Friday, July 25, 2008

How to enjoy your massage: Five simple things you can do before, during, and after...

It sounds funny, doesn’t it? I mean, who doesn’t love massage? You get on that table, and your very capable massage therapist works her magic. But many clients don’t understand that at least 50% of how much they enjoy their treatments lies in their hands – not their therapists’. Below are a trade “secrets” to help you make the most of your treatments.

Before Your Treatment:

1. Book the Right Treatment: When calling to make an appointment, be sure you are booking the treatment that’s right for you. If you like deeper pressure, then the Mom Spa treatment you need is the ‘Muscle Mend’. If you need deep tissue relief but don’t like deeper work, maybe a therapeutic hot stone massage. Only book a Simply Swedish or an Aromassage (aromatherapy) if you favor light-to-medium work. For those that need a little deeper work on the back and neck and not so much on the rest of the body, the ‘MoM Spa’ is best for you. It also includes hot stone work on the back, feet and hands. Always let us know too if you are pregnant, have allergy concerns or anything that will require the therapist to set the room differently from the norm. Your health and well-being are very important to us. Not sure exactly what you need? Just ask! The ladies making your appointment are happy to make recommendations. You and your therapist can chat before your treatment and make necessary changes.

2. Pre-Hydrate: Massage is excellent at releasing body toxins stored in your muscle tissue, and pushing them into your bloodstream. However, many people are surprised to find that they can feel quite ill after their treatments. To prevent feeling under the weather, give your body a way to rid itself of all those toxins by drinking a lot of water and juices before and after your treatment. The water will help wash away toxins from the bloodstream where they can be eliminated by the urinary system. If you’re not a regular water drinker, I recommend you start pre-hydrating 24 hours before your scheduled treatment.

3. Arrive Early: The earlier you can arrive before your treatment (up to a half hour even) the better your massage will be. It’s true! Arriving early allows you to slip into our luxurious robes, read our great magazines, sip a cup of tea or water in our relaxation area, breathe deeply, and shut the world out. If you are less stressed before you enter your treatment, your body will relax quicker, and your therapist can get more work done. Plus, if you start on time, your treatment will be longer. Start your massage stressed and 15 minutes late, and you will not be getting your money’s worth.

4. Communicate With Your Therapist: Any good therapist wants to learn a little about you before you begin your massage. This is the time you can share any questions or concerns you may have about your session. Please share anything that could affect your therapy session, including any injuries, skin wounds, or other areas you prefer not to have massaged, and any underlying medical conditions. Our rooms are very dark, so many times a therapist will not see a cut or a bruise. By alerting your therapist ahead of time, this will ensure the safest, most comfortable treatment for you and your body.

5. Undress to Your Comfort: It’s the age-old question – should I take it off, or leave it on? I always tell my client this: If it makes you uncomfortable, take it off. If it keeps you comfortable, leave it on. Your comfort is of utmost importance to us, and our therapists can work around anything. If you decide to leave underwear on, it will be helpful if you can fold it back so the therapist can get to your lower back. If not, we will go over the sheet to get to where we need to go. If you decide to keep your bra on, we kindly ask you un-snap it so the therapist does not have to jump over and around the back area. If you are nursing, please let the therapist know so she can place a folded towel to support you. If the breast area is too tender to lie face down, our therapists are trained in the supported side-line position that may be more comfortable for you during this time.
During Your Treatment

1. Deep Breathing: Now that you’re on the table, your responsibilities drop off significantly. As you lay on your table, breathe deeply and slowly – completely filling your lungs with air and completely emptying them. Focus on this breathing at various times throughout your treatment. It will help your muscles relax and oxygenate your system. This is especially true during deeper tissue work or during Fertility Massage. By breathing deeply, you are releasing tension, control and stress so your body will respond more positively to the pressure.

