changing therapists

[Be F]

hi, i'm trying to compile some information for my practice, and would appreciate open and honest answers concerning why in the past you may have changed massage therapists. i know that a lot of people see different therapists for variety - but for those who are loyal to one therapist, if you've ever made a change, why?

thanks in advance!
amanda

 

[pugpaws2]

I've changed therapists quite a bit. Here's a couple of reasons:

Booking an hour massage, showing up in plenty of time, then only getting 50-55 minutes hands on. (Especially when I lie there ready for 4-5 minutes before the therapist comes in.) Believe me, I know when an hour is, and what time you started.

Therapists who stop the massage and talk at some length in the middle. Then resume. Even if you make up the time and I still get my hour. Maybe I had somewhere to be?

Therapists who "go long" thinking I will appreciate it. I booked an hour, I want the hour, but I want to get off the table and be finished in an hour.

Therapists who get oil all in my hair, especially in the middle of the day. Trust me, if I have to go home and shower before I can go back to work, I will not be returning.

Therapists who use biotone, and do not remember that I am sensitive, so I have to tell them everytime. Or, they act put out when I ask them to use something else. ("Nobody else has a problem with it..." what is that? Do you not believe me?)

Therapists who use too much pressure and will not back off when asked. ("You really NEED this!" Maybe so, but you won't win any points if you hurt me.)

Therapists who give me a full body swedish when my arm is numb and I ask them to focus most of the work on chest, shoulder, upper back.

Therapists who continually apologize for what they may not know. "I'm sorry if this isn't what you are expecting..." Please don't apologize, just show me what you CAN do.

Therapists who try "new stuff" on me when they clearly haven't practiced on anyone else yet. Please don't use my paid massage to "practice." If you want to practice and think I am a good candidate, offer me an incentive... an extra 15 minutes (free) to try your new technique and get feedback.

Therapists who play their music too loud.

Clinics that are not warm enough.

Therapists who work on you while they are sick, or who bring their infant to their appointment and must constantly fuss with the child during the massage.

Most importantly: If I come to you for treatment of pain, and your treatment is ineffective for me, I will move on.

phew. That's enough for now. I may be back later. Yes I am particular.

I have a therapist that I see regularly because she pays attention to what I need, she has a warm, cozy studio, she is professional and keeps a good time schedule, I'm never shortchanged on session length, she's friendly but not pushy or clingy, and she's very very skilled and interested in expanding and developing her craft.

Hope that helps!

 

[VeggieCandleLady]

changing therapists

but for those who are loyal to one therapist, if you've ever made a change, why?

If there becomes a personality conflict, I will change therapists. This happened once, but it was with a therapist who I only saw once or twice a year.

I don't really hop from therapist to therapist too much. I find one I like and stay with them for as long as they are able to trade with me or we're close enough to keep things going. I live in a large city, and more than anything I like to keep the same person unless they move offices and are no longer in reach of me. This has happened once.

My other long term therapist I was with stopped practicing. That meant I had to find a new one.

I won't leave a good therapist for talking too much or for a room to cold or music too loud. I will ask for music to be turned down if it is annoying, and for a blanket if the rooms cold. As for talking, it depends on how the therapist works as to if it really is a problem. I've had talkers and non-talkers and it all worked out just fine for me either way.

I need therapeutic work more than relaxation, so as long as someone can fix me back up, I don't even mind seeing them in a hovel. The main thing is getting me going again.

I have to say, I haven't really chosen a therapist who had many of the things going on that BreatheBodywork mentioned. Good for me, because either I chose right up-front or just got lucky!

 

[Hayley S]

changing therapists

I will ask for music to be turned down if it is annoying, and for a blanket if the rooms cold.

Heehee, I do ask, I don't suffer in silence, but I did leave one therapist when she answered "Oh gee, I don't have a blanket!" and another place where the music was BLARING, and it was a clinic wide system where she had no control of the volume. bleh.

The talking thing never bothers me, I can go either way. I guess I did one time change therapists because the MT had a really foul mouth, and I was tired of hearing f*** and sh**, and politics in every sentence. I also left another therapist once who preached born-again Jesus-is-my-Savior for the whole entire hour. :shock:

 

[Anie.]

changing therapists

I guess I did one time change therapists because the MT had a really foul mouth, and I was tired of hearing f*** and sh**, and politics in every sentence. I also left another therapist once who preached born-again Jesus-is-my-Savior for the whole entire hour. :shock:

Ow-eeeeee!

 

[marshell]

If you're looking for a list of massage therapist mistakes to avoid, here's another thread that should interest you:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5895&highlight=mistakes

However, the way I read the initial post, livingwell is asking why a client would change therapists after years of being happy receiving massage therapy from the same person? (Not one-time mistakes that send clients running).

