Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72121
HOW TO WORK WITH DIFFICULT CLIENTS THE OVERLY TALKATIVE Every massage therapist has at least a few clients who like to talk before, during, and after a massage if they have had a stressful or exciting day. Talking to discuss health issues is necessary, and discussing a client's great day is always welcome, but when talking becomes excessive and interrupts the session, both practitioner and client will be more stressed and less focused on the healing process. Asking clients not to talk can also produce stress in those who are verbal and need to vent bottled-up frustrations. For a talker, feeling heard and being allowed to talk are necessary for his or her therapeutic process. Providing time, permission, and limits will calm the client and build trust. IN MY PRACTICE, I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH MANY CHALLENGING CLIENTS WHO HAVE TAUGHT ME TO ARRANGE MY SESSIONS WITH THEM IN MIND. Before the Massage Let your client know you want to spend five minutes to discuss his health issues and anything he feels he needs to share that has affected his health recently. Being specific about time will give a client the time to be heard, and help him know when the talking should end and the session begin. During the Massage In my practice, I have been blessed with many challenging clients who have taught me to arrange my sessions with them in mind. For the talkative, I choose very slow music and begin with gentle rocking or aspects of Trager work to calm the nervous system. A gentle Thai series or shiatsu is effective as well. Reiki Master and massage therapist Junko Hayakawa suggests adding simple breath work to your routine. "Before beginning your regular massage, have your clients do three deep breaths with long six-count exhales to occupy and relax the throat while calming the body. Also, save extra time for neck work at the end of the massage. Talkative clients are anxious and need extra help to calm down." Remind talkers to feel free to speak when they need to and you will find the need is lessened. Get in the habit of redirecting conversations back to health issues and asking short, relevant yes or no questions. After the Massage Ideally, your client is both delighted and relaxed, so you can simply discuss how he feels and when he would like to book again. In my practice, I have to curb my own tendency to chat too long about extra advice on self- care, but I feel a few minutes after a session or during the payment process is invaluable to my clients. To shorten talks, politely walk your client to the door and tell him you would love to hear more the next session. THE TYPE A THINKER The most stressed clients are often those who worry constantly and have trouble turning off their brain. Telling a thinker to relax can actually aggravate him since he will be trying to do the work of relaxing instead of letting go of thoughts. Calming the client's body with breath work and then distracting his mind with creative visualization helps him use the power of his own mind to relax and heal. Before the Massage Discuss your plan for the massage with your type A client so he can relax instead of needing to know what's next. To relieve your client of the burden of "needing to achieve" anything during a session, ask him to simply focus his attention on his 76 massage & bodywork january/february 2012