When a Student Gives a Professional a Massage
Practice hours are, understandably, a large part of your schooling. We have already discussed getting over the awkward phase of working on your classmates. The 30 hours of practice you will do on your friends and family. Now we have worked our way up the food chain ;-) to the professionals. As part of the program at the Adrian School of massage you be giving 6 hours per trimester of massage on professionals. These are either your instructors, or those that have passed through the halls before us and graduated from ASM.
Does the thought of putting your new found skills to work on the body of practicing professionals make the butterflies in your belly dance? Or is it just me? I mean, we have learned I'm an anxious person with a touch of perfectionism. If that is even a word. SO before setting up these meetings you better believe I formulated a mental check list.
#1 What is Expected?
There are paper your professional will be filling out for you after their massage that will be handed in. This is kind of a test! These are the people who know what they are looking for and can give you really great feed back on what you are doing well with and recommendations on what you could spend more time working on. Each paper asks the professional: Did the student...Dress, act and portray themselves professionally? Arrive on time? Provide a full hour massage? Use techniques you believe to be appropriate for where they are in the program? It also asks what some of the students strengths and weaknesses are. These answers are a great way to find out specific areas you should get some more practice in on your 30 friends in family in the first trimester.
#2 Review your techniques
You know who the best person to 'mess up' on is....the professionals. TRUST ME I didn't see it this way. You want to do your best on your teachers and show them what you are getting out of this right. BUT this IS school. It's a learning process and how do you often learn? From your mistakes. Of your 30 friends and family there is a section for feedback but #1 they aren't therapists, they don't know what they are looking for. As long as nothing goes horribly wrong they are going to be happy with it. Who DOESN'T love a massage. #2 Even if there was something maybe they wish you would have done differently, chances are they might not feel comfortable telling you because they don't want to hurt your feelings. They are your friends and family and they want to love and support you.
So if there is something you aren't feeling super confident about, make sure you try it at least once during your work on the professional
#3 Communication
This is important as a therapist with any client! Above and beyond the usual conversation you would have with a client before a massage, I have asked if they are comfortable with me asking massage related questions during their massage or if they would perhaps, have time after their massage. What a wonderful opportunity to pick the brains of those who have more experience! For most of mine they answered they were happy to answer any questions I had as we went through the massage. Others just enjoyed the opportunity to relax and we had a chance to talk briefly after. Both are perfectly fine but it best to have that conversation before you begin or your review for may say they weren't able to relax because you talked the whole time ;-)
Does the thought of putting your new found skills to work on the body of practicing professionals make the butterflies in your belly dance? Or is it just me? I mean, we have learned I'm an anxious person with a touch of perfectionism. If that is even a word. SO before setting up these meetings you better believe I formulated a mental check list.
#1 What is Expected?
There are paper your professional will be filling out for you after their massage that will be handed in. This is kind of a test! These are the people who know what they are looking for and can give you really great feed back on what you are doing well with and recommendations on what you could spend more time working on. Each paper asks the professional: Did the student...Dress, act and portray themselves professionally? Arrive on time? Provide a full hour massage? Use techniques you believe to be appropriate for where they are in the program? It also asks what some of the students strengths and weaknesses are. These answers are a great way to find out specific areas you should get some more practice in on your 30 friends in family in the first trimester.
#2 Review your techniques
You know who the best person to 'mess up' on is....the professionals. TRUST ME I didn't see it this way. You want to do your best on your teachers and show them what you are getting out of this right. BUT this IS school. It's a learning process and how do you often learn? From your mistakes. Of your 30 friends and family there is a section for feedback but #1 they aren't therapists, they don't know what they are looking for. As long as nothing goes horribly wrong they are going to be happy with it. Who DOESN'T love a massage. #2 Even if there was something maybe they wish you would have done differently, chances are they might not feel comfortable telling you because they don't want to hurt your feelings. They are your friends and family and they want to love and support you.
So if there is something you aren't feeling super confident about, make sure you try it at least once during your work on the professional
#3 Communication
This is important as a therapist with any client! Above and beyond the usual conversation you would have with a client before a massage, I have asked if they are comfortable with me asking massage related questions during their massage or if they would perhaps, have time after their massage. What a wonderful opportunity to pick the brains of those who have more experience! For most of mine they answered they were happy to answer any questions I had as we went through the massage. Others just enjoyed the opportunity to relax and we had a chance to talk briefly after. Both are perfectly fine but it best to have that conversation before you begin or your review for may say they weren't able to relax because you talked the whole time ;-)
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