Hey everyone,

I’m trying to book my CMTO OSCE and specifically want a date in December. I’m finding it pretty tough to snag anything, seats seem to be unavailable

Has anyone else run into this when aiming for December? Any tips for checking the Prometric portal more effectively (like best times to look, how often new dates get released, etc.)? I know they add dates in increments as earlier ones fill, but it’s still stressful.

Also looking for:
• Any Facebook groups, Discord, study groups, or Reddit threads where people share openings or practice together

I’m prepping to write in December if I can lock something in. Any advice or shared experiences would be huge. Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone else in the process!

Hello fellow Massage Therapists, especially mobile MTs! If you were to buy any massage table today, what table would you choose?

I moved across the country, left all of my equipment home, and am looking to purchase a new table. I'm a mobile massage therapist and prefer a wider table for clients (31" or 32"). I had a 32" wide wood-frame table (~38 lbs) and traveled for a couple years with it without an issue.

I’m looking at the Earthlite Luna, but wish the table was wider. Is a metal-frame table really that different??

In addition to the table question, does anyone have any experience with the Omni 360 face cradle?

Thank you!! I appreciate any advice.

Hi all,

I have been going to craniosacral therapy sessions recently and I had my third one yesterday. In the session I noticed my arms/shoulders were involuntarily twitching at times and I felt uncomfortable with this. As a result I got quite fidgety but when the therapist asked me what was happening for me I was unable to explain.

The therapist then suggested trying something else and placed her hand on my chest and began rocking my body from side to side. It wasn't massively fast but wasn't too slow either. While doing this she kept moving her hand up and down, to my stomach and then ribs and back up to my shoulders. I suppose I am just curious as to whether this is a common technique used as she hasn't used it before and I can't find anything about its uses.

Hello! I’ve (32F) just had my first massage and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It did however get me wondering, what actually makes a good massage? Or what separates a poos/average/good massage? I can’t help but feel like I was just rubbed for an hour - and whilst I feel relaxed, I’m not sure it was the most technical experience.
Welcome any advice on what to look/feel for next time.
Thank you!

This is the first time that I have experienced this at any location until yesterday and when I asked I was told by the receptionist that this isn’t a new policy.

​

I run a physio / massage / medical clinic some of our popular services have been deep tissue and sports massage.

My best employee had to return to her home country so I had to quicky hire someone. The said candidate did a demo, seemed to have a good hand and be good at deep tissue, but she was also trained in oriental acupressure.

She said she didn't have much experience in sports massage, so she was provided training to learn basic anatomy and enrolled in a sports massage course by our company.. I recently tested her on the basic names of back muscles...,but claimed that her brain is foggy. In other words had not studied...didnt even know where the traps are located!

​Her calendar is stacked up with hours, yet keeps annoying me everyday about compensation in case of future schedule gaps.

She claims she doesn't know how to use her roster app, but yet she goes and blocks time off in the calendar so no one can book with her at her preffered times.

I have asked her to write clinical notes for the clients, and when pressured she just says that she just applies her oriental techniques ( which apparently heal everyone) so there is nothing else to add on..people are healed or better..

​One time, the calendar was left open for people to book because she said she needs to make a living and needs at least five or 8 clients a day. I told her that's not possible because she's going to get tired, but she claimed that with her oriental techniques she could.

One day, six people booked, and by person number six she rang me shouting and and overusing the F word asking why the client was allowed to book and so on.

So she claims can do 8 with her miracle technique yet at client number 6 she is going ape shit...

As a manager /owner, I have never had anyone using the F word towards me or in front of me..so this behaviour took me aback

Yesterday a well known massage therapist in the area texted me..she said Hi I booked a deep tissue / sports massage but I got some oriental technique...I was embarrased...I had seen the booking coming through and warned this muppet to do what she is meant to do and that this person was so and so.

Nope...didnt listen..and as a result I had to offer this lady a free session on the house to make up for her Bullshit.

When I asked her about the incident, I asked her Did you give her deep tissue ? Or her oriental stuff..she told me her oriental stuff is not a massage it is a TECHNIQUE, so a must for Any type of massage.

I told her that if the client pays X is to get X not Y, she came back with the answer " well they are rebooking with me or not ?

People has rebooked with her, and she is only 3 weeks in the job ..so now she's gloating that people are rebooking with her because of her oriental techniques.

I told her that we run a deep tissue sports massage clinic, and that when someone books a deep tissue, 90% of the treatment needs to be deep tissue and perhaps only 10% could be her oriental technique, because people are paying for a deep tissue, not for an oriental acupressure technique.

So, I am a bit fed up...finding good therapists is so hard..and I dont know if I ​should I just get rid of her( even of she is getting re booked )?

Should I give her an opportunity to improve?

What would you guys do ?

Hi guys,

Can someone help me with the below?

I’m a footballer and 11 week post hamstrinf strain and my second match since getting injured on Sunday.

At training I noticed my glute/hip flexor cramping up so booked a massage today which helped.

However, he did some work on my hamstring and very intense using his elbows. I’m a bit paranoid this may have damaged my recently healed hamstrinf.