2. Listen to Your Body:
Pay attention to how the table feels. With each exhale, I imagine my body sinking further and further into the table. If anything feels uncomfortable and needs to be adjusted, mention it to your therapist when she enters the room. During treatment, continue to focus on how your body is responding to the work. Are you completely relaxed? Are any body parts tense? Are you clenching your fists or tightening your jaw? Focus on releasing anything you might be tightening, and release it with an exhale.

3. Speak up: I cannot stress this enough. Therapists rely on input from their clients about how much pressure to apply, whether the work is deep or light. A good therapist knows generally how deep pressure feels, but only you know exactly how your body is feeling. Not sure how much is too much? I use this guideline, no matter how deep you like it: If you feel anything more than “slightly uncomfortable” the pressure is too deep. Massage should not hurt. Deeper work can be achieved gradually, with minimal discomfort to the client. But it’s your responsibility to let your therapist know if the pressure is too deep – or too light. Also, if the bed is too warm, the temperature too cold, the music too loud, you have to use the restroom…anything that will further help you relax, please let the therapist know, even if it’s during the treatment. This is your time!

4. Relax Your Body: Once on the table, your ‘job’ is to relax all your muscles, and enjoy. Your therapist may gently move your arms and legs to stretch them or to reposition you. We don’t need any help. So just relax and let us do all the work.

5. Relax Your Mind: It is extremely hard to do – especially if you are away from your baby for the first time, or squeezing your treatment into a very busy workday. But do the best you can to focus on your body and your breathing and leave the outside world at the front door. The more massage you get, the easier that is to do. If an experienced massage connoisseur meets with a great therapist, chances are you won’t remember what day it is.

After Your Treatment:

1. Drink, Drink, Drink: Again, I cannot stress this enough. Drink as much juice and water as you can, allowing your body to eliminate all the toxins stirred up by the massage. If you don’t, you may feel achy, feverish, even nauseous and flu-like. This is called “healing crisis” and is normal to a degree. If you begin to feel this way, stop everything and drink. Ideally, you should hydrate to prevent a healing crisis.

2. Rest and Relax: Bring the bliss home. Try not to do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day. Be kind to yourself, and allow your muscles to remain relaxed. Injury could result if you overstress very relaxed muscles, so give yourself the day off. If you like to exercise, plan to work out before your appointment.

3. Eat Healthy, Small Meals: As discussed before, your body may be pretty toxic after your treatment – a good sign that healing is taking place. Try not to add anymore to the load. Stick to whole foods – you know them – fruits, veggies, whole grains. Try to avoid excess alcohol and caffeine. Eat smaller meals so your body can use its energy to heal, not to digest your food.

4. Take a bath: If you are feeling particularly achy or sore, I highly recommend taking an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are excellent at drawing toxins out through the skin. I use them all the time when I’m achy. They are miraculous, 100% natural, cheap, and easy to find at a pharmacy. Drop 1-2 Cups into your bath water, and swish. Soak for a good 15-20 minutes, or until you feel refreshed. Do this at least once a day if you are very sore. If you are pregnant, discuss the use of Epsom salts with your doctor before you use them, and be sure your bath is only “warm.” Essential oils can be beneficial for many uses with these kinds of baths. Again, if you are pregnant, consult with your doctor.

5. Call if You Have Problems: Do not suffer in silence! Everyone responds differently to massage, especially if it’s your first time. If you are having extreme symptoms of achy muscles, stiffness, feverishness, etc. and none of the above methods help, please call the spa! All our therapists carry cell phones, so even if they aren’t working, they can be reached. Just tell our retail team who you worked with and give them your phone number and they will contact your therapist for you. It may be beneficial to schedule another appointment as soon as possible to “finish” the job. Even having a lighter, Swedish massage will help your body eliminate the rest of the toxins that are making you feel sick. Your therapist may also have more ideas to help stave off the discomfort, or even be able to tell you that what you are experiencing is NOT related to massage and that you may want to contact your doctor. If you have concerns, please call! We want to help.

