What to expect in my studio during an active Covid climate

Welcome to my studio, I am Jen!  This is how I will greet you at the door of my studio when you arrive.  You will have received a text from me informing you to wear a mask as well as be symptom free (from anything) for over 24 hours.  This is the new reality due to the Covid-19 virus. 

That’s not all.  I will take your temperature with a forehead thermometer and immediately squirt hand sanitizer into your palms.  I will also ask you questions regarding contact with known positive people or travel to and from and Covid hotspots.  All this will happen before you fill out a health form and Covid release.  Again, the new reality.

Changes have also occurred in my studio.  Cloth chairs are now covered with plastic.  I have learned this is an Italian thing from a client.  Good to know.  Sheets and towels are now stored in lockers rather than in the open room on shelves. The studio is uber cleaned between clients.  Table, all chairs, all door handles, bathroom and clothes bin are all sanitized between clients.  At first, this was an exhausting task. Things have settle down finely and it has become routine in the changeover between clients.

Clients, along with myself, will wear a mask throughout the whole session.  No exceptions. The scariest part of this virus is that you can have no symptoms and yet be a carrier.  That is terrifying and is one reason why I judiciously clean and sanitize all contact areas between clients. For the most part, everyone has been accepting of wearing the mask and has followed the guidelines put forth by the state for massage studios to be open.

Post massage, I will wash/sanitize my arms and hands and then will “glove up” to receive payment.  I prefer clients use the option to pay online, however, Venmo and PayPal have also been rather helpful in reducing contact.  It is the new normal.

I still remain indifferent about being open.  My goal is safety for my clients as well as myself. As the county we live and work in begins to experience more positive cases of Covid, I will continue to assess whether or not I should remain open.  I have a sneaky suspicion that another county shutdown is coming.

Be well,

Jen

CoViD-19

Things I never imagine do happen.  Take for example Covid-19.  I was aware of this disease back in January and February but it just seemed so distant.  March rolled around and the sh*t started getting real.  I was in the process of renewing my massage certification, which is another story in itself, when cases starting popping up all over the US and especially in the state where I live.  I finally instituted some over-the-top cleaning guidelines on March 16.  It was clear that how we were going to do business from then on was going to bear different.  During the day on March 16, I decided to shut things down for a while.  It wasn’t an easy decision as business had been rather stellar.  Three days later, the State shut down all massage therapists for over a month and a half.


Again, it was clear that the process for receiving a client, the physical bodywork and receiving payment was somehow going to need to change.  At the time, HOW, was the big question.  Time has since passed and guidelines have been put into place.  I will talk more about them in another post.

Keep on, keeping on.

Jen

Bad Reviews

Bad Reviews

I have always said that I am my worst critic.  I always strive to make whatever I do better then next time around.  Critiquing and adapting were also key components when I taught, led recreation events, or coached.  That being said, I am mindful to ask clients how they feel post bodywork and if they liked the work that was done.  This is important because frequently, I will recommend a modality (often Myofascial Release) and I would like their honest opinion.  It also allows us to discuss that modality a bit more.

My preference if a client does not like the work is to tell me and to be specific.  That way I can actually do something about it rather than being completely shocked to read their review on the internet.  I do have people who are honest, yet, every-now-and-then, I get someone who isn’t upfront.  This has recently happened.

The other week, I received a pithy review from a client (a month post bodywork).  The accusation that it was the worst massage ever was right - especially since we did a different form of bodywork that is not considered to be massage.  There were other accusations, but we will leave it there.  I may be partly to blame.  When I client comes in, they fill out a health form and then we discuss their goals for the session.  If they want massage, but Myofascial Release (MFR) is a better modality for their issue(s), I will recommend it and either suggest a full or a blended (with massage) session.  I also quickly explain what they can expect and that it is not massage...in fact, it is pretty much the opposite of massage. It is a lot for someone to take in and I am sure that sometimes I leave some important things out - such as, “this is very different than massage”.

My dilemma is what to do about it?  One response is to question them on the review site.  That is never my first option unless they have given me a bad review but have never received bodywork from me (this has actually happened).  The other is to let it go.  While seemingly passive, I have come to recognize that the bodywork I do ISN’T for everyone and that is okay.

And, there we have it.

Jen

If I could only do one thing...

If I could only do one thing in my practice, hands down, it would be Myofascial Release (MFR).  Myofascial Release is unlike massage.  In fact, I try to educate people that receiving MFR will be nothing remotely close to receiving a massage.  What it will be, if you are open to receiving it, is transformational.  And, yet, I still offer massage...why?

Massage is the gateway for me to educate people about MFR.  Let’s say you come to my studio with the full intention of receiving a massage.  As we work through your health intake and goals, I will be determining what the best method of bodywork will be according to your goals.  Nine times out of ten, the type of bodywork I would suggest will be MFR.  It will be MFR because it will most likely peg the short term goal you have listed as well as put you on the pathway to the long term goal you would like to achieve.  And, in essence, it will get you where you want to be in a shorter amount of time.

Have I thought about switching to MFR only in my practice?  Yes.  It may be coming down the road, but for now, I will continue to educate and if my client still wants to go the massage route, I will appease them.

Stay well!

Jen