“You’re the expert.” I must admit, I love to hear my clients say this. They schedule a massage with a goal in mind, yet are able to let go and allow me; a skilled, trained, and experienced therapist to create the strategy to get there. They are acknowledging that someone who has devoted years of their life to studying a practice will hopefully have more insight than “push really hard here, where it hurts.” Because if that’s all there was to releasing stress and tension, all the sweethearts and spouses that have been enrolled to help their loved ones would have certainly eradicated many of the tight muscles by now. Clearly that has not been happening.

And that’s what brings folks to a professional. That’s what causes them to dig deep into their tight budgets to fund a healing treatment. What they’ve been trying at home just isn’t helping; not in any sustainable way. So they ask for help, hoping that the therapist will have some knowledge, intuitive guidance, or practical experience that goes beyond the primitive idea that enough pressure on one or two knots will solve the problem. Well, we do! Our training enables us to understand that the body works as a unit, and that pain indicates an imbalance in the team of muscles and joints. We understand the holistic nature of bodywork, and know how to find the cause of discomfort rather than merely focusing on the symptoms.

This is one case in which the customer is not always right. As a client of massage therapy, you get to choose the style of treatment that you desire (Swedish, Thai, deep tissue, sports, etc) and the area you wish to focus on, as well as request any modifications that are necessary for your comfort. From there on, it’s best to keep an open mind and surrender your preconceived notions. It is highly suggested that you remember that the trained professional you have hired knows how to proceed in an effective and efficient way. Learn to let go, relax, and trust and you will maximize the benefits of your session.