As a massage therapist I love to see new clients become regular clients. It’s good for business and I enjoy not only meeting new people, but getting to know them. So, it’s good for me. You knew that.

What you may not know is that it’s also good for you. Aside from the obvious benefits of regular massage, stress reduction, healthier muscle and joint function, and the satisfaction of knowing that you’re taking an active role in caring for your body you also have an ally to turn to when your body does you wrong.

A regular client recently called me in extreme pain from a chronic condition that had flared up. She was seeking an appointment for pain relief after having visited an acupuncturist twice while on vacation the previous week and her doctor that day (who told her she couldn’t help until she got the muscles to loosen up and to get a massage).

I was fully booked for the week so I had a choice to make. Figure out how to get her in or refer her to another therapist. Because she is a regular client and I am familiar with her case, I didn’t really want to refer her to someone else who might not be able to help her. So since she is a regular client and a stellar one at that (is always prompt, gives plenty of notice if she has to reschedule, tips, refers friends, etc.) I decided to pull her in on my day off. Twice.

Now, I don’t really enjoy working on my days off, but I do think it’s important to take care of my regular clients when they are in crisis. Would I schedule a new client on my day off? Doubtful. Would I schedule a new client with an emergency on my day off? Maybe, but then I’ve been burned with that “emergency” word before.

So what does it take to become a regular client? Not much really. I have regular clients who come once a month, once a quarter and a few who wait until they’re in pain before they schedule. The key is coming more than once.

So go find yourself a massage therapist that you like and go see them. Twice.

Examining the Cosmetics and Body Products

I learned that many of the chemicals and preservatives put into body products and cosmetics are not good for us and are suspected to play a role in the breast cancer epidemic sweeping our country currently.

Thus I began looking at all the products my family uses. Soaps, lotions, shampoos, laundry detergents nothing escaped scrutiny. And you know what I found? I found that some of the products we use are considered relatively benign. Others, not so much.

Imagine my surprise when talking with another massage therapist about some of these issues, he told me that I was using a product in my practice that was loaded with the very preservatives I’d been ridding my home of.

Searching for Better Products

So I’ve been on the hunt for an alternative because not only am I concerned about the types and amounts of chemicals your skin absorbs while receiving massage, I am very concerned about what my skin is also absorbing. For every hour of massage you receive, my skin absorbs that same hours worth of product and since I do multiple hours of massage weekly I want the products I’m putting on our bodies to be safe.

The latest product I’ve ordered is natural, organic and paraben and propylene glycol free. The only problem I’m finding with it is that it’s too much like lotion and less like a cream. This is important because lotions dry out relatively quickly requiring me to waste precious massaging time on reapplying product.

Thus the hunt is still on for a safe product that performs the way I need it to in order to deliver a superior massage experience. Never fear, though, I have a new lead on a new product that sounds like it will fit the bill.

♥

Hope Santa brings you your heart’s desire and you get to spend lots of time with those you love.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!