How do you end your massage and depart from the room?

[Edward]

I pose this question because I want to be certain that I don't leave my clients the way I am left by my favorite massage therapist who provides a quality massage. Anyhow, when she is finished with my shoulders, she washes her hands, tells me to take my time getting up and to help myself to a glass of water as she is racing out the door. LOL! It's almost like she is nonverbally saying, "I am done with my work, Yoo-hoo!" I then get dressed and meet her at the checkout counter.

With respect to my work, I haven't perfected my departure from final strokes to out the door yet and am interested in hearing about how others do this. At present, I do compressions all around the body and then hold the head for a moment before separating. I then speak softly to the client and allow her/him to know that I am going to step out and that he/she can take her time getting up. I then meet them at the massage room door as they exit, check-in with them (post-assessment), walk with them to checkout, check them out, and we say our goodbyes. Thanks in advance for sharing.

 

[Bye Bye]

I once had a therapist end my massage with a strong "are you awake?"... I wouldn't recommend this method!
I usually end with a gentle rocking motion and wiping down. I then put my hands on their back and softly tell them to take their time. I meet them outside of the room with water.

 

[RuralLiving]

After I cover there back with the sheet and blanket i do a few more ending strokes on their back and then I keep my hands between their shoulders blades and I ask them softly how they feel, I wait for a response I respond back to whatever they say and ask them to take their time getting off the table and that i will be in the front waiting for them.

I have never washed my hands after a massage in the room to me its rude. I do it outside of the room.

 

[jannsody]

If the client is face down, I pull the sheet over their back and gently wipe off the excess oil from their back and their neck. I tell them their session is finished and take away the bolster. Then I tell them to take a few minutes to themselves before they get up and to open the office door when they are up and dressed.

If the client ends face up, I usually finish with strokes to the neck and shoulders. I tell them their session is finished and take away the bolster. Then I tell them to take a few minutes to themselves before they get up and to open the office door when they are up and dressed.


I dont put a ton of thought into my finish, but I dont just run out of the room when I am done.

 

[tikigal16]

Almost all my clients end face-up. I finish with the neck, and then stand up to do some rocking & compressions on the arms, hara, & legs, ending with a firm hold on the draped feet. I say something like "Well, our time has come to an end. Is there any area that needs one more minute of attention?" (I know, could get me into trouble someday, but it really makes my clients feel attended to, so I'll take my chances! ) Then I slip the wedge out from under their knees (telling them I am going to do so), tell them to take their time getting up, say I'll meet them in the outer office, thank them, and leave.

When they come out, we're in my office area, and they usually sit on the settee to pay, reschedule, and sip the cup of water I hand them while I sit at the desk and chart. I ask them how they're feeling at that point, and after the pleasantries, I show them out the outer door into the hall of the building, thanking them again.

I purposely have developed a closing that includes firm touch and a normal-volume speaking voice, to help clients transition back to the world where they will have to drive home. But I feel like I could always do better and I'm glad people are sharing.

 

[Tshilidzi]

BJB-LMP, I like the fact that you thank your client. It's pleasant. I did laugh though because when I thank my MT, she is fleeing so fast that she simply ignores me. LOL!

I like the sharing. It is really helpful. Some really nice ideas... Let's keep it going. Thanks again...

 

[Wickie W]

I too pull the sheet and blanket up and if ending on the back provide some nice light circular and then long stokes along the back in the general "swedish" movement and end up at the shoulders ar stroking lightly down the arms.

If ending upright, I ususally push the shoulders in a movement toward the feet and then moderately stroke up both sides of the neck to end at the occiput - but sometimes back at the shoulder compressions and sometimes with a tug of the hair at the scalp (wide over the head).

I most always say, "Ok, you're all done. Lay here as long as you like and then come out when you're ready" - with one of those "ahhh" smiles on my face.

I do say "You're all done", which now I see kind of sounds like they are a baked chicken, but I still like it. *haha*

 

[Blurcelve]

I once received a massage where the MT said nothing verbal at the end of the massage. She ended with a closing touch & then silently left the room. I remember thinking: "Hey that's nice. How peaceful." She was waiting for me in the reception area, smiling, & we took care of payment, rescheduling, etc. So, I thought, 'I'm gonna try that.' Well, it didn't work so well for my client. Since I left the room without saying anything, she thought I must have gotten sick or something. After a few minutes, she shouted from the table: "Are you OK?!" :shock: :

Needless to say, I never tried that again.

 

[Cora D]

Blisss... :biglaugh:

 

[Keira]

At the end of each massage, regardless of the body position of the client, I make sure I say, "Thank you [insert correct first name] for trusting me with you today. Take your time getting up. I'll be back in a few minutes." then I leave the room. {My office is in one room of my home with its own entry.}

My clients seem to appreciate my true gratitude for their trust, and it gives them a clear signal that we are finished with the session for the day.