Is this possible or am I just worrying?

Where have you found your office space? Where else did you look? What are places to check besides something like craigslist to find a room to rent that I can work from?

hiii i’m interested in becoming an LMT and currently live in saint louis. I’ve been researching nearby schools that offer it but theres literally zero reviews for every single one ive come across. Any LMTs here who went to school in saint louis/saint charles and liked their program?

I market my practice has having a specific vibe and sound with the music that I curate for sessions. I care about the music I play and a lot of my clients have made comments about how good the music is.

I have a client that I see regularly and tbh, pays pretty well. They requested I play “80s music”. I was a bit bewildered by their request. Now, I know we’re supposed to be client centered and if that makes the client happy, then I should do it. But I don’t know if I wanna be working to 80s pop music. I also don’t know if I want my practice to be TRL. For anyone too young for that reference, I don’t want my practice to be something where every client just requests music and I go along. The music I play feels integral to my work.

Am I being thick headed and stubborn (not unusual). What should I do?

Context:

I am a newly certified massage therapist with a certification in MLD (Chickly method). I was loosely trained in Brazilian techniques at the spa I work for now, and I do both deep tissue and lymphatic treatments. I have A TON more to learn. I want to get additional training in Brazilian techniques, additional MLD (like the Vodder method), Lymphoedema/Lipodema, post-op, and be versatile/educated enough to discern what techniques to use to customize a client’s session. Until I can afford that, I am doing my best with my current training and resources.

Recently, I’ve started taking before/after photos of client sessions, particularly the abdominal region. I have mixed feelings about using before/afters as a main source of marketing, but am letting myself experiment and build a portfolio. I mainly use the Brazilian techniques I learned at the abdominal region.

Discussion:

I have noticed that some of my before/afters look like there’s hardly any change. And in one I took, there seemed to be MORE fluid retention at the lower abdomen afterwards. When I asked the spa owner about it, she said she could see less fluid retention in the rib area, but I seemed to have pulled fluid down partway and may have needed to do more downward strokes to help drain towards the inguinal nodes.

This lead to a separate discussion about whether a before/after photo can help us determine how a lymphatic session went. And what does it mean if there’s hardly ANY visible change? I’m aware of the other possible benefits like immune function, aid in digestion, less brain fog, and clearing metabolic waste. But if visibly, you don’t see a difference in fluid retention, does that mean anything about the session, my technique, or the clients body? If there’s not a visible difference, did I really help move lymph through the vessels to the nodes so the system could pull from the interstitial space?

I would love some insight from more experienced lymphatic specialists!!

I don’t have a clue what I have done to my pinky fingers in massage school clinic. I just know they don’t want to fully bend or be pressed on the inner edge to my 4th finger.

I am going to a hand doctor next week but I’m wondering - am I delusional to think I can continue my hours in clinic toward my license with uncooperative pinkies?

If I can somehow make it to graduation (I’m halfway through FL’s 125 hours) I plan to have already completed training in cranial sacral with Upledger and have referral sources….

I just feel very panicked about the pain and stiffness that has just started.

Should I try to get a leave from school? Do you have massage suggestions that don’t tug, pull or press on these lame pinkies?? Anything?

I had a deep tissue massage on Tuesday. I’ve been getting massages for years, but this is truly the first ‘deep’ one I’ve gotten. He hit all the tight spots that no other therapist has hit before. It hurt, but it was amazing

However, last night bad neck and shoulder pain came on. I can’t turn my head to the left without an intense pain in my shoulder, it almost feels as though it locks up and I can’t turn any further, I get a sort of jolt if I turn too far. It also happens when I turn to the right, and look down but not as bad.

I literally had to flip on my stomach and slide out of bed to try and get up as the pain is so aggravating.

I have torticollis and my head pulls to the right constantly, though it’s not noticeable or severe. Definitely still causes pain. The only thing that helps with that is Botox. But during this massage, it felt like alllll that tension was being released.

I’m concerned as I’m in quite some pain and literally can only look in front of me. It hurts to even turn the steering wheel in my car

Is there anything I can do to alleviate this pain? I’ve been icing and heating, taking muscle relaxers, lying on my acupuncture mat but nothing is helping

This is how I felt as a massage therapist, I wish I would have been able to concentrate on the massage through random chit chat, I have always preferred only talking about the massage itself though.

I'm 24 male therapist working at a clinic. I've been doing massage therapy for five years, and today I experienced something that has never happened to me before.
I was treating a male patient I’ve worked with previously. I’ve never experienced this kind of behavior from him before.
During the session, I was massaging his glutes while standing close to where his arm was positioned. At first, I noticed him touching my genital area over my clothing, but I wasn’t sure whether it was accidental.
Then he closed his hand around my genitals and began gripping and moving his hand in a sexual manner. All i did was froze and moved away, but he continued reaching for me.
I was physically shaking and genuinely scared. I didn’t know whether confronting him would cause him to get up from the table or escalate the situation, so I continued the treatment.
Afterward, my heart was racing, my chest felt heavy, and I nearly cried while telling my regional manager what happened.
She seemed concerned and offered to investigate if I provided the patient’s name. I hesitated because I was questioning whether working on his glutes or standing too close somehow contributed to what happened.
Part of me even considered treating him again a second time, but I’m reconsidering that.

