Your First Couple’s Massage
by bardw
A couple’s massage allows partners, spouses, mom’s and daughters, sons and dads, BFFs or anyone else to experience massage together in the same room as one therapist works with each person. Couple’s massage is a shared bonding experience that can have many benefits beyond just the bodywork session.
What to expect
For many couple’s massage recipients it’s their first trip to see a massage therapist. You may have been invited by a someone who’s experienced at receiving a massage who wanted to share the experience. Or maybe it’s a special occasion? Or maybe a “surprise” gift? The good news is that qualified and professional therapists are used to massage “newbies” and will ensure you are comfortable, give you all the information you ned to have a great session, and be open to answering any of your questions. Our first priority is maintaining guest comfort and protecting your modesty while making sure that the specific therapeutic needs of each client are met.
Typically, you should arrive 10-15 minutes before your session so that you can fill out some simple, but important paperwork. This paperwork gives specific information to the therapist so they can tune the session to your needs. The form will ask about any areas of your body that might be sore, tender or in pain, as well as areas you’d rather the therapist avoid. It will also ask about medical conditions relevant to massage therapy, and a few basic questions about your overall wellness.
During this time you can drink some water or use the restroom. You should also silence your cell phone for the duration of your session. If you’re interested in any extras, such as aromatherapy, for one or both of you, let the front desk know.
The main event
Once it’s time for your session to begin, the therapists will come and guide each of you to the therapy room. They’ll go over the form and ask questions. This is a GREAT time for YOU to ask questions too! If your form indicates you’re a first-timer, the therapist will take extra care to make sure you know what to expect. Each therapist will then ready the room, then leave and allow each of you to undress to your comfort level. Typically, for a full-body massage, this means underwear, but many long-time therapy recipients will completely undress. There’s NO wrong way to do this, just be comfortable. Once you’ve undressed, you’ll lay on the massage table under the sheets. After a few minutes, your therapists will knock on the door, then return to the session room, adjusting your linens and often placing support under your feet or knees.
During the session you will be covered (draped) at all times, unveiling only the parts the therapist is working on, then recovering and moving on. A skilled therapist is an expert draper and it’ll all seem completely comfortable while it’s happening.
The therapist will work intuitively to relax your muscles, explore trouble spots, and pay special attention to any areas you marked on your intake form. Sometimes they will use oils, lotions, or creams to help make the bodywork more effective. Typically, these lubricants are hypoallergenic and scent-free, but sometimes they contain wonderful essential oils, like lavender, to enhance the experience.
About half way through the session, the therapist will coach you on how to turn over (still under the covers) and get ready for the next steps in your body work.
While most people are quiet during a session, but you should ALWAYS feel comfortable communicating with your therapist about things like pressure. Your therapist will probably check in once or twice to make sure you are comfortable.
The afterparty
At the end of the session, the therapist will signal you and both therapists will leave the room allowing you to carefully get off the table and redress. Once dressed, open the door – that’s the universal sign that you’re ready to see the therapist again. The therapists will talk to you a bit about the session and make any recommendations for further care, then escort you to reception for payment and rebooking. You may leave a gratuity in the room (20% is common) or put it on the credit card when you check out.
It’s not unusual for you to feel super-relaxed after the session, so plan a bit of time to come out of your fog after you finish. You can prolong that feeling by drinking lots of water and taking it easy for an hour or two. It’s totally OK to do something very active after massage, too, though, and you’ll likely find your flexibility and range of motion are better than ever as you run, hike, walk or play sports.
At the desk, you’ll have an opportunity to schedule additional sessions, find out about products that might be for sale, pay for your services.
So if you get a chance to participate in a couple’s massage session, don’t stress. It is a wonderful, shared experience that you won’t forget.