Well, now you’re an expert. Your next step is to pick up the phone and get in here. Massage can do wonders for your life’s outlook, and along with these simple steps, may even inspire you to care for yourself a little more – something women find to be a guilty luxury, rather than an undeniable necessity. But that is a blog entry in itself. Women are truly the caretakers of the world. But we simply cannot care for others until we feel well ourselves. I hope your experience at the Mom Spa helps inspire you to love yourself, so you can love others.

Peace until next time,

Allison
MA, LMT
The MoM Spa

Friday, July 18, 2008

The ‘Insider’s Scoop’ to Spa-ing…

Have you ever wondered what the life of a therapist is like? Do you know what the standard tipping procedure is and why? Do you even know what product your therapist is putting on your skin for a massage? How about not showing for an appointment, what does that cost the therapist and spa? A lot more goes on behind the scenes in the spa world that meets the eye. We have decided to answer your questions and more in this week’s MoM Spa blog…

Q: What is it like to be a therapist?
A: Whether you become a massage therapist, professional skin therapist, nail technician, etc., each has great flexibility and limited hours but in order to make a living during their day, she wants to be busy in a maximized way. For example, at MoM Spa, we have 2 shifts: 9am-2pm and
2 pm-7 pm. During this time, a therapist is 'on call' but doesn't have to be at the spa unless she has an appointment. We do ask that she must be able to return within the hour. Some therapists work while their children are at school. Others must provide childcare. Or even pet care if they do 2 shifts. That is why, as a client, it is respectful to call as soon as possible if you need to cancel your appointment so the therapist is not paying someone else to cover her needs. Also, last minute cancellations block both the therapist and the spa from being able to be re-booked, hence, both lose revenue. At MoM Spa, we try and accommodate late clients as best as possible and if we have time in between clients, we will honor the full hour. For perpetually late clients, this is up to the therapist to decide how much time is fair. At the end of the day, most therapists are paid a commission of the service. 30-45% is the large range that a therapist will fall into depending on the years of experience, number of clients the therapist brings to the spa, number of clients the spa provides for the therapist, number or tracked referrals, repeats and so on…Gratuities are the therapist’s bread and butter, especially cash tips.
Some salons or spas will pay the therapist hourly, provide 50% of an individual’s health insurance plan, and offer product sale incentives and so on as a bonus. Most therapists are not in the industry to make a lot of money. They are drawn to do the work they do from a deeper, more profound calling. The best ones are the ones that are passionate about their job and do not consider their work, ‘work’.

Q: Our number one question at the end of the service is 'how much is a standard tip?'
A: We are grateful for any gratuity however if you experienced a wonderful service, 15-20% is standard in the industry. This amount goes straight to the therapist and cash tips are the best tips as they go straight to the therapist at the end of the day.

Q: Why do we prefer cash and checks over credit cards?
A: Merchant service fees on average cost the spa 3% for each time a card is swiped and higher if the card is given over the phone. There are over 200 credit cards these days. The lowest % payout is for debit cards. The highest, costing the spa a 6% is American Express. We ask you save this card for when you are shopping at big businesses - if at all possible.

Q: What products does a spa use?
A: This greatly varies but you, as a consumer, have every right to know what product we are applying to your skin. That is why we ask about allergies, skin conditions, do complimentary Face Mapping (skin analysis), use high grade wax, all natural carrier oils such as Grape seed or Sweet Almond, a natural muscle cream and so on. In the long run, it costs the spa more to do this but your health and well-being are our top concerns.

Q: If I’m late do I get my entire length of treatment?
A: We book appointments 15 minutes apart. This time gives a therapist the needed time to clean the room, quickly use the restroom, grab a bite or a drink, check the client’s file and so on. This 15 minute ‘break’ normally gets reduced to about 5 in reality as many client’s arrive at the spa at the time the service is supposed to be starting. By the time they fill out paperwork, get changed into robe and slippers, etc., the service is now limited by 10-15 minutes. We always ask clients arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of time, if not earlier to avoid this delay. If a therapist is ‘back to back’ with other clients, she will try and go over 5 minutes to give you the maximum amount of time but please realize all that goes into shuffling rooms, therapists, and treatments.