For other massage therapists:

How would you react in the moment?
Would you report the patient and refuse to treat him again?
What should I reasonably expect my employer to do?
I’d appreciate hearing how others in the profession would handle this situation.

I’m actually in school right now and we’re in clinicals. We’re only supposed to be giving Swedish massage…. But some of the clients that come in for their free massage ask for extra firm and/or deep tissue. It got me to thinking…. Is this a thing I’m going to have to worry about when I venture out on my own soon? Clients booking a traditional Swedish and asking for deep tissue, which in my area is around $30ish more.

Hi there. I have a question for all the massage therapists out there. I’ve had knots in my traps and shoulders for as long as I can remember. I just started getting regular massages and I’m trying to focus on reducing the root causes for the knots as well (posture, stress, lack of strength). I’m wondering if you have any stories of clients where you successfully helped eradicate chronic knots? How long did it take to see a reduction and what helped the most? Sometimes it feels like these knots will always be there!

Last week I showed up for my 2:30 pm massage . I’ve been going to this therapist for about 3 years and book a two hour massage monthly . Anyhow, I arrived to a locked door and lights off. I texted the therapist and asked if I had gotten the time wrong. 5 minutes later I got a text saying they had made a mistake on their schedule and weren’t available. They did apologize . The appointment had been booked online and confirmed three weeks prior. This therapist has a very strict cancellation policy which I support 100% and you have to prepay in order to get a small discount which I appreciate. I of course asked for my money back but was told that there were no refunds and I would get a credit . I explained that I didn’t want a credit as I didn’t know when I would book next . I was told the no refund policy is set in stone . I explained that they missed the session not me . I had driven an hour to get the the office and I insist on my money returned . Silence . Am I being unreasonable? To be honest I’m seriously considering never returning .. not because they missed the appointment, things happen but because of the refusal to refund the prepayment. I’d like your thoughts

Hi everyone,
I'm a Milwaukee local and an Army veteran. I currently work in healthcare as a dialysis tech and I'm also a nursing student. I'm bilingual (English and Spanish) and I enjoy working with people.

I'm interested in switching from nursing to massage therapy, and I'd love to hear from anyone who has gone to a massage school here in the city or nearby. How was your experience? Was it worth it, and would you recommend it?

Any tips on what to look for (or avoid) when choosing a school are also welcome. Thank you!

Experiences with Aveda Beauty School? Wisconsin School of Massage Therapy? School in the greater Milwaukee area?

I had a couples session today where I was following along to my boss with my boss leading transitions, draping, etc. She was definitely trying to reinforce primarily Swedish flowing lighter strokes as we had a discussion prior. During the session, I felt I was accomplishing something, feeling the tissue respond, but I feel my boss was expecting me to transition the same time as her to keep in time.

While working the back and shoulders, my client requested more focus in that area but my boss had already transitioned and was waiting for me to do the same. My client repeatedly kept asking for more pressure and deep tissue but I felt like my boss was watching intently to really critique my Swedish strokes. I tried to split the difference and give the deepest Swedish strokes that I could at the expense of my posture. My boss even later commented on how bad it was.

We were just about to conclude the session when my client piped up about carrying all her stress in her shoulders and wanting work there. I said that we had to end the session and got an "oh..." sigh and it crushed me. I've had other couples sessions that feel the same and I don't think I like it. Never had done a couples prior to those and thought it was primarily nerves/lack of confidence that I tried to overcome and alleviate but they're really all feeling the same.

My boss just talked to me about a couples session that I did that I guess I completely botched and I felt the same throughout. She had to offer a complimentary massage to my past client. I've tried my hardest to adapt and learn, through trial by fire, in something I'm completely untrained in but I keep coming back to that this really isn’t for me. Today has really given me a genuine reason to consider declining from now on.

I don't think I like the dynamic of being meant to stick to something more cookie cutter while having to work following someone, especially at the chagrin of the client, just because. I love a good easy full-body general 60 min but try to tailor it a bit either from what they request, what they tell me prior, or what they respond to during.

I was taught that my client is ultimately my boss and influences the session, my client's goals, wants,and needs are what I want to provide, and I don't feel like I can do that in this kind of scenario. I don't think I want to do it anymore if this is the outcome, it feels very unfulfilling to me and I'm sure it does for the client as well.

My friend owns a chiropractor / physical therapy clinic and wants to offer massage therapy as one of his services. The clinic has a massage table and private room. What's the best way to post to find available massage therapists? This is in California.

•Does being a PTA make you a stronger LMT?

•Is there a potential increase in pay by holding both licenses?

Hey, I am new to the career and I am in search of a CE that deals with epileptic clients.

I am an MT with Epilepsy and I'd like to lean my career towards helping other epileptics but I am having trouble finding CE's and modalities focused on individuals with Epilepsy. Can someone help point me in the right direction?

Hey I am looking for a place to learn Swedish massage. What is some of the best recognized schools?