Rest, Relief, and Rejuvenation: A Talk with Massage Therapist Britni

Personal & Background

1. What inspired you to become a massage therapist?   

   - I always knew I wanted to help people but didn't like bodily fluids and didn't have a lot of free time or money to dedicate to college. So I looked into massage therapy school and realized that it was what I wanted to do and have been in love with it ever since.

2. How long have you been practicing massage therapy?

   - I have been practicing for 6 years almost 7.

3. What kind of training or certifications do you have? -

   - I got my MTL through intellitec college, I am also certified in AIS stretching, I'm a certified personal trainer and I'm going to thailand in october to learn Thai massage.

4. What do you love most about your job? 

   - I love knowing that I've helped someone feel better

5. What's one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

   - I'm not sure.. maybe the fact that I'm a single mom or I'm really good at decorating cakes lol.

Professional Philosophy & Style

6. How would you describe your massage style or technique?

   - I would say my massage leans more towards sport massage but I take a bunch of different styles and use what I think works the best or feels the best and I continue to add and adjust things as I learn new skills and techniques but I rarely stick to one style of massage.

7. Do you have a favorite type of massage to give (e.g., Swedish, deep tissue, sports)?

   - I love a lot of different styles, I think stretching is the most beneficial because there are so many things that we can't stretch ourselves. 

8. What do you think makes a massage truly effective?

   - I think being able to fully relax and give up control to the therapist makes the massage more effective. I think massage can help in many ways but I truly believe it's a joint effort between client and therapist. The more a client can relax and communicate what they are experiencing during the massage the more the therapist can feel and understand what the client needs.

9. How do you tailor each session to individual clients?

   -I really try to listen to what the client needs. If they come in complaining of back pain I will ask them if they feel it more when sitting, standing, walking, or bending over and depending on their answers I will focus on certain muscles more than others. I also ask them what the pain feels like. If it is more of a stabbing pain, a dull ache or a burning sensation, I will change the technique depending on their answer. 

10. What’s one piece of advice you give most often to clients?

    -Drink a lot of water!! Stay active outside of work. stretching is your friend. I also recommend physical therapy to a lot of my clients. 

Client Experience & Tips

11. What should someone expect during their first massage session with you?

    - I'm very good at creating a comfortable environment for my clients. If they want to talk during their massage I'll talk with them, if they don't want to talk I stay quiet and let them enjoy the massage. I make sure the table is comfortable and I do my best to make sure they feel they are in a safe space.  I would say 60-70% of my clients fall asleep during my massage.  They always leave feeling relaxed and happy. A lot of them say they feel like they are floating when they leave.

12. What’s one thing clients can do to get the most benefit from their massage? 

    - Make sure they keep themselves hydrated before and after massage. Learning to meditate can help a person relax during a massage. Also communicating when something doesn't feel good or if they need me to adjust something during the massage. Also massage is rarely a fast fix; it usually takes several sessions to get lasting results. 

13. Can you share a memorable success story from your work?

    - I've had a lot of clients tell me I've helped them but recently I had a client who has been suffering with back pain for 10 years and he said he has tried everything: massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and no one has been able to get rid of it. After his third time seeing me he said it was gone.   

14. How do you help nervous or first-time clients feel comfortable?

    - I try to make sure they understand that they are allowed to tell me if something doesn't feel right and that they can end the massage at any time and that their modesty is important to me and that all I want is for them to be comfortable.  

15. What do you recommend clients do after a massage to enhance the results?

    - Drink lots of water!!!! lol.  Also light exercise, like a walk or a swim and to try and not sit for long periods of time. Schedule another massage. I like to compare massage to physical therapy; physical therapy trains your muscles to do what they are supposed to do and massage therapy convinces them to stop doing what they're not supposed to do. Both things take time because muscles can be stubborn.