Q: If I do not show for my scheduled appointment it’s not a big deal right?
A: WRONG! This causes the spa a huge loss in revenue as the therapist does not get paid, the spa does not get paid and the spa cannot re-book an appointment in time to make up for it. We realize circumstances beyond control do happen but we ask you call asap if you know you will not be able to make it.

Q: How can I maximize my spa experience?
A: The earlier part of the week tends to be less busy for most spas so you will get optimal time with your therapist. Arrive early, relax, breathe, sip herbal tea or water, read a magazine, even shower…by unwinding, getting grounded and relaxed, your body will be more responsive during your treatment. Always check out the product deals. We have a $5-10 table at MoM Spa, which is a fantastic buy for gifts or a treat for yourself. If you don’t want to spa alone, book with a friend and catch up during a nail treatment.

Q: Tell me about your nail room.

A: Our luxuriously private NATURAL nail room offers pipe-less pedicure thrones (the most hygienic technology on the market) massage chairs with chromatherapy jets (color therapy). We do not offer acrylics so you will never smell harsh chemicals or fumes. OPI and ZOYA are our 2 brands for polishes. ZOYA does not contain DBT, Formaldehyde or Toluene, all of which are known to cross the placental barrier and may be a carcinogen. What we put on our skin does affect the rest of our body so all of our nail products are very high-end.

Q: What are natural nails?
A: The main difference in this treatment is the goal of the service is to provide you will beautiful, healthy, hydrated nails. We will never all harsh chemicals to your services. We no longer cut cuticles, but instead we ‘tame them’. Massage is integrated for a therapeutic touch. Overall the service should feel more nurturing than rushed.

Q: Why are spas’s pricier than some salons?
A: The spa overhead is extremely pricey. With excellent therapists, hourly employees in the retail area, inventory, insurance, advertising, salon supplies, rent, dues, subscriptions, licenses, utilities, repairs, security, equipment, laundry, and so much more…an $80 service becomes very little after all is factored and paid out.

Q: What makes MoM Spa different?

A: We think of each client as family. We built a sacred space for women only to help women feel safe, nurtured, pampered, re-charged, relaxed and so on. We also only hire the best employees who are passionate about our mission and the work she does. We all aim to help educate and support one another. We network to refer out on services that are out of our scope of practice. We are the only ones locally who offer Fertility Massage and the Japanese Facelift Massage. We truly care and want to make a difference by giving back when and how we can. We offer a monthly free walk/run the bridge with a group called ‘MoM Strides’ (MoM Spa partnered with Stroller Strides). We are Charleston’s only day spa for all women of all ages and stages. We follow up with clients that ask us to. If we don’t know the answer, we’ll find it or find someone who does. We want to know what we can do to be the best for our clients. We are not a turn and burn spa. We welcome YOU!

Please feel free to submit more questions to add to this blog for next week: infomomspa@bellsouth.net

Check us out on the web at:
www.TheMoMSpa.com




Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Fertility Treatment Success at MoM Spa

I opened Mom Spa one year ago in honor and memory of my mom, Pati Crosby Croffead. As an Owner and certified massage therapist, our niche is that we are Charleston's only day sap for women only but also that we specialize in Fertility to Post-Natal needs. After being certified and gaining experience with pre-natal clients, I was hearing a lot of feedback about how hard it was for so many women to conceive, especially naturally. Out of the desire to find the source of these blockages, I trained with Claire Miller on Fertility Massage. Within our one year of opening, I have already had 9 successful conceptions, without medical intervention. The numbers are higher of course if a woman has undergone an IUI or IUD.


