To talk or not to talk?

One of the questions that I often get asked is “Should you talk to your therapist during a massage treatment?”

For me the answer is simple; if you want to talk, do – and if you’d rather lie back and enjoy the massage in silence then that’s fine too!

Normally most of the conversation takes place before the treatment has even started - the consultation process is really important as it allows me to establish why the treatment is needed (eg for relaxation purposes or for a specific health reason), whether there are any contraindications (reasons to not massage) and also allows the client to ask any questions they may have. I always welcome questions, however trivial you may think they are - it's better to ask at the beginning and be reassured so that you can relax on the table and enjoy your treatment.

When I carry out a treatment I allow myself to be guided by the client – after all, they are the ones who are paying and I view the treatment time very much as THEIR time, not my own. There's nothing more frustrating than a therapist who won't let you switch off and relax!

I will usually ask a few gentle questions at the beginning of the treatment to establish that the client is comfortable:

Are you warm enough?

Is this pressure ok for you?

If anything hurts at any time, please do let me know!

After that, I allow the client to choose whether they want to talk or not.

Some people prefer to just relax and lose themselves in the massage, others are less comfortable with silence and we've ended up having a good old chinwag and putting the world to rights! And of course, it goes without saying that anything said during the consultation or treatment process remains strictly between me and the client.

So in short, there really is no right or wrong answer – just whatever is right for YOU!