I've been a massage therapist for over a decade and a lot of my techniques have become second nature. I can easily find myself weaving through different modalities in a single session. I may start a normal Swedish massage off simple enough and before I know it I've found that their back needed the forearm work of Lomi Lomi, their feet begged for reflexology and their energy needed Reiki's loving touch. It's what I love about our customized massage at PCCHH, it truly is customized. I love the time I get to spend with my clients beforehand, just asking them "how are you"...and then really listening to their response. In this space it's not just a question asked for pleasantries but a real, sometimes heavy question. The reward of someone's genuine appreciation of being heard is just one of many bonuses in this job.
So we talk. As we go over the intake and they update me on any pertinent information they want to disclose we start to form a "game plan" for the session. I'm always surprised and happy how open my clients are to trying different techniques. They may never have heard of lymphatic drainage but when I explain that it may help with the edema of a recent surgery they are almost always on board. I often hear from clients that we (the massage community) are filling a need left by a medical field that has chosen to cut nurturing to a minimum. I am humbled and proud to be filling that void and yet still hope that that changes. That we will come full circle and see that the power of a nurturing touch should never be left out of any healing institutions. I really love this quote I found making the rounds on the internet. I thought it perfectly sums up the work I strive to do, on a good day I leave feeling like an artist.