Aromatherapy massage and men!
Hi all [sm=wave.gif]
I've just started a massage and aromatherapy massage course and was wondering whether to offer back massage only to men rather than the full body massage.
What would you do? [sm=scratchchin.gif]
Thanks guys
Answers:
Hi Bjay,
Hope that you enjoy the course and find it inetesting.
I am curious as to why you would offrer just a back massage to men? In aromatherapy, the massage is the medium in which the oils are introduced to the body. A full body massage will help relax your clients and increase the absortion potential of essential oils by the body.
Were you thinking that some men would bne put off by the idea of using some of the more flowery feminie smelling oils?
I feel that if you only offer a back massage to men, then you will not be using Aromatherapy massage to it full benifit.
Cheers
Jason
Answers:
Hi Jason
The reason I ask is when I've had massage in the past, at different locations, (a while ago now, mind), female therapist's would give men a back massage only! As I am in my premises alone a lot of the time I just thought I would see what most other therapist thought of the situation!
Answers:
Hiya
My clients (male or female) get what they want and pay for!!! I think the big decision here is whether or not to do men...if a guy is going to be over friendly to you then that will happen regardless of which bits you massage!!! and for those therapists that flatter themselves that a guy may become aroused when they massage the upper thigh......well men do not fancy just anybody, only had it once and i knew him and his intentions just one of them things he mind was relaxed but no issues never had it with any of my other clients...entirely up to you though!!!
Hugs
T
x
Answers:
You need to get past this one and the sooner the better. Agree with Tracey, it has never happened to me and no guy has ever made me feel unsafe or uncomfortable. In fact they usually go out their way to make you feel the opposite. I do a lot of men (scuse the pun!) Some have started off coming in to ask about other things, some come for another treatment first and then bring it up, they are nervous about being perceived as perverts. I have had a few say to me, I am so glad that I have found somebody to give me a good massage. I also did a lovely guy yesterday, stress oooooosing out of every pore and desperate for something to help. As it happens he won one of our vouchers at a Charity Ball, so it worked out well for him. It is very nice to see somebody leave you feeling so much better. Men get stressed just as much as women and they need a bit of tlc too.
Just go for it, you will soon feel better about it. It's a body not a date.
Be careful though about being on your own, that is something you do need to be aware of, though I have been on my own at times. Not worth putting yourself at risk, but really, can only say, most of them just need a good massage. The ******s usually know where to go and get what they want.;)
Answers:
Hello bjay,
I am very much in agreement with Candie and Tigerbee here. About two thirds of my clients are men and most have full body massages. I have never had a problem with any of them and usually work alone. All of them I have either known personally of have been referred by wives, girlfriends etc. I don't advertise so generally get clients by word of mouth so I feel safer this way.
You must do whatever you feel happiest and safest with though. I feel it would be a great shame to deny men the benefits of aromatherapy treatments though and they also may feel vunerable taking their clothes off for a stranger when they are not sure what to expect.
Good luck with your course, I hope you enjoy becoming involved with this wonderful therapy.
Answers:
Hi ... I have never had an issue with treating male clients, but then I practice at a therapy centre and so I am very rarely on my own and then only with clients that I already know. Having said that I think you do need to be safety conscious and apply common sense.
I think that you often get a sense of a "dodgy" client from what they say when they first contact you... this week I recieved a call on my day off asking if I could go in and see a new male client for a full body massage and reflexology treatment ... he said he was "addicted to massage" and had managed to get a day off work especially so it had to be that day. When I said that I couldn't make it because of a prior committment they phoned him back and said that I couldn't see him but that another (male) therapist was available that day .. the caller declined the offer and asked the (female) who called him back if she would do it! Now he may have been genuine .. but I have my doubts.
There is a good article on the FHT site on personal safety that you might want to take a look at: http://www.fht.org.uk/whats/a_personal_safety.htm
Love Heather x
Answers:
Heather, just a thought. A lot of men won't have a massage from another man, that might well have been why he declined.;)
Answers:
Thanks, everyone, for your comments and advice. I think I'll play it by ear if the occassion arises. I have one male client who alternates weekly treatments of IHM (where he removes his shirt as he prefers oil) and Reflexology and I feel quite fine with him.
I agree with you Candie on men not wanting to be massaged by a man. My husband is definately one of these. He even prefers to see a female doctor. He really doesn't liked being touched by another man, for any reason! [sm=nono.gif]
Answers:
Hi All,
Candy, was your comment about men not wanting massage etc from men based on hetrosexual men? As a masseure, I have some gay clients, who prefer a male therapist. A few of these clients have indicated that massage, and Aromatherapy is very personal and some times prefer to be with a male rather than a female.
I thought that I would chip this in to give a different male view point.
Rehgards
Armandii
Answers:
Hi Armandii
From certainly mine and I would think Candie's point of view (although i am sure she will speak for herself) it is nothing to do with sexuality.....Not all men's sexuality is apparent unless they volunteer the information and it is not my business so I dont cover it in my consultation! I think from experience on the whole Men prefer women but there will always be exceptions to this rule REGARDLESS of their sexuality. From a personal standpoint if I was to have a full body massage i would opt for a female but I have had targeted massage from a male on my legs which was great too.....
Hugs
T
Answers:
Hi Armandii, yes, pretty much actually. You should see some of their faces when you offer them an appointment with a male therapist. it says it all really. They can't handle it, though probably as Tracey says, would go for a sports treatment etc.
Answers:
Hi,
These threads have been intersting for me to read as I have never really thought about potentional clients being put off by the fact that I am a man. I suppoe that I just thought about getting people through the door.
