I worked on two older ladies today. After working on the first, and then talking to the second, I can relay a funny incident that happened that I was unaware of.
One of the ladies had heard my name somewhere, but couldn’t remember who she had heard it from. The other came along with the first one because she was told I was good, and that I do Reiki.
At any rate, the one who had set up both appointments showed up first. We talked for a few moment, and then I asked her to get undressed and get on the table. She said that she would keep her underwear on. I asked her to remove her bra so I could work on her back without problems. (If someone leaves their bra on, I have to unhook it to be able to work the back.)
After I had written up my soap notes, I came back into the room, adjusted the drape, put a bolster under her ankles, turned down the lights, and then proceeded to get ready. I picked up my massage belt (also known as an oil caddy) and put it on. She heard the belt clip snap and looked up. She asked “What’s that?” I replied that it was my oil belt, and showed her as I placed the bottle of oil into it. She replied “oh” and put her head back into the face cradle.
Now, during this couple of minutes, I hadn’t felt anything unusual. All too often, if the client is nervous, I pick it up right away. But I had felt nothing and didn’t think anything of it. It fazed me as nothing more than an innocent question.
When I was done, this lady went out in the waiting room and talked with her friend while I changed over the room so I could do the next session. It was here that certain information was relayed.
It wasn’t until I was working in the second lady, that I was told why the question was asked. Apparently, my first client was a little uneasy as this was a new therapist for her, and I was male (something I’m not planning on changing). As the second one told me that when they travel, they have to be very careful to find a reputable establishment, and that usually means locating a female therapist.
With all this in the background going through her mind, my first client was a bit uneasy. When she heard the noise, and looked up and saw me doing something with my ‘belt’, she became concerned. As I was told, once I had explained what it was I was doing and how it worked, my client apparently felt really silly for asking the question.
Well, she said she liked the massage and would be back. I hope she is. At least next time, she’ll know what to expect and won’t be so apprehensive.