 

[Cheesebrady]

blah, blah, blah, why should we feel guilty for ending a massage? Wash your hands in the room..it shows your hygienic..always instruct they get up slowly and if they finish supine ask if they need a hand to get up..

 

[Yeoh]

OffIce, what is your purpose here? I am not sure what the "blah, blah, blah" of your post means, but it appears rude and distracting to me. People here post genuine inquiries and responses. No one suggests that we SHOULD feel guilty about ending a massage, and this is not the point of my original post. If you open up your heart and reread the posts you'll understand that the sharing that occurs on these posts helps us as MT's to grow and learn from one another. I hope you have the same purpose and experiene here on the board. Take care.

 

[Ale]

I begin my massages with an energy hold, my hands on lower back and upper traps for Swedish and Deep Tissue, feet resting on upper traps while in the seated position for Ashiatsu. I ask the client to start with some slow deep breaths. Then I silently request my guides to assist in making the massage be in accordance with my client's highest good. If I feel any strange energy, I ask for protection for myself, for my client and for my space. I recognize that what is mine is mine, and what is , belongs to them. Then I quietly announce that their hour begins now... one of the perks of being self employed!

I end my massages with an energy hold of the crown of the head, while silently thanking my client and any guides in attendance.

Since I use a peppermint shea butter on my client's feet, the final move of the massage is to wipe the feet with a dry tissue, so they don't slip when they get up.

For first time clients I say very quietly "all done, take your time getting up, and just open the door when you're ready". I have chimes hanging over my door so they can hear me exit. Repeat clients know that when I wipe their feet, they need to start thinking about coming back to earth.

 

[RuralLiving]

Thanks for this post. I recently had a massage where at the end the therapist left the room without saying anything. I really wasn't sure if the session had ended and lay there thinking lots of questions - has she finished, has she gone to get me water, am I meant to get dressed or do I wait for her first. I found that this kinda spoiled the massage for me. I think if she had told me how she would end the treatment I would have been prepared.

When I finish a massage I re-drape the client and then gently palm down their back and legs and finish with holding their feet for a few moments. I then let them know that I have finished. I ask the client to remain on the couch whilst I get them some water. On my return I leave the water on the side and say that they should take their time getting and that when they have drunk the water and re-dressed I'll be waiting for them outside the treatment room. When they come out I say thank you and walk them to the waiting area.

 

[midnyghtcloud]

Just don't say what I did once after a busy day...
"take your time getting off!"

 

[Mr. Fantastic]

LKM - I am DYING over here... I didn't "get it" at first (Did an all nighter last night to finish my master's thesis! It's done!) ... Anyhow, too funny!!!! :biglaugh:

 

[XcutieX]

I do gentle rocking, take my hands off slowly, shake them out, then put my hand back on their shoulder, quietly say "thank you very much, we are done, take your time getting up, I will see you outside." I am then waiting with a glass of water and my business card for those new clients to make sure that they know to contact me at any time with any questions.

 

[64224mah]

If they are prone, I usually end with hand on sacrum and one on base of neck, gentle rocking. If supine, I usually just ended with their feet. so I hold ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and then will put one hand on their shoulder and one hand over their hand(if their hands are under blanket) If they are outside of blanket, they are usually folded over their belly, where I put them as I finished the arms, so I can fully undrape their legs, then after I hold their shoulders I will brush down to their hands and hold both of my hands over theirs for a few seconds and release. I then tell them that we are all through today and meet me in the lobby when they are ready.
If they are a new client, I tell them that there is a towel, tissues, q-tips, hair ties over on the top of the cabinet if they need anything and leave the room. I also have sombra there if they need it and Werther's hard carmels.

 

[Ashley:)]

I always complete a session with my client in a prone position. As the last portion of the massage, I work on
the back of the legs, working up one side of the body,
from the feet all the way up the length of the torso, down
the arm & back down the body to the feet again. Once
both sides are complete, and the client is redraped, I do
several long gliding strokes over the covering, from the head down to the feet. After holding the feet for
a moment or two, I palm each of the major joints areas. At that point I often place one hand on the back of the heart chakra & one on the sacrum. As I lift off the body for the final time I play my singing bowl, followed by soft chimes.

Then I quietly tell the client to rest for a moment &
when they are ready, to do some slow gentle stretches before they get off the table. I let them know they should drink the water I leave out for them & tell them to come out when they are dressed. Afterwards we generally set up their next couple appointments & I almost always give them a hug goodbye when they are ready to leave.

 

[little B]

I like to finish with most people supine after I stretch the lower half of the body, they generally feel more refreshed