What to Expect

One thing that we would like for our prospective clients to understand is that the massage experience that we provide is most likely quite different from massage experiences that you may have had in the past.

While we have worked in many of Austin’s most prestigious resort spas, and are quite happy to provide our clients with a relaxation massage that will rival any spa experience, our specialty is actually Clinical Massage Therapy.

As Clinical Massage Therapists, with many hundreds of hours of clinical education, internship training, and practical experience, our goal is to make a significant difference in the way you feel for days, weeks, or even months after you leave our clinic, rather than concerning ourselves exclusively with ensuring that you enjoy a fleeting 60 or 90 minute experience. A Clinical Massage Therapy session may, in fact, be quite enjoyable, but the real goal of Clinical Massage Therapy is to ultimately provide sustainable solutions to specific pain complaints.

We like to say that “Clinical Massage Therapy provides the best of both worlds for those who want to feel good and those who need to feel better.” We pride ourselves in providing a “hybrid experience” that combines a collection of spa-like luxuries, perks, and amenities with powerful pain relief and informed suggestions for lifestyle amendments that will enable you to enjoy your life to the fullest.

From the soothing hot mineral salt foot soak that you will enjoy upon your first arrival at our clinic, to the many home-care materials that we will likely share with you (printed self-care hand-outs, links to educational videos, referrals to other practitioners, and more), we are confident that your experience at our clinic will surpass any recreational or clinical massage experience you’ve had previously.

We value the opportunity to be of service to each and every client who seeks our services. We take the concerns and wellbeing of all of our clients to heart. Our ultimate hope is to be given the opportunity to earn your trust and to become committed members of your self-care team for not just an hour, but for years to come.

Consultation

Upon completing your intake paperwork, your therapist will show you into one of our cozy, yet professional, treatment rooms. Once in the privacy of the treatment room, you will be encouraged to explain to your therapist what has prompted your visit, which might include a specific chronic or acute pain complaint; the need to relax & unwind; the desire to improve your flexibility & range of motion; and / or the desire to embark on a path of generally improved health & wellness. You and your therapist will discuss your health-related problems, concerns, as well as the various modalities and techniques that may potentially prove useful in addressing your own unique issues. An important part of this first visit is providing your therapist with an opportunity to learn more about you, your condition and your expectations, and to determine whether it is reasonable to expect that Clinical Massage Therapy can help you meet your goals.

Your consultation may also involve your therapist evaluating your posture by having you stand up against a grid and making various measurements (which may involve the use of a tool called a goniometer). This structural analysis will help to determine which muscles may be overly shortened, and which may be overly lengthened, and will help your therapist determine which muscles he or she should focus on. Your therapist may also ask you to walk away from and back toward him or her in order to evaluate your gait (the way in which your body moves as you walk). You may also be asked to undergo some range of motion testing and / or muscle strength testing. All of these tests will help your therapist determine which muscles need the most attention and help him or her rule out the necessity to refer you to another type of practitioner.

Ruling Out any Contraindications

The next part of your consultation will involve your therapist determining whether Clinical Massage Therapy is likely to benefit you, and ensuring that your receiving massage is not contraindicated (medically prohibited) for any reason. If you suffer from any chronic or acute conditions that would constitute an absolute contraindication (as disclosed by you, or as revealed by the previously mentioned testing), your therapist will inform you that you should avoid receiving massage (perhaps until a doctor’s clearance has been obtained), and will be happy to refer you to a medical professional who would be better suited to help you, should you desire such a referral.

Creating a Plan of Action

If your therapist determines that it is reasonable to expect Clinical Massage Therapy to be of benefit in your situation (and that no contraindications are present), your therapist will then offer ideas for various plans of actions. You will be an active participant in deciding what course of action you feel the most comfortable with. You will be given the opportunity to prioritize which problems, pains, or issues are the most pressing to you, and the order in which you would like to address them. While your therapist will offer his or her expertise and experience as part of this discussion, your needs, priorities, and concerns will play the greatest role in creating this plan of action.

Wellness Program

If you are interested in such, your therapist will be happy to help you design a wellness program to be conducted at home. If you are in pain when you first come into our office, this may include instructions on the application of ice or heat (hydrotherapy); avoidance or amendment of certain activities or positions (exacerbating and perpetuating circumstances); as well as home strengthening exercises and / or stretches. We will be happy to offer you printed handouts, or direct you to various videos and / or articles online that we feel may be of use to you in implementing your own personalized wellness program.

We believe that a healthy lifestyle is built on a foundation of maintaining healthy posture and avoiding muscular dysfunction; maintaining an optimal degree of flexibility; maintaining proper nutrition; keeping one’s weight under control; and managing stress appropriately. However, not all of these aspects of a healthy lifestyle fall into our scope of practice as Massage Therapists.

While it is outside of our scope of practice as Massage Therapists to offer guidance on subjects such as nutrition and weight management, we are always happy to refer clients to other trusted medical professionals who specialize in these areas. If you are seeking specialists in these areas, please refer to our “Wellness Resources” page for a list of health & wellness practitioners to whom we feel comfortable referring our clients.