Western Vs. Eastern Reasoning: Client & Therapist

By Velvete Womack, PhD, LMT, CE, MI
October 11, 2017

Western Vs. Eastern Reasoning: Client & Therapist

By Velvete Womack, PhD, LMT, CE, MI
October 11, 2017

A client of mine made a trip to Thailand, he said there are three to five foot massage clinics on every corner, and sometimes right next door to one another. He also shared stories about the importance of foot massage there, and said no one fights over clients; rather the demand is so high that they refer you to the guy next door or down the street. He said all day and every day these foot massage clinics are filled to the brim.

After my client shared his experience, I began to research why bodywork in Thailand is more acceptable and a part of their daily routine, when here we struggle to educate our clients on the importance of a weekly session. The difference? Reasoning! In Thailand, bodywork is seen as a necessity to health and wellness.

Our Eastern neighbors believe in the benefits of regular massage, whether it's feet or whole body, as a form of increasing wellness, strength, and vitality. Whereas here in America, it's all about validating the reason we need a massage. We live in a society where taking care of ourselves is a luxury and is seen as selfish in some way; whereas in Thailand taking care of themselves is a responsibility and no excuses are necessary to validate how good it is to receive bodywork.

As a massage therapist for 21 years I have heard it all, "Oh, my husband won't let me get a massage unless something is wrong with me," or "I don't need a massage, there isn't anything wrong with me." And how about this — I am sure many of you have experienced this, "I have really earned this massage, give me all you've got." This mindset requires a reason to treat ourselves to feeling good, like it is evil in some way to feel good.

When we compare the West to East we see is that one mindset is preventative, and the other is restorative. Now they both have their place in our profession, but many of us struggle to get clients to understand the necessity of regular bodywork. Preventative bodywork is beneficial to the client and therapist.

The Therapist Mindset

So, let's talk about the therapist mindset for a moment. Recently I was told by another therapist, "Why would I send my clients to you? Why would they need you after I fix them?" First, I don't fix anyone. However, I do educate them in caring for themselves and I stress weekly massage.

Why do I stress weekly? I let every client know that it is easier to maintain a state of balance and well-being with regular bodywork than it is to restore well-being once imbalance has occurred. I stress to my clients that I want to get them to where they can enjoy the session and increase their parasympathetic response.

Moving the client to parasympathetic balance means they can fully relax and let go during the session, which will increase immune response, muscle recovery time, and muscle strength and clarity. I give them the reasons massage aids in creating a balanced nervous system and the importance and benefits of such.

Second, if you are wanting your client to stay "broken" in order for you to have business then you'll always have clients that are "sick and broken." This kind of mindset is unfulfilling to me and leaves me feeling drained. It is much more rewarding to me to have a client come in after working together to tell me how wonderful they are feeling and how much they were looking forward to a relaxing massage.

In another article MT published, "The Evolution of Massage: PRN Massage" I shared the importance for therapists not to get into competition mode, but rather move into competent mode. When we are competent in our skills, knowledge, and values (meaning what gifts we bring to the table), we are then better able to refer clients out to other therapists that might be more qualified in a particular technique that could help our clients to recover quickly and with greater ease.

If you are not competent with a particular dysfunction or muscle issue you could actually do more harm than good. I have never lost a client to another therapist, and I have referred out hundreds of clients when I have either felt the client needed more work, or that I couldn't get to them in their time of need.

In Thailand, bodywork is a part of their normal everyday lives. They see it as a way to prevent illness rather than waiting to treat after illness. In America, we have it backwards. We do very little to prevent illness and only wait until something manifests to do anything about it.

It is our responsibility as professionals to educate and train our clients to see bodywork as a normal part of wellness, instead of waiting until they need us. It's time for massage therapists to stick together and increase awareness and respect for massage and the gift of touch as more than just a healing modality, or as a restorative after an imbalance has manifested but rather as a supplement to wellness and balance.

It might take some time before Westerners learn it's okay to love ourselves in such a way — where guilt no longer prevents us from receiving the fullness of health, wealth, and happiness. It might take some time for therapists to know they are safe within our industry, even though it is a growing one — perhaps with