new client with various issues

[Peter File]

I hope I am posting this in the right spot. I have a new client next month who has several health related issues and need some advice on how to best serve her.

She is in her 60s, is Bi-Polar, but does medicate for it, also has Fibromyalgia... I have a great DVD that I am watching for this, but any advice of effective techniques or things to watch out for that I can get would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks so much for your help!

 

[First namebob Jacom]

Hi Angela!

The main thing to remember with fibromyalgia is that each presentation is unique. The client may want very deep work - but may find out the next day or two that it was far too much, even if it felt great at the time. I always start with very gentle work in the first session, and ask the client to rate her energy level/pain level for the next 3 days after her massage. If she was fine and wants deeper work, I will then go deeper - gradually, one session at a time. When it gets to a point where recovery is slow, I back off to the previous session's depth. That means, when dealing with fibro, I have to be very careful to document my depth at each session.

 

[AshRay]

Thanks so much for the advice Rose. In school I was told to go with very gentle compressions only, but from reading here and watching a DVD on the subject, I am learning that some can take deep pressure.

I was leaning toward your philosiphy and will be going with that. Thanks for letting me know that I am on the right track. I don't want her going away feeling like it was wayyyy to much work and having an experience of being sore a few days afterwards.

I probably won't see her again. She is a client because of a Gift Cert that was purchased for her by a mutual friend at Cmas time. She lives quite a ways from me and an outcall arrangement is not an option for me given the distance. If anyone here in the DFW area that has experience with Fibro patients would like to PM me, I'd be happy to see if she'd care for a referral closer to her. She said that when she told her Chiro about the GC he was thrilled for her and told her she really would benefit from regular sessions.

Thanks so much for your reply and anyone else that has any advice, keep it coming!

have a great day!