Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68008
THE BEST AND WORST As we approach the end of the year, those Best and Worst lists are cropping up. Here are my thoughts on some of the most, least, best, and worst when it comes to working within our professional boundaries. MOST FREQUENT COMPLAINT FROM CLIENTS MASSAGE THERAPISTS TALK TOO MUCH. Over the years, the most common complaint I've heard from an unsatisfied client is that the therapist yammered on about his or her personal life or opinions during the massage. Remember, clients can't listen to us and fully relax at the same time, and their relatively passive, dependent state makes it hard for them to speak up when we're bugging them. They want to stay on our good side, and they're afraid of offending us. Even normally assertive clients are reluctant to gripe in those circumstances, and rather than complain, they just won't come back. Talking too much is an easy mistake to make. Our work is relatively isolated and we don't always have the interaction with colleagues that we would have if we were working in another setting. Try to build enough social time into your life so you're not tempted to use clients as a captive audience and put them in an uncomfortable position. MOST IMPORTANT SKILL YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T TAUGHT IN SCHOOL SET LIMITS GRACEFULLY. Your ability to say no—whether it's to the client who wants an unreasonable discount, the one who shows up 30 minutes late and wants a full hour, or the one who wants to turn the session into a date—is crucial to a healthy practice. If you're too wishy-washy, you end up resentful and burned out. Too hard-nosed, and you may alienate clients. visit massageandbodywork.com to access your digital magazine 113