I talk to lots of people about massage, my friends and family, people on facebook, my guests and their families and friends.
Because it is my passion, I’m really keen to understand what it is that makes some people NEVER get a massage?
My research has led me to come up with 5 key reasons why people don’t book a treatment.
- Body Image
Firstly, some people are not ok with their body image. Both men and women of all shapes and sizes may not choose massage therapy, because they don’t want to undress. Can I take a minute to alleviate these thoughts?
You can have a seated, clothed massage. It is still wonderful and treats all sorts of areas. Back, head, neck and shoulders, legs and feet and arms and legs. If you are not sure you want to strip off for your massage, ask for a seated massage.
Massage therapists work with people of all ages and shapes and sizes. We are advocates of massage and know how much it can help people. I work with people with eating disorders, fluid retention, post operative, gym bodies, wobbly tummys, the whole works…
In fact we are interested in your whole wellbeing so we will understand.
2. Because my partner wouldn’t approve.
Massage has a rich and varied history and although people have been massaging for centuries, the term Massage Parlour has been used to describe certain adult services. The key thing to look for in a legitamite establishment are the words Massage Therapist . A massage therapist will have learnt anatomy and physiology, and have studied at least one discipline of massage. Their certification should be available if asked for.
Men sometimes don’t take a massage because they associate them with beauty treatments rather than health practitioners. Indeed some massages are given by beauticians and tend to be lighter and generic. Massage therapists are muscle specialists and work with you to help improve your over wellbeing, as well as specific ailments. Some men have also reported that they didn’t want a sports massage because it was too painful. Sports Massages are exactly what they say, specifically for sportspeople. When a muscle has been worked really hard in a sport, it needs a specific treatment to release it. However Deep Tissue Massage is also effective.
Some Women are resistant to spend money on themselves because they think their partner sees massage as another beauty treatment and a luxury. A way forward in this could be to re-educate both parties. Regular Massage therapy should be as commonplace as regular dental trips. It keeps all of your 13 Systems in the body working in harmony. A solution Ive found works is if both partners have massage, then they aren’t jealous of each other
3. Because I can’t spend the money on myself.
An age old problem, is that of guilt at taking time for yourself or spending money on looking after yourself. Both men and women young and old can fall into this trap. And whilst I’m not advocating living beyond your means, too many of us put our own health needs right at the bottom of the priority list. We believe our inner voice that tells us to put others first. These days everything seems to come higher on the list to us. The difficulty with this approach is that eventually we will break under the burden of it. We need to keep ourselves in balance in order to help others.
4. Fear of relaxation
Of course when we don’t look after ourselves, our physical pain increases and our emotional armour just becomes tighter. To receive a massage, loosens the armour and some of the worries come out. If we are not processing some of them, it can be quite daunting. Talk to you massage therapist before your appointment to explain your concerns. They will have experienced this before and I certainly offer routes and ideas for people to move forward.
5. Fear of getting turned on
When we relax sometimes our bodies become sensitive and aroused. Most massage therapists will have made it clear whether they offer an adult service. If they don’t they still understand that sometimes people get aroused. Don’t worry, we’ve seen it before and won’t embarress you. But equally we won’t focus on it either.
Hope that helps. Don’t be put off.
Book an Indigo Spring Massage today on 01183320300