Fertility massage, which is a natural alternative to medical fertility treatments, aims to open, cleanse and balance the body in preparation for a successful conception. This kind of massage can be done on any woman, in between menstruation and ovulation, as long as she knows she is not pregnant. I've also had great success with helping clients who were not ovulating and/or menstruating.

We are bringing the mind and body back into balance so anything that could be blocking conception is removed and ovulation, menstruation and pregnancy are achieved naturally. The technique actually differs greatly from traditional massage. The therapist needs to be a certified massage therapist and must have additional extensive training. Clients are instructed to breathe deeply from the ‘hara’ or lower abdomen and to visualize the image of their child in the womb. It often is an emotional experience for both the therapist and client to see the mind begin to let go and to accept the opening of their body. I believe our work often gives a woman the power over her body again via guided support, permission to let go and to know that many women who were told they would never conceive have done so after working with this treatment and possibly a combination of acupuncture, hypnotherapy, chiropractic and other alternative forms of therapy.

Deep specific techniques are also used within each session:

· Castor oil hot packs to begin the cleansing process
· Jaw release to loosen the hip and pelvic region
· Cranial-sacral energy work for balancing support
· Reflexology or stimulation of the endocrine glands, digestive and reproductive points in both the hands and feet
· Abdominal massage to assist with the digestive process
· Pelvic friction, done over the sheet, to increase the blood flow to the spine and pelvic region
· Relaxation techniques: visualization, meditation, prayer, intention

In addition to Fertility Massage, I also recommend a healthy diet made up of whole grains, organic vegetables, fruits and meats. Even Newsweek Magazine recently brought to light how food can directly affect fertility in a cover story this past fall. Boosting the immune system with antioxidant rich foods as well as keeping the body well hydrated are just as important. We also now know the correlation with trans fats and infertility. As little as an extra 2 grams of trans fats can affect the body. We have choices to make in what we put in our bodies and educating our clients is just as important as nurturing them at MoM Spa.

Partner suggestions are also provided at the end of each session. This is a customized chart that maps out ways in which a woman, her partner and together how they may increase their odds for a successful conception.

I spend an hour in session with each client but for first time clients, we often spend 2 hours together reviewing the entire treatment prior to entering the therapy room and reviewing the chart for make sure all is clear. I even give my personal cell phone to these clients as again, it tends to be an emotional experience and if they need someone to talk to about whatever the issue may be, I will always be there for them.

For more information on the MoM Spa, please visit us: www.themomspa.com or call (843) 849-4955.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

About MoM Spa

MoM Spa is my dream conceived through a life of travel, bodywork and the birth of my two precious children. As a pre-med major, I thought my purpose in life was to join my family’s medical practice. I still remember the ‘a-ha’ moment when I realized that while I enjoy helping others feel good, medicine was not the right outlet for me. Education then became my focus and I moved to Japan to teach English for three years, while continuing to travel around this vast world.
Shortly after my return to Charleston, I was stunned by the sudden loss of my own mom. Soon thereafter, I was delighted to be introduced to the wonderful man with whom I’ve been married for five years. With immense family support, I realized I wanted to get back to bodywork in a nurturing and healing way. It wasn’t for years that I realized I was really trying to heal myself. Bodywork not only helped the healing process but it also allowed me to hear others’ stories of finding hope, success and happiness after encountering challenging times.
Fast forward to two beautiful little boys, I am one blessed woman who with a ‘tribe’ of support is able to balance the dream of having a family and to fulfill my own dream of owning a business that helps others.
Through pregnancy and childbirth I realized that Charleston was missing a special place for women where they can receive day spa treatments by professionals who are properly trained, and use only naturally holistic pregnancy-safe, products.
My chief goal however is to help one woman, who in turn, may change one family, which may assist a community and the ripple effect continues into something bigger, more beautiful than we could ever accomplish alone.


Grateful,
Christy Croffead Schachte

MoM Spa is in honor and memory of my mom, Pati Crosby Croffead, whose artistic talents, compassion to help others and zest for the extraordinary lives on…