Frequently Asked Questions
Although Mimi has had a number of wonderfully relaxing massages in her time, darling, she can still feel a twinge of anxiety entering a spa, wondering what she is supposed to do. So she wasted no time asking the big questions that lead to that anxiety.
Here they are:
Mimi: Do I have to be naked?
Bill: No! Only about ten percent of our clients are completely nude during their massage. These clients are usually European who grew up in a different culture when it comes to nudity, or they are people who are highly in-tune with their bodies and don’t want to feel the pressure of an elastic waste band. About eighty percent of our clients wear shorts or underpants and the other ten percent also keep on a bra, bikini top or sports bra. Of course, with our 15-minute chair massage, you’re fully clothed.
Mimi: Will anyone see or touch my personal areas?
Bill: Professional spas use a sheeting technique so the only part of the body that is exposed is the part the massotherapist is working on. This keeps you warm and protects your privacy. Typically, all you ever expose at any one time is an arm, a leg, and your neck, back and shoulders.
Mimi: What do you mean by typically?
Bill: We only work those areas. We don’t view or touch the front of the torso or the abdomen, unless the client requests it, which is usually driven by an injury or surgery. For example, some techniques are designed to work scar tissue from surgery or injury to reduce the visibility of the scar.
Mimi: Are there really heath benefits to massotherapy or is it just a relaxation thing?
Bill: About sixty percent of our clients are here because of pain and stiffness. We’re the only spa in the area approved to accept worker’s compensation claims so we treat a lot of on-the-job injuries like carpel tunnel, and back and shoulder injuries. The health benefits in these cases are apparent. But a proper massage also dramatically improves circulation, which is a big help to diabetes sufferers and others with poor circulation or those who don’t exercise regularly. A massage can remove toxins trapped in the muscles and the extremities. We can also help with fibro myalgia, chronic pain, arthritis, TMJ, sciatica, migraine headaches, stress and pregnancy-related issues after the first trimester.
Mimi: What about the relaxation part
Bill: The other forty percent of our clients are here for relaxation. Some clients walk in the door and their shoulders are pushed up toward their neck. They might not be able to see it and their friends and family can’t see it, but when our shoulders finally fall away from our neck, life changes. We stop gripping the steering wheel so tightly when we drive, a sign of potential road rage. We stop clenching our teeth, which can lead to TMJ and severe headaches. At the first signs of a migraine, some of our clients come here immediately so they can defeat the migraine with a half-hour massage instead of spending eight hours in a dark room. But we also have fun. We do wedding parties, bachelorette parties, and companion massages. Some call them a couple’s massage.
Mimi: A couple’s massage!?
Bill: It’s not what you think. Some people are intimidated by their first massage so we have a room where two massotherapists can each work on separate individuals, but they can still be together in the same room. This is popular with mothers and daughters, best friends, husbands and wives, even fathers and sons. We can also demonstrate to someone how to more effectively massage a spouse who is suffering from an illness- or injury-related pain.
Mimi: Can I talk to the massotherapist or am I supposed to lie there and ooh & ahh?
Bill: That’s up to you. Some people vent and tell us every bad thing that happened to them in the past week. Others brag about their kids. Others want to be quiet. We don’t judge you. Remember, we do up to 30 sessions on a busy Saturday. Everybody’s different. If you feel like oohing, then ooh. But don’t be afraid to tell the massotherapist when something hurts and when it feels good. We can usually figure that out ourselves through your body language, but every little bit of information helps.
Mimi: Aren’t massages expensive?
Bill: If you think of a massage as an indulgence that you get only when you’re on an expensive vacation, then they may seem expensive. But if you view a session as we do – a health benefit – it’s extremely inexpensive. A 30-minute massage is $30, while an hour massage is $50. That’s cheap when you consider how relaxation can change your entire life. A one hour massage can make you feel as rested as eight hours of sleep. You could spend that $50 relaxing by going out to dinner and enjoying a couple of drinks, but that’s really an artificial way of dealing with the stress.
Bill: Just like hair stylists, manicurists, or others providing personal services it is customary to tip massage therapists and estheticians. The professionals at our Center do not net the full amount of fees collected from clients. A significant portion of the fees collected goes towards paying for the management of the facility.
The usual tipping range is 10-20% of the regular cost of services. Most clients tip $5-7 for a 30 minute session, $8-10 for a 60 minute session, $10-20 for 90 minutes. Please note that gift certificates do not include gratuity and it is still customary to tip your therapist or esthetician even though someone else paid for your session.
If you are paying by credit card you are welcome to add a tip to your credit card charge at the end of your session and you can leave cash tips for your therapist in tip boxes provided in each therapy room. If you are paying with a gift certificate please note that credit card company restrictions prohibit us from charging tips to credit cards unless the service was paid for with a credit card. We know, it's a stupid rule, and we wish we could do something about it. For now, if you are using a gift certificate, please just plan to bring cash if you want to tip, and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience.
The last word on tipping: A wide range of people from wait staff to cab drivers, including massage therapists and estheticians, rely on tips for a significant portion of their living.
