How to Give Feedback to Your Massage Therapist

It is always a good time to give your massage therapist feedback.

After a treatment, last night a client asked when he should give me feedback on the amount of pressure he'd prefer. The smart-ass in me was thinking, "Uh, before now." Luckily, the diplomat spoke instead. New clients always get a speech that includes "We like feedback—feel free to tell me if you need more pressure or less pressure, if your feet are ticklish, or to say nothing at all." I realize it can be hard to give your massage therapist constructive criticism. I will confess that as a client, I’ve had my trachea smashed into a table on more than one occasion and never said a word to the therapist. There, I said it.

While you may feel expected to simply lay there quietly and relax, it’s important to speak up and share input about how the massage is going so that you actually can relax. In fact, we encourage you to do so (and preferably before or during your massage)! As talented as we may be, we’re not mind readers. We may think we’re doing a great job, but we don't really know unless you tell us—positive reinforcement is also important.

And if you don’t think of anything to mention during your massage, you are always welcome to shoot an email to your massage therapist if you think of something the next day. If you loved the work your therapist did on your legs and knees, let ‘em know! You could even be more specific about what you like, for example telling your massage therapist that you’d prefer to skip the scalp massage this Tuesday in order to have more time for the legs.

So let me repeat myself: it is always a good time to give your MT feedback.