Creative ways to tip

So what do you do when it gets to be that time when the massage has ended and it's time to pay for your (hopefully awesome) massage? After you have your jewelery back on, you've fixed your "do" and it comes to that sometimes ackward moment of tipping; what's YOUR next move? Perhaps you weren't able to stop at the ATM, or maybe you just aren't really sure how much you should tip. Do you tip every time, or only once and awhile? Do you even "need" to tip?

Thus has come the question I have heard a million times. "So how does this tipping thing work?" It's a very subjective thing, but the most ackward part for the therapist is being put in the position to tell someone what they ought to pay you as an extra thank you. Although tips are not required, they are appreciated. As with any tip, this decision, of course, is based on the quality of service received. I was never really sure what to say without feeling like I might be lowballing the experience, nor did I want to seem like I was taking advantage of anyone either. Then one day, after I was finished with my client and we said our good byes, I walked back in the treatment room and found a beautiful potted plant she had left for me. AH HA! This was the perfect idea!! I was absolutely thrilled. I knew she appreciated me and all the hard work I had been putting into our sessions together. The plant still sits in my home and every time I look at it; I remember my client and the smile her generosity put on my face.

The conversation has come up between myself and other therapists and we have all come to the conclusion that we love non conventional tips as much as we love recieving money. Here are some of the tips associates and or I have gotten and would be delighted to recieve in the future.

A bottle of wine
Massage goodies- oils, new equipment, reflexology nubbies, a blanket
A gift card to a favorite cafe or restaurant
Books
A potted plant
A donation to a favorite charity
Coffee beans
Candles
Artwork
Music
Movie tickets
A weekend getaway for two (MY FAVORITE GIFT EVER!)
Here's some irony, a gift certificate for massage :)
A gift certificate for a manicure/pedicure
Fresh organic veggies or fruit
If you offer a service, a complimentary service
Scarves
Fancy makeup
etc etc etc...

Whether its big or small, expensive or inexpensive, it is always appreciated. So the next time you have had a great massage and you want to keep that $ tucked in your wallet, use your creativity!

Hot stone massage? Yes please!

We've all seen the iconic picture with some lucky person laying on a massage table, hot stone arranges perfectly on his or her back.

While it's gives you a totally false pretense on what to actually expect during a hot stone session, you still feel relaxed just looking at it don't you? Heat is wonderful. So what really happens during a hot stone massage and what does it really look like? Hot stone massage started about 5,000 years ago in India, as an Ayurvedic practice; spreading to other cultures and regions. Each culture recognizing heat's powerful ability to relieve pain, tension, emotional stress, and other infirmities. Truly, it is an ancient practice for modern day stress.
During my hot stone class this summer led by John Stickel (who is an AMAZING teacher and therapist) we spent time balancing tiny warm stones in between toes, learning the flip -n- flow of a proper hot stone session and spent several blissful hours practicing this on eachother. The rocks aren't your average stones, they are basalt river rocks which are very smooth and dense. You will also find they are the perfect heaviness which feels really great when they have cooled enough to sit on your skin. They hold a tremendous amount of heat and are perfect for the job. The next key ingredient in a hot stone massage is hot oil. Yes, I said hot oil, and lots of it. The principle is to get as much oil on the client as possible to provide a nice glide for the hot stones to quickly slide over. The heat from the stones emanates a bright burst at first, and then mellows down to a nice warm radiant feeling. Your tissue literally melts under the heat (ok not literally) But one thing is for sure. It is amazingly relaxing, and you are guarenteed to drool. It's like getting into a hot tub and letting the heat suck the stress out of you. The therapist will work in a purposeful pattern suited to your needs and might even spend some time positioning stones in a particular area that needs some extra attention.
What I have found when praciticing hot stone treatment is how quickly relaxation is achieved, and how hard it can be to rouse a client after a session. I am flattered when someone falls alseep, as it assures me I have done my job well. It is also extraordinarily useful in warming the tissue for direct treatment work that may take several sessions of manual therapy (using only the hands) to achieve the same depth. What a nice way to encorporate something new in massage and a great way to be pampered.