Here are some reasons I've switched MT's, or known other people who have switched after years of loyalty:

1. Sometimes, people want to experience a new style of bodywork (one not offered by their old therapist). For example, maybe they've received swedish massage for years and now want to try receiving thai massage regularly instead. They still like their old MT, but that person doesn't offer this new style of massage, so they switch.

2. Sometimes, a client will stumble upon an MT they like better. Maybe someone gave them a gift certificate and they were blown away - in a good way - by the results they received from this new therapist's work. So again, they switch.

3. Some clients will switch MT's when their therapist moves to a new office location. They can dislike any number of things about the new place: how much farther the drive (even a few miles makes a difference to some people); how difficult it is to park; traffic congestion; if the atmosphere is less serene, etc. They'd rather find a new MT than see their old MT in a location they don't like.

4. Sometimes it's a cumulative problem, and finally there's a "straw that breaks the camel's back." For example, I've known people to put up with their therapist running late for a couple of years, and then finally, they just don't want to deal with that anymore.

5. Sometimes someone who shares your office can unknowingly chase one of your clients away. For example, I shared an office for a time with an acupuncturist. Sometimes, my clients would try acupuncture. I had one client who did this and didn't like the treatment. She felt uncomfortable continuing to see me in the same office as the acupuncturist, since she refused to reschedule with her. This client hates any kind of confrontation, so she moved on to another MT.

Those are a few reasons! Hope that helps!

 

[macygray1000]

yes, bliss, that does help, thanks. i'd looked through the what to/not to do thread which has a ton of helpful hints like stacey and pueppi mentioned. (thanks guys, helpful as always!) but i was looking more for the 'unspoken' confrontation or situation that would lead someone away.

i've just finished a PR class - an amazing one here at the women's business & innovation center - and have been pouring myslef over various PR books and books about customer loyalty. one of the things they mentioned was to take a survey of why customers might drift away. and you think you know the answer until you ask someone else and they mention something you never thought of...which was why i brought the question here. guess i should have been more clear, but at the same time i wanted the first thought from people's minds and didn't want to answer the question for them. does that make any sense? i'm rambling now.

anyway, thank you guys for your opinions. i have learned something from each one of your posts - and there is a common theme, which to me is communication.... maybe comfortable communication. maybe if the connection had been better, stacey would have felt more comfortable telling a good therapist to mind her language... or whatever the case was. comfortable communication is something that i will definately be striving for with my clients. i know that i've lost a few clients over the past few months, and although i really didn't feel like my tx were the magic pill for them, i still hated to see them go. maybe had i had more comfortable communication with them, we could have tackled the issue together and found another way.

lookie there... i rambled some more...
thanks again
amanda

 

[aguamoose]

Therapists who give me a full body swedish when my arm is numb and I ask them to focus most of the work on chest, shoulder, upper back.

Hope that helps!

this is one instance where i see it from both sides...

on one hand, i offer whole body massage. i don't do parts massage. i've lost a client because he insisted that only his back be massaged for his shoulder pained with moderate scoliosis. my view is that if he doesn't think that the anterior shoulder has anything to do with his posterior shoulder, than i'm just spinning my wheels, and he should find someone else.

on the other hand, if you've been clear with your appointment needs, and they accept parts massage, you should get what you booked.

 

[TONY S]

I went to one therapist ONCE and will NEVER return because I could NOT feel her touch me, and it felt like she took 54 BREAKS on my body. BORING! Even after I told her that I could not feel her touch, NO CHANGE.

I went to another therapist ONCE, and she was ALL OVER my body with no rhyme or reason - It was scary! It was clear she didn't know the muscles, techniques, or what she was doing. I will not return!

Currently, I frequent a wonderful massage therapist, but have pondered departing services because I had a bad experience with the salon she is attached to and don't like the owner of the salon. I was quoted $65.00 dollars for a service over the phone from a new hair dresser (sp?). I arrived for the service... THREE hours later, I departed before I had the cut, which was included in the quoted fee (It simply wasn't finished because she was new and slower than others)... I needed to depart because my babysitter had another engagement... Anyhow, the OWNER attempted to charge me $95.00 for the service (without the cut!) even after the hair dresser told her she quoted me $65. After a brief discussion between the two I was still charged $75.00 dollars for half the service and told I would have to pay for the haircut at a next scheduling. NOT! I didn't return for hair services, and it has left a bad taste in my mouth everytime I return for a massage. I enjoy the MT, but am uncomfortable arriving at the salon for the massage. Hmmmm?

embracetime

 

[Relheok]

BreatheBodywork, it sounds like you have been through some of the same things I have!

Fortunately I now have 2 lovely therapists that I trade with and so I am in good shape for now

Really though, I'd like to have 2 more so that I could get a massage a week!