Ah, that old chestnut.
"Oh, you're a Massage Therapist, eh? Do you do happy endings?!"
Often said in jest - but the point is, it's often said. How many other professions do you know where people feel it's socially appropriate to insinuate you're actually a sex worker? Here in the UK the term Massage Parlour usually refers to an establishment offering something sexual rather than strictly therapeutic. People who are offering sexual services often advertise under the heading of Massage. Sex is rarely spoken about in anything but euphemisms and Touch is increasingly sexualised. It's hardly surprising the term Massage could seem synonymous with sex.
But it's not!
I'm a Massage therapist. I don't have sex with my clients. I'm a Massage client. I don't have sex with my therapist. And that's the way I want to keep it.
Massage is so many things and yes, you can seek out a specifically sensual or sexual Massage. But what a waste to disregard all the incredible qualities of Massage and Touch which have nothing to do with sex.
What a waste to disregard the thousands of scientific research papers finding Massage can help the immune system, reduce pain, depression and anxiety, reduce stress, enhance the development of premature babies - and so much more.
What a waste to disregard the feedback from millions of clients the world over of the change to their emotions, their muscles, their mental state, their whole being.
And what an insult to the therapists who have dedicated their lives to training and offering powerful healing Touch.
So no, in case you were still in any doubt, Massage isn't just another word for sex. If you're looking for sex, ask for sex. And if you're looking for Massage I wish you the very best in finding a practitioner who lets the simple power of Touch do the work.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Massage. What's it all about, anyway?
I think Massage is awesome. Although it's taken me a while, over several years of training as a Massage therapist (in particular with the NO HANDS Massage Company), I'm beginning to understand the incredibly broad scope of what Massage can do. And part of that is knowing it's not just an incredible tool to recover from injury, illness and emotional turbulence, but that regular Massage can help me (as a client) stay in optimum health.
I also have fabulous regular clients who understood the power of Massage before we met - and at the time of finding me were simply searching for the right therapist to book in with.
Yet thinking back to my Life Before Massage, it was something that didn't even enter my field of vision. Massage wasn't something my family, friends or other associates did. It was completely off my radar. And without having any connection or knowledge of Massage, why on earth would I spend £40 or upwards going to see a stranger, into whose hands I would put myself for an hour in an incredibly vulnerable position (naked or close to it) on the off-chance this thing called Massage was any good?
With that in mind, I find myself desperately wanting to share this incredible therapy but struggling against prejudices, misplaced assumptions and plain misinformation about what Massage is and what it can do.
So I'm doing what I can - offering new clients at my practice in Morecambe a really low priced introductory offer to try NO HANDS Massage. And for those who aren't ready to book a session, writing a series of short blogs about some of the misconceptions about Massage I come across on a regular basis.
Every therapist has their own take and this is mine. If any of the posts I write over the next few weeks spark further questions for you, or you've got an idea about Massage which is a barrier to you giving it a try, please do let me know. I certainly don't have all the answers but if having a chat about it might bring you one step closer to trying Massage I'm game if you are.
And in the mean time, f you want to get stuck into a great novel that'll take you on a journey through so many possibilities with Massage, Mavis and I... by Gerry Pyves comes highly recommended.
I also have fabulous regular clients who understood the power of Massage before we met - and at the time of finding me were simply searching for the right therapist to book in with.
Yet thinking back to my Life Before Massage, it was something that didn't even enter my field of vision. Massage wasn't something my family, friends or other associates did. It was completely off my radar. And without having any connection or knowledge of Massage, why on earth would I spend £40 or upwards going to see a stranger, into whose hands I would put myself for an hour in an incredibly vulnerable position (naked or close to it) on the off-chance this thing called Massage was any good?
With that in mind, I find myself desperately wanting to share this incredible therapy but struggling against prejudices, misplaced assumptions and plain misinformation about what Massage is and what it can do.
So I'm doing what I can - offering new clients at my practice in Morecambe a really low priced introductory offer to try NO HANDS Massage. And for those who aren't ready to book a session, writing a series of short blogs about some of the misconceptions about Massage I come across on a regular basis.
Every therapist has their own take and this is mine. If any of the posts I write over the next few weeks spark further questions for you, or you've got an idea about Massage which is a barrier to you giving it a try, please do let me know. I certainly don't have all the answers but if having a chat about it might bring you one step closer to trying Massage I'm game if you are.
And in the mean time, f you want to get stuck into a great novel that'll take you on a journey through so many possibilities with Massage, Mavis and I... by Gerry Pyves comes highly recommended.
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