. This will help you get the full benefit from the session. Avoid caffeine and alcohol if possible, and drink water or herbal tea. Be aware that you may feel sore for a day or two after the session. This is a normal part of the healing process and nothing to worry about, though you are welcome to contact me if you feel concerned at all. If the area feels painful or inflamed, put ice on it for 10 minutes. If it’s a dull, sore ache, add heat (hot water bottle, hot bath, heat pack, heat spray or cream or arnica salve) for as long as you need to.
If you have questions in the following days, feel free to contact me. If you are able to practise the aftercare, your issue will resolve more quickly and you will feel the benefits of the massage even more.
How I Work
My diploma is in holistic massage, though I call the massage that I give deep tissue relaxation massage. This is because releasing tension in a relaxing way is what most interests me as a practitioner.
This is why I have a low light on during the session, why I keep the temperature warm and have blankets on hand, why I play gentle music and give the option of including high quality scented oils. All of these methods soothe the senses and encourage the body and mind to let go.
How tensions release
My main aim during massage is to listen and respond to your body. This means that if I find tension, I will gradually ease into it, work around it and check in with you about how you feel. If I feel the tissues soften, I’ll apply more pressure. If the tension remains solid, I’ll move away from it, work on another area, and come back to it.
Often sore spots will release over the course of a massage when I’m working somewhere else. This is because as your nervous system relaxes, so do your muscles, skin and fascia. Tension in one area can often be resolved by working with the root cause, as well as that particular sore spot.
Softening and waiting
It may seem at times that I’m not doing very much – waiting in one spot for several minutes or only making small movements. This is because I am waiting for tissues to soften before applying pressure.
I don’t push against resistance; I wait for it to soften and then go deeper. It can take time for this approach to work, it may take several sessions to resolve a particular tension, but the changes that happen are sustainable and long-lasting.