A massage is advertised and generally referred to as a relaxing and holistic experience, however for some people, the very word can induce a blind panic. Critical questions surface, such as, when should I take my clothes off? Should I take all of my clothes off? Does it matter if I haven’t shaved my legs? Do I lie on my front, or on my back and what about my arms, where should I put my arms?! These are completely natural questions and dilemmas that we are asked on a daily basis at Mellow Massage and we want you to know that you are not alone.
..It's been an exhausting day, week, or month and your body and soul are pining for that soothing massage to refresh and reawaken your being. As your Mellow Massage therapist guides you down the hall to your therapeutic haven for the next 90 minutes, you are ticking items off your mental checklist, proud that you have remembered to complete each step of your perfect pre-massage ritual this time. You have gone to the restroom after the receptionist gave you your water, you have switched your mobile phone off and you even made sure to put on your nice underwear this morning!
Once in the room, you have a quick chat, catch up on what's happened since your last visit and then discuss treatments. Everything is going perfectly to plan. However, as the therapist excuses herself and you start to undress, you realize with horror that you have forgotten to shave your armpits and your heart sinks as you remove your pants because you didn't recall your legs being THAT hairy. And, well, now that you think about it, it has been a few weeks since your last pedicure.
Quickly lying down on the table, you cover your offending legs up with the white towel, hoping that the low lighting will delay the therapist’s discovery for just a few moments longer. Horizontal in the dark, with you head in the cradle as instructed, your mind starts to race as more insecurities slowly start to creep in, but leaving is NOT an option so you do your best to take a deep breath and relax.
The music is calming you enough to forget about the things that had you on edge just moments ago, but then your attention turns to your arms that are awkwardly hanging off the sides of the table. A couple more seconds pass and you continue to deliberate if your arms are right, so you put them on the table under the blanket. You start squirming around a bit because now it's a little too warm under the covers, so now you decide to keep them on the table, but over the blanket. Just when you decide you definitely want them hanging off the sides, you hear your therapist knock at the door. You invite her into the room and now you're feeling awkward because you don't know exactly how you're supposed to be laying. She asks if you're comfortable and, despite feeling incredibly silly, you sheepishly reply, " Yeah, everything's great! But…ummm…Where should I put my arms?"
**END SCENE**
At Mellow Massage & Yoga we believe that total wellness is a combination of a well body, mind, and spirit, which is why we work diligently to maintain a safe, judgement-free environment. As soon as you cross the threshold into the lobby, you, the client, are our primary focus. We offer a wide variety of wellness therapies to best meet your needs as an individual. We genuinely want to get to know you so that we can better serve you. And last, but certainly not least, we want to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible, so that you get the greatest benefit from your visit.
So go ahead, and put your arms in whatever position feels best for you! If your massage therapist needs to move your arms, they will. They are there to serve you and to ensure that you are completely relaxed for the entire time you are in their care. They will not be worried that you haven't shaved in a few months. It's really okay. There is no need to explain anything! I assure you, your therapist is not judging you. More than likely, they're just making a mental note to use a little bit more lotion so they don't chafe your skin with their strokes. The Mellow Massage team are here to accommodate your every need. We can even massage over your socks if you are overly worried about the state of your un-pedicured feet. Whatever it takes to calm your mind and bring you back to your sanctuary for the next 90 mins. Because, I can tell you from experience, that is really what's on your therapist's mind. So, go ahead and book that treatment. We are looking forward to seeing you, pedicure or not!
Namaste,
Staci
