I’ve been practicing massage for close to a decade now and I’ve seen all kinds of clients. A few that come weekly or bi-weeklyl and several that book monthly. Occasionally, I see the ones that treat themselves because it’s their birthday or anniversary. What is the difference between these clients? Most likely, it’s the way they view massage: for some it’s a luxury and for others it’s a necessity. The ones that come every now and again probably see massage as something special they can only treat themselves to once in a while. The ones that come on a more regular basis either view massage as part of their wellness plan or they are treating a chronic condition like fibromyalgia or lyme disease. They actually need a massage to help them feel better.
What if massage was more than just therapeutic?
Sure, I could write an entire blog about all the evidence behind why therapeutic massage is important but I’ll spare you the statistics. Instead, I will share what I have personally witnessed in my own practice for the past 9+ years. It’s not what you might expect. Sure, the ones that come on a regular basis feel better emotionally and physically but some even have experiences that are hard to put into words.
Over the years I’ve seen men and women from all ages and all walks of life. One time, I worked on a homeless person - it was a gift from a family member. She cried being able to just lay down on a soft warm table. I’ve seen many parents where it’s the only chance they get to have 60 or 90 minutes to themselves. Elderly people are some of my best clients because a lot of them feel like massage is a therapeutic touch that nourishes their soul. For some, they might be lonely and just want to talk for the entire massage so they can feel heard, ask me for advice on things, or just visit in general.
My oldest client was 94 and she sadly passed away earlier this year. She started getting massage while in her in 80’s and she truly felt it was what helped her stay mobile as she aged. She would get 90 minutes every month and she shared some amazing stories with me about all her life adventures. I developed a warm relationship with her and I even went to see her in the hospital during her final days. Her parting words to me were: “The next time we see each other, I hope it’s in full color.”
One time I had a woman who was starting a new business and during her massage she got all these ideas that came to her. She was able to visualize the space, the website and she even came up with her business name. This all came to her over a series of 3 massage sessions and we never spoke more than a few words during the massage. She later shared all of this with me after she opened her new business!
One of my favorite client stories happened earlier this year. She was a new client who was also fairly new to massage. She was retired and had spent her entire career doing a job that required repetitive motion. Now she was in physical therapy trying to break some patterns that caused pain. Her PT suggested massage and that’s how she found me. She booked an hour and didn’t really say anything after her first appointment. The next week she booked 90 minutes and again, didn’t really say much at the end. The 3rd week, after her 90 minute massage she apologized for not saying anything previously because she didn’t have words for what she experienced. She then shared with me how she has never had an experience like my massage before and how she wasn’t expecting it. She said, not only did it feel therapeutic and she can now move her neck in ways that were not previously possible, she was able to deeply relax and be in her body and this was a new and exciting experience for her. I continue to see her on a regular basis and am inspired by her capacity to be open to this new experience.
I share these stories with you so you can see that massage can not only be therapeutic and part of your overall wellness plan, but it can also inspire, relax, rejuvenate and maybe even help you to live a vibrant life, well into your 90’s! Book your life changing massage here!