Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/135515
BeIng SAfe I t's difficult to think of other legitimate professions where your customers are not only naked, but paying you to touch them. Within our traditional, therapeutic scope, these unusual conditions are overlooked as the norm. But when a client tries to change the balance of the therapeutic scale and take the work in a direction that is harmful to the therapist, we must be prepared to protect ourselves. I've been practicing massage for more than 20 years, and during that time—though I've never been attacked by a client who was on the table—I have had stalkers, harassing phone calls, people who have grabbed my hand, and clients who have driven by my office multiple times to see if I was there. As a result of what I've learned, I wanted to share some of my personal experiences with you and offer tips for staying safe in your treatment room. For StArterS Let's start with the most basic, proactive tool you can use when it comes to your safety—marketing. In all your marketing efforts, make sure you present as professional an image as possible. Don't use a glamorous, sexy headshot; people may get the wrong idea and come to you thinking they are getting a service that is sexy and glamorous. Using technical terms in your marketing materials, like therapeutic, deep tissue, and professional, will set you apart from ads for illegal services. Also, make the initial phone call with potential clients a screening process (see Outcall Screening Checklist and Protocols, page 77). Even if they have booked your services from an online source, call them. Find out how they heard about you and what their reasons for seeking massage are. If you don't like the answers, you don't have to see them. The intake process is your best opportunity to identify potential problems. But it doesn't mean you need to be afraid with every phone call. In fact, by being proactive, listening well, and being alert to the answers you're receiving, you become an effective gatekeeper for new clients entering your practice. When done correctly, the intake process sets the stage for a healthy client-therapist relationship and informs clients of the therapeutic value of the work you offer. hArASSINg PhoNe CALLS I got a call one day from someone speaking Spanish. I informed him, "No habla español," but he kept talking and fi nally said the word masaje (which means massage in Spanish). I said, "Yes, yes masaje." He responded, "Sexy, yes? Sexy masaje." I told him I didn't do that and hung up the phone. Unfortunately, he was persistent—very persistent. His calls escalated in frequency to between 10 and 15 per day. I couldn't change my phone number; I had just started my practice, and all my advertising materials had the number on it. And it was also a time in my business where I felt I needed to answer every call to build my practice. I know consumers are all too ready to call the next number on the list if the fi rst one doesn't answer. I told the man to stop calling. I told him I didn't do sex. But the calls didn't stop. I fi nally got the police involved. He had been mainly calling from blocked or unavailable numbers. We caught Create a Phone Screening Checklist It's important to keep a screening checklist near your phone for the next time a new client calls. This will not only help you remember the important questions to ask to ensure this is a legitimate client, but to also see if you and this new client are a good fit for each other. Add to, or delete from, this list based on your needs. • Were you referred to me? By whom? • Are you redeeming a gift certificate? • How did you hear about me? • What are your expectations or goals for the session? • Have you had therapeutic massage before? Where? When? • Are there any specific health concerns we'll be addressing? (At this point, determine if the client will benefit from your services or if you need to refer him or her to someone else.) 76 massage & bodywork july/august 2013