Hope that you all have a good week.
Jason
I've just started a massage and aromatherapy massage course and was wondering whether to offer back massage only to men rather than the full body massage.
What would you do? [sm=scratchchin.gif]
Thanks guys
Answers:
Hi Bjay,
Hope that you enjoy the course and find it inetesting.
I am curious as to why you would offrer just a back massage to men? In aromatherapy, the massage is the medium in which the oils are introduced to the body. A full body massage will help relax your clients and increase the absortion potential of essential oils by the body.
Were you thinking that some men would bne put off by the idea of using some of the more flowery feminie smelling oils?
I feel that if you only offer a back massage to men, then you will not be using Aromatherapy massage to it full benifit.
Cheers
Jason
Answers:
Hi Jason
The reason I ask is when I've had massage in the past, at different locations, (a while ago now, mind), female therapist's would give men a back massage only! As I am in my premises alone a lot of the time I just thought I would see what most other therapist thought of the situation!
Answers:
Hiya
My clients (male or female) get what they want and pay for!!! I think the big decision here is whether or not to do men...if a guy is going to be over friendly to you then that will happen regardless of which bits you massage!!! and for those therapists that flatter themselves that a guy may become aroused when they massage the upper thigh......well men do not fancy just anybody, only had it once and i knew him and his intentions just one of them things he mind was relaxed but no issues never had it with any of my other clients...entirely up to you though!!!
Hugs
T
x
Answers:
You need to get past this one and the sooner the better. Agree with Tracey, it has never happened to me and no guy has ever made me feel unsafe or uncomfortable. In fact they usually go out their way to make you feel the opposite. I do a lot of men (scuse the pun!) Some have started off coming in to ask about other things, some come for another treatment first and then bring it up, they are nervous about being perceived as perverts. I have had a few say to me, I am so glad that I have found somebody to give me a good massage. I also did a lovely guy yesterday, stress oooooosing out of every pore and desperate for something to help. As it happens he won one of our vouchers at a Charity Ball, so it worked out well for him. It is very nice to see somebody leave you feeling so much better. Men get stressed just as much as women and they need a bit of tlc too.
Just go for it, you will soon feel better about it. It's a body not a date.
Be careful though about being on your own, that is something you do need to be aware of, though I have been on my own at times. Not worth putting yourself at risk, but really, can only say, most of them just need a good massage. The ******s usually know where to go and get what they want.;)
Answers:
Hello bjay,
I am very much in agreement with Candie and Tigerbee here. About two thirds of my clients are men and most have full body massages. I have never had a problem with any of them and usually work alone. All of them I have either known personally of have been referred by wives, girlfriends etc. I don't advertise so generally get clients by word of mouth so I feel safer this way.
You must do whatever you feel happiest and safest with though. I feel it would be a great shame to deny men the benefits of aromatherapy treatments though and they also may feel vunerable taking their clothes off for a stranger when they are not sure what to expect.
Good luck with your course, I hope you enjoy becoming involved with this wonderful therapy.
Answers:
Hi ... I have never had an issue with treating male clients, but then I practice at a therapy centre and so I am very rarely on my own and then only with clients that I already know. Having said that I think you do need to be safety conscious and apply common sense.
I think that you often get a sense of a "dodgy" client from what they say when they first contact you... this week I recieved a call on my day off asking if I could go in and see a new male client for a full body massage and reflexology treatment ... he said he was "addicted to massage" and had managed to get a day off work especially so it had to be that day. When I said that I couldn't make it because of a prior committment they phoned him back and said that I couldn't see him but that another (male) therapist was available that day .. the caller declined the offer and asked the (female) who called him back if she would do it! Now he may have been genuine .. but I have my doubts.
There is a good article on the FHT site on personal safety that you might want to take a look at: http://www.fht.org.uk/whats/a_personal_safety.htm
Love Heather x
Answers:
Heather, just a thought. A lot of men won't have a massage from another man, that might well have been why he declined.;)
Answers:
Thanks, everyone, for your comments and advice. I think I'll play it by ear if the occassion arises. I have one male client who alternates weekly treatments of IHM (where he removes his shirt as he prefers oil) and Reflexology and I feel quite fine with him.
I agree with you Candie on men not wanting to be massaged by a man. My husband is definately one of these. He even prefers to see a female doctor. He really doesn't liked being touched by another man, for any reason! [sm=nono.gif]
Answers:
Hi All,
Candy, was your comment about men not wanting massage etc from men based on hetrosexual men? As a masseure, I have some gay clients, who prefer a male therapist. A few of these clients have indicated that massage, and Aromatherapy is very personal and some times prefer to be with a male rather than a female.
I thought that I would chip this in to give a different male view point.
Rehgards
Armandii
Answers:
Hi Armandii
From certainly mine and I would think Candie's point of view (although i am sure she will speak for herself) it is nothing to do with sexuality.....Not all men's sexuality is apparent unless they volunteer the information and it is not my business so I dont cover it in my consultation! I think from experience on the whole Men prefer women but there will always be exceptions to this rule REGARDLESS of their sexuality. From a personal standpoint if I was to have a full body massage i would opt for a female but I have had targeted massage from a male on my legs which was great too.....
Hugs
T
Answers:
Hi Armandii, yes, pretty much actually. You should see some of their faces when you offer them an appointment with a male therapist. it says it all really. They can't handle it, though probably as Tracey says, would go for a sports treatment etc.
Answers:
Hi,
These threads have been intersting for me to read as I have never really thought about potentional clients being put off by the fact that I am a man. I suppoe that I just thought about getting people through the door.
Hope that you all have a good week.
Jason