Arriving at Watergraafsmeer Wellness:

When you arrive at Pythagorasstraat 29b, please ring the doorbell to the right of the door.  Once I greet you at the door I'll show you to the therapy room. There we'll both take a seat and have a quick chat about the treatment that's to follow.

The Intake Chat:
On average, this introductory chat will last 2-5 minutes. If this is your first time, the talk will last a little longer as I'd like to understand what is going on with you and your body and how I can tailor the treatment to help you best. Questions will range from what you do for work (this isn't to pry, but more to understand how you're holding your body for hours on end---are you sitting at a computer all day long? Doing any heavy lifting or construction work? This helps me understand what muscles are being worked more regularly and what might be creating any tension or pain you may be experiencing), to what sports you do, if you've had any recent surgeries/injuries, if you've had massage before, the kind of pressure you like, etc...  This is also your chance to ask me any questions about the treatment. As each treatment is tailored specifically for you, I find it helpful to repeat what we're going to do, so that we're both on the same page. Therefore, I may say "OK, since your experiencing headaches in the front part of your head, we'll focus some extra time on the neck, but then would you prefer to focus the rest of the treatment on the upper body, back and shoulders?" And you may say "well, can we also include the legs and feet?" or "yes, sounds good!" And off we go....

 

If you're a returning client, I still like to take the time to understand what's going on at this present moment with you and your body, as a lot can change in between treatments.  Again, we go over a plan and then we can begin the massage.
 

If your goal from the massage is simply to relax, that's perfect to say as well, but it's always helpful to know what helps you relax the most--for some it's deep pressure to the shoulders, extra time on the feet, or a nice long head and face massage.  The intake chat helps me understand how I can help you and best meet your expectations and goals for the treatment.
 

A Note about Classic Massage:
Classic massage (and its variations--Deep Tissue, Sports Massage, Prenatal) are performed on a specifically designed massage table, with the client undressed (as much as they are comfortable). The client is covered with a towel and/or blankets (depending on temperature and comfort), and only the areas being worked on are uncovered at a time. I use oil or cream to massage and work the muscles and tissue.

 

To take off or leave on your underwear:

This choice is completely up to you.  In some cases it is more helpful for me, the therapist, if there's no underwear in the way of accessing and addressing the muscles of the lower back and hip, especially if one is complaining of tension and/or pain in the lower back.  Also, if wearing underwear, there's always the chance that some oil or cream may get on them, although I try my best to protect from this.  YOU WILL ALWAYS BE APPROPRIATELY DRAPED (covered) BY TOWELS AND BLANKETS and I will NEVER force you to remove your underwear, it is always up to you, but I will also NEVER think strangely of you if you do decide to remove your underwear.

 

(Personal Note: When I go for a massage treatment I always remove my underwear because I know how important it is to address the muscles of the lower back and hip, especially when that is normally my main pain complaint. I also know that my massage therapist is completely professional and will drape the areas not being worked on appropriately.)

 

Time for the Treatment:

The intake talk will not take away time from your massage treatment. After we've finished talking, I'll leave the room to allow you time to undress and get on the massage table (also please remove any jewelry or watches). I will give a little knock before returning to the room to make sure you're settled on the table. After I make sure you are sufficiently covered by towels/blankets and that the head rest is at a comfortable height, then your full time for treatment will begin and we can get started.

 

During the treatment I will check in on occasion to make sure the pressure is comfortable, or if you'd prefer a little more or less. I also encourage you to let me know at any time if something is painful, or if you'd prefer more or less pressure in any given area.  The same goes if you're feeling cold or too warm.
 

Completing the Treatment:

At the closing of the massage, I'll let you know it's over and encourage you to take a few minutes on the table to relax and settle into your freshly worked muscles and tissue. I also encourage you then to get up slowly (as laying down can promote lower blood pressure, and if you sit up too quickly you may feel dizzy). I will then leave the room and give you some time to relax, get up and get dressed. I'll also have a glass of water waiting for you by your seat which I encourage you to drink to facilitate the detoxifying attributes of a massage. When you are all dressed, you can either open the door to the room, or just say "ready" and I'll come back in for a final closing chat.
 

The Closing Chat:

Again, we sit down for a brief moment to talk about how the treatment went. I most importantly want to know: how do you feel now? Did we properly address the areas that were bothering you? Were you able to relax like you wanted to? Feel free to ask questions or tell me what you liked/didn't like. All this information will help me learn what was most successful for you in our treatment and what I can do in the future to better treat you further.
 

All in all, allow for 5-10 minutes extra over your massage time for these chats at the beginning and end of the treatment.
 

Post Massage:

It's important to continue to drink water for the rest of the day to facilitate the flushing of toxins from your system, as a massage can release a lot of metabolic waste (dead cells) that can occasionally lead to headaches. Also, do watch your alcohol intake for the same reasons.
 

If we've had a particularly deep massage treatment, or Trigger Point Treatment you may feel some muscle soreness over the next 1-2 days. This is normal as the blood feeds the newly freed tissue, and the pain should subside by day 3 at the max, leaving you feeling much better than when you first walked through my door. Always feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter.