I'm so glad you're coming in for a massage! Here's everything I think you might want to know about your massage before it happens. If you have any further questions please email or call me.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
I have an intake form. It's available here, and the information on it is all relevant to your treatment, so please take some time to fill out out before your appointment. You can either fill it out, print it and bring it with you or arrive 5 minutes before your appointment to fill out a paper copy. Some health conditions make massage unsafe. If you are contagiously ill, have open or severely irritated skin in the areas you want to be massaged in, or have certain types of organ or circulatory problems, massage may not be right for you right now. If you'd like to confer with me, please contact me before your appointment. Think about how you want to feel at the end of your appointment.
Some people are concerned about modesty during their massage. If you think it will help you be more relaxed, you may want to bring some comfortable athletic shorts.
GETTING HERE
My office is at 335 Broadway in Cambridge, an old Victorian with a big sign out front and 3 flights of stairs to walk up.
Some parking is available behind the building, and the front desk has a sign-in sheet for people who park behind the building.
We are about 10 minutes from the Central Square T stop on the red line. The 68 bus stops right outside the building. Other nearby busses include the 64, 83 and 91.
If you arrive after 6:00 or on a Friday, the inner front door will be locked. The code for the keypad lock is 8205. Come on in! Our waiting room has water, tea and some reading material. My office is on the 3rd floor, so make your way upstairs when it's time for your appointment.
WHAT ARE YOU HOPING I CAN HELP YOU WITH?
The first few minutes of your appointment we'll go over your intake form, and I'll ask you what you are hoping I can help you with. Together we'll construct your treatment plan (don't worry, this only takes a few minutes) based on what is currently going on in your body and what you'd like to be different. I use a consensus model for treatment, and after we agree on a treatment plan—what we will work on, what our focus will be, and how you'd like to feel after the massage is over—I will turn on some relaxing music and leave the room to wash my hands, so you can undress (leaving on underpants and anything else that you need to feel comfortable) and get under the drape on the massage table. I will knock before I come back in.
During your massage, you will be covered by the drape at all times for warmth and modesty. Only body parts that we are working on at the moment are uncovered. The genitals and breast tissue are never exposed or massaged during any massage that I give.
If the room is too hot or too cold or if the music is bugging you, these are all very easy to change and will contribute to your relaxation and the effectiveness of the treatment. We may talk during the session, but I will often ask you to talk with me before or after, as the massage may take a good deal of concentration. If something feels uncomfortable during the massage please speak up immediately; I want to know as soon as possible.
I reserve the right to refrain from working on a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In addition, sexual harassment is not tolerated. If I feel uncomfortable or unsafe, I will stop the session immediately and you are responsible for the full cost of your massage.
GETTING UP
The last few minutes of your massage are totally yours. I leave to wash my hands and you can take your time getting up off the table, trying out movement, seeing how you feel. Depending on the structural nature of the work that we've done, things like standing, sitting, holding your head up, bending over to put your shoes on may feel radically different. Move slowly and explore any new freedom of movement to best integrate these changes so they last! When you're ready to wrap up talking, open the door a crack and I'll come back in, bringing you some water.
We'll wrap up talking about how you feel different, what parts of the massage you liked or didn't find helpful, you can ask me any questions you have, and I might have some self-care information for you that is relevant to your treatment goals.
AFTER YOUR MASSAGE
A day that you've gotten a massage is a great time to take it pretty easy. Drink plenty of water, maybe plan to get where you're going a little slower than you otherwise would.
If we've done injury work, you may be sore for a day or so. Please let me know if that occurs. If you are sore for longer than that, the massage needs to be adjusted to be gentler.