Frequently Asked Questions

Wear anything you are comfortable in. And for the ladies, if you are wearing a bra, it is always useful if it is a back closure one. 

If you feel unexpectedly unwell either the day before, or the day of your appointment, please cancel as soon as possible.  If your body is fighting any kind of infection whether it’s bacterial or viral, getting a massage will not help you in the acute stage at all, it’ll make you feel sick as a dog.

I will ask you to go down to level of undress that you feel comfortable with, and I will ask you to lie on the massage table under the top sheet, I will guide you through this step so that you feel totally comfortable about what happens, and I will step out of the room to allow you to get ready.  You will be completely covered up, and I only expose the part I am working on, for example, working on one leg, I will keep the other covered up. I will always tell you what I am doing and why

​I am a professional massage therapist who has worked with all body shapes and sizes. I have a ‘real’ body of my own with my own lumps and bumps so I am alert to any client body confidence issues. I am non-judgmental about your body weight, amount of hair, skin conditions, scars, disabilities, medical conditions, or personal history. Your dignity and modesty will be protected at all times using towels and blankets to comfortably drape your body and protect your modesty.

​It is not necessary to shave prior to a treatment, please don’t feel embarrassed if you have hair on your body, it doesn’t affect me or the treatment in any way.

Before we start, I will discuss any existing injuries or areas of concern for you and plan out what we need to address in terms of your physical discomfort or stress you are experiencing. I can step out of the room to let you get ready. 

At the end of the treatment, I will again step out to let you get dressed. 

As an example; 1 hour massage appointment you can expect 45- 50 minutes of bodywork

Not at all.

I have a massage chair and I am very used to treating clients in a side lying position, and sometimes it enables me to get deeper into hips and shoulders if need be.  If you are a woman, and have possibly had breast surgery, or you breasts are sore lying face down, I can give you a pillow to lie on for extra support.  Please just mention it, and I can adapt. 

​Everybody is different when it comes to pressure, some prefer deep tissue massage, whilst others find a soothing gentle massage much more relaxing. What feels right to one client might feel painful for another or too light and ineffective for someone else. I will use a variety of techniques, some working deeper into the muscle tissue than others. Massage should never be painful but you may feel some discomfort if deep tissue techniques are used on tight or overworked and stressed muscles. It is therefore really important that you communicate with me regarding your objectives and pressure preferences and inform me of any pain or discomfort during your treatment. I will never be offended if you ask me to adjust pressure during a session. 

​The lotion I use should not damage your clothing, but to be sure please wear comfortable clothing and avoid delicate or unusual fabrics such as silk which may be damaged by oil. Some massage techniques could disrupt make-up or hair but I can design a session that will not disrupt your hair or make-up if this is a concern - please inform me when you visit if you would like me to avoid disruption to your hair or make-up. Some of the treatments I offer such as seated massage or TMJ massage can be adapted to be performed without lotion

​You do not need to stay awake and it is very common to drift in and out of sleep during a treatment. It is a good sign that you are deeply relaxed. Your body and muscles will still be gaining benefit from the massage even if you are asleep. I will wake you gently at the end of the treatment so you don’t need to worry if you nod off.

It is common for your muscles to feel temporarily tired or heavy, similar to how they feel after a workout. A small number of clients receiving a massage feel achy, flu like or complain of headache. This is due to all the toxins that have been released from your muscles. These symptoms are completely normal and should pass within 24 hours.

Some clients find that feeling deeply relaxed can allow emotions to come to the surface and they may feel emotional. If this happens I will ask you if you are happy for me to continue with the treatment and progress if you are comfortable.

Some people feel cold after a massage as the massage has encouraged blood to flow near the surface of the skin causing heat loss. During the treatment blankets and towels will prevent you feeling cold, please bring warm comfortable clothes to wear home.

You will be given a leaflet to take home explaining how to get the most benefit from your treatment and minimise any side effects. The main advice is to avoid exercise, heavy meals, caffeine and alcohol immediately after your treatment and drink plenty of water to help your body to flush out any waste toxins. Try and keep yourself warm and remain in a quiet state for as long as possible to feel the full benefit of the treatment. I will leave the room and allow you time and privacy to get up slowly and get dressed.

That depends entirely on you! If I am working through an injury or a problem with you, I may make a suggestion of when to return. Sometimes, 2 visits close together can literally knock the problem on the head, and then you can leave it for a few months afterwards. It is all very individual.

If you are a corporate athlete, my suggestion is that if you are not dealing with an injury, checking in for massage between 3-4 times a year might be good for you.

​Your treatment is your valuable time and opportunity to relax. If chatting helps you to relax that is fine, but most clients find they can get most benefit from a treatment by remaining quiet and enjoying the relaxing music and touch. I have been trained not to talk during a treatment and will not be offended if you don’t talk to me. I won’t usually initiate conversation but will follow your lead. You must of course communicate with me during your treatment if you would like me to adjust the pressure or feel any discomfort.

​Yes, I have easily accessible parking.

​Yes 

Yes, ​I am fully trained and insured to offer specialist pregnancy massage. Massage therapy is is considered to be very beneficial to mother and growing baby throughout pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time of exciting change, but may feel overwhelming for your body and mind. 

Massages may be performed with the In side lying or sitting potion, with towels and pillows to offer support and comfort. During consultation we will discuss your aims for treatment and devise a treatment tailored to you. I allow longer appointment times for pregnant clients to aid relaxation, enable longer time for dressing and undressing and of course toilet breaks if necessary. You will need to fill out my health consultation when you come for your treatment and I advise you to check with your midwife to confirm that they are happy for you to receive massage. If you are, or have previously experienced any complications or are a high risk pregnancy please bring a note from your midwife to confirm that they agree that massage is suitable for you. Pregnancy massage uses light, yet effective pressure. Please be aware that massage by specially trained therapists is considered to be safe at any stage in pregnancy and there is no evidence to link massage with miscarriage. Evidence does show benefits of massage in all stages of pregnancy. However, due to the naturally higher risk of miscarriage in the first trimester, many clients and therapists prefer not to engage in massage to avoid the risk of a treatment being 'blamed' for a miscarriage that would have naturally occured but whose timing coincided with treatment. The decision to have massage when trying for a baby or in the first trimester is really a personal choice. Lots of specialist therapists do still offer massage at any stage. If clients wish to attend for a massage in their first trimester I am happy to continue with treatment, but would ask that you sign during consultation to confirm that you understand that there is a naturally increased risk of miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy and that there is no evidence to support a link between miscarriage and massage from specially trained pregnancy therapists. If you have any questions at all about pregnancy and massage, please do contact me and I will be happy to discuss them with you.