Almost time for student clinic!

[Trudy J]

Hey all! This is my first time posting & I'm sure there's a forum for introductions and stuff, but I'll go ahead and do that here.

I'm Mike...live in Utah...been in school for only about 3 months...umm...graduate next September...ummmm....and I can't think of anything else.

Soo....I start student clinic on the 1st of Dec. and I'm terrified! I think my massages are ok, but I'm having such a hard time with timing my massages. We did a "mock clinic" last week that we had to bring someone we know and pretend they were an actual client at the clinic. I know I did a good job because I had the person drooling...literally! LOL The only problem was that when I thought I was done and looked at the clock I still had about 15 or 20 minutes to go. I think reworking the back for another 5 or 10 minutes is ok if you've gone over everything really good beforehand, but for another 15 or 20 minutes? I think that's a bit much..am I wrong? Does anyone have any suggestions? I've still got two weeks to practice so anything would help!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dustfinger]

I had to watch the clock throughout the massage, in the beginning. The clinic room should have a clock that is easily visible. Divide the body into quadrants and give yourself 15 minutes per quad (or 12, if you have 50 minute hours). Two minutes is perfect for "finishing touches", if you have 12 minute sections.

You get so all of that is second nature, too. Good luck, and have fun!

 

[Bad Apple]

That's awesome! Thanks for the reply!

We have 50 minute sessions so I could easily do 6 minutes here 6 minutes there and so on when the client is supine and again in prone. I spend a good 3 to 5 minutes on centering/grounding and massaging the face and the head combined so I might actually go over a little, but longer is better than shorter I would assume!

 

[Sam Taylor]

My advice is to slow down your strokes. I mean way slow. So slow you think, "This is crazy!" Practice it on some friends and solicit feedback. Generally, the slower the stroke, the more relaxing it is. You can also tune in the tension more easily when you move slower.

 

[chezmund]

I spend a good 3 to 5 minutes on centering/grounding and massaging the face and the head combined so I might actually go over a little, but longer is better than shorter I would assume!

going over "a little" should only be like one or 2 mintues. Don't think you're doing them a favor by going over in time- they might have someplace to be, you have to get ready for your next client... There is lots of advice regarding this on the board

Lots of people LOVE back work- so wasting your time on the back is not a bad idea, until you get your timing down
And while you may be bored doing the same strokes over and over- the person on the table probably won't even notice

good luck to you!

 

[WebD]

One thing I had to learn in the beginning is that (as long as your touch/pressure is good) it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to do anything wrong. Did you already massage both feet? Go back and massage them each again. Finish with them face up and have 20 minutes left? Flip them over and spend that time on their back. As long as your pressure and touch are satisfying, they don't care what you do. Literally.

I have been practicing massage for 8 years. I still watch the clock like a hawk and time each body part accordingly. I know most therapists say they just "get it" but I never have. I just don't have that internal clock. I would suggest writing up a few "sequences" where your time is divided evenly on the body. Here is the main one I use:

(50 min massage)
2 min intro
18 min back
7-10 min on both legs/gluts
FLIP
10 min on head/face/neck
2.5 min on each limb (2 arms, 2 legs = 10 min) (a minute or two extra on feet if I was able to "save" time on the backs of the legs)

When I can do a 60 minute massage I just add more time on to the arms and feet.

As moose_goose said, it's really important not to go over by much. In a spa/clinic environment, it's simply not acceptable and makes your work more stressful by not having enough time to change over between clients. When you're working for yourself, it's still not good to break the agreement you made with the client...they may have somewhere to be. If I do have time to go over and I want to, I always ask the client if it's okay.

Clinic will be an awesome learning experience. Have fun and don't be afraid to make mistakes!

 

[dh0pe.]

Hey Mike........welcome to the biz. I'm just south of you in Sandy. I've been doing massage for 7 years.

I'm with Bliss.....slow way way down. Nerves will want you to speed things up to cram it all in, but don't. Slow down. You don't have to use every technique you're learning in school on each and every person. Get comfortable with using a few techniques to keep yourself on time. Divide the body into sections and know about how many minutes you want to spend on each. I usually spend more time on shoulders and back cause that's where a majority of client's problems are.

Glance at the clock occasionally to see how you're flowing, but don't stare at it. I look at the time now every 30 minutes or so, because I do "get it".

Just have fun with it. Most clients don't know of all the stress you're going thru right now. Act like you know what you're doing, don't let 'em see you sweat and you should be fine. Good luck

 

[Tab]

I'm agreeing with Bliss, slow way down, it feels awesome too! All of these ideas have been excellent and you can try which ever one works for you..good luck!

 

[Alex S]

THanks so so much for all of the advice!! You have no idea how much it's going to help! Go slower! DUH! I can't believe I didn't even consider that! LOL It's nerves and anxiety that make me go so fast, I would imagine. Slower strokes would probably help calm myself down as well.

You guys rock!

*HUGS* & "THANKS!!" to all!

 

[daringafire]

Clinic next Tuesday....

Well I have been reading the responses here and trying to internalize them. I have my timing down almost perfectly and my "clients" now say that I am awesome so I am anxious to get going.

We have been off for almost a month due to the holidays and I CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK!!!

My clinic is only two days a week (Biology takes the other two days). So I am really looking forward to seeing if I can handle a steady stream of clients.

 

[Kitty L]

Keep the pace slow, and see if you can feel the client's tissues changing under your hands. In my final term of school, I once spent 80 minutes (of a 90-minute back-only session) doing 4 long, deep, slooooooooowwwww strokes on a client's back. It was cool! I could feel and see their erectors melting and gently giving way.

 

[Curt J]

Mikanik,

It's been a month and I'm curious ....

How are things going?

Brian

 

[Dnt TriPP]

Sorry it took so long to get back! Hehe..the holidays, school and work really have me running around like crazy!

I've been keeping my pace slow and sectioning the body off into quadrants on each side and my timing is absolutely down perfect! Thanks so much for the awesome advice! I was so nervous after my very first client, but I did what you guys and gals told me to do and it couldn't have turned out better! Even got a (sssshhh....) $10 tip out of it! Since that one I don't really have any worries at all about timing and I just get right into the massage like I've been doing it forever! I can't believe how quickly it all becomes second nature!

Thanks again for all the wonderful responses and advice!

 

[MelissaHudgens]

Sorry it took so long to get back! Hehe..the holidays, school and work really have me running around like crazy!

I've been keeping my pace slow and sectioning the body off into quadrants on each side and my timing is absolutely down perfect! Thanks so much for the awesome advice! I was so nervous after my very first client, but I did what you guys and gals told me to do and it couldn't have turned out better! Even got a (sssshhh....) $10 tip out of it! Since that one I don't really have any worries at all about timing and I just get right into the massage like I've been doing it forever! I can't believe how quickly it all becomes second nature!

Thanks again for all the wonderful responses and advice!

That's so good to hear, good for you!!!!

 

[qdb]

Clinic update...

Well clinic hasn't actually started. We had a bunch of hoursekeeping things to do. I was elected Clinic Manager (one else wanted the job) so that's keeping me busy.

Our first clinic day (Thursday, Jan. 17th) is almost all booked up.

I will let you all know how it goes.

Tony

 

[Anika<3]

The only problem was that when I thought I was done and looked at the clock I still had about 15 or 20 minutes to go. I think reworking the back for another 5 or 10 minutes is ok if you've gone over everything really good beforehand, but for another 15 or 20 minutes? I think that's a bit much..am I wrong? Does anyone have any suggestions? I've still got two weeks to practice so anything would help!

I agree that if you finished a whole body in about 35 mins, you were working too fast, but you mentioned you've slowed down and have adressed it jst fine.

What I did want to mention is that if you every find yourself in a situation where a client needs extra time on the back or you have run too fast... 30 mins. on the back is not something to sneeze at. It really does feel good and the client most likely won't complain in the least.

I routinely work on clients where I "skim" the arms and legs, just to make sure they have extra time in thier hour for neck and back work that they request.

Just a few extra thoughts.

 

[adia]

Good point pueppi. The important thing to remember is....what does the client want worked on the most? Never forget that detail and make it top priority and work your time around it. If you work the whole body with equal time for all parts and nothing extra for the areas the client was most concerned about, they WILL know. If you skim parts like arms and legs but work extra on the neck and back like they wanted, they WILL know that too........and will come back.

 

[DaveC]

Most of my clients have no interest in "full body" treatments. They come in with specific concerns and I provide guidance as to what I think is the best way to go. Sometimes I do suggest full body with some focused work, but not often. Most times we spend the entire session focusing on just a few areas with some "linking" of those areas. In extreme cases, I've spent 2 hours on one small area, such as the posterior neck.

Really, there's no end of ways to make each treatment a unique experience!

 

[Nit R]

Just got out from today's clinic. Only had one client..it was a slow day for the female students so that always means an *extra* slow day for the guys. I had to call the in-laws to see if they wanted a complimentary massage. My MIL decided to come down. I know she really likes her back worked on so I really focused on that. I probably did a total of 40 min. just on the back. It was awesome! There's just so much more you can do to that area (at least in what I've been taught so far) so it really makes the time fly. She loved it so much she's going to start making weekly appointments!

 

[Talltail]

Mikanik, one of the good things about having someone you know come in regularly to student clinic, is that if they have a chronic problem they can see just how beneficial regular massage can really be. It can be great to see someone with chronic issues progress, (a case study?) as it bolsters your confidence in yourself and your work. (Don't forget to document your progress!)