It’s easy to fall into a pattern. We are creatures of habit that gravitate towards that which we are most comfortable. For massage therapy, this might mean a stellar routine that our new clients adore. When a client is a regular, however, it can be difficult to keep the sessions fresh and rewarding. For us as massage therapists, our work can become a bit boring and our mind can begin to wander as we repeat the same old moves time after time.
Here are just a few ideas to keep your massages creative, your clients regularly surprised, and yourself reinvigorated:
* Swap massages with another therapist. Have them walk you through their favorite techniques. Share your favorite techniques with them. (Bonus if they were taught massage by a different instructor than you!)
* Crack open a massage textbook and read up on techniques that you may have learned while in school but haven’t regularly incorporated into your work.
* Check out YouTube. There are many massage therapists that post videos of their techniques to treat various client injuries or issues.
* Change the way you work. Typically start on the scalp or back? Try starting at the feet or using split strokes on the back and legs. Start your clients prone? Give a supine or side-lying start.
* Get yourself some new tunes. You may find that your repetition of movements is related to your repetition of music. Try changing songs, or artists, or genres and see if you get inspired!
When you try something new, pay attention to your client’s response. Your innovation may increase their satisfaction and motivate you to keep learning more! What do you do to keep your work fresh?
