Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72121
Therapist: "Think of your worst headache ever, then tell me how this one compares to that one. Where is it on a scale of 1–10?" Only begin the massage once you're certain you know exactly what the client is experiencing, and what the client hopes the massage will accomplish. Make the client's priorities your priorities for the massage. "Every client who comes in to a With his communication flowchart behind him, Dirk McCuistion says it's critical for therapists to be totally clear on what a client wants out of their session. The Road Map Dirk McCuistion's communication flowchart for massage therapist/client conversations covers much of one wall in his office. It's a color-coded, step-by-step guide to eliciting every shred of information that could be useful in treatment. He's not willing to share it in its entirety: it's proprietary and McCuistion uses it extensively in his consulting work. But here's the gist of it: Ask direct questions and don't settle for vague answers. Keep pushing until you get specific, quantifiable information, and you're totally clear on what the client wants and what the client means. A session with a client may begin with a simple enough question: "What can I do for you today?" The client may respond, "I just want to relax." That's not enough information, McCuistion says. Something is going on, but the client may not know how to communicate the problem. It's the therapist's job to probe further. Therapist: "What does that mean? Do you feel tension somewhere? What do you notice in your body right now?" Client: "My right shoulder is tight, and I have a headache." Therapist: "Tell me more. Does the pain shoot up your neck? Is it in the front of your head? The base of your head? What position do you sleep in? What kind of work do you do? How long has this gone on?" Keep probing, McCuistion says, and try for descriptions of pain that can be measured: session has an agenda," McCuistion says. "There's a specific expectation of what will happen in that session, even if they haven't clarified it in their own mind. If they don't get what they wanted, they won't come back to you. You have one chance to deliver, so don't take the chance that you missed something they wanted." Once you've begun the massage, check in frequently. Make sure you're using just the right amount of pressure. "I use a 1–10 scale to describe pressure," McCuistion says. "Say a 7 is the edge of good pressure, and 8 is too much. I'm pushing you a bit with a 7, but you can still relax. At 8, you can't. It's based on what's too much for you. If you want me to work lighter, you'll tell me 7 is a lighter pressure. If you want me to work deeper, you'll give me a lower number, so I know I've got more latitude." McCuistion never lets clients get away with simply saying, "Good," when asked how they're doing. "Good tells you nothing," he says. "The only thing it tells is that it could be better. Or it could mean, 'It's not good, but I don't want to tell you that.' Or it could mean, 'I don't want to tell you how to do your job.' You can't settle for vagueness. You have to be really dogged about getting to what's happening, because if you allow the client to be vague, you'll lose that client." 60 massage & bodywork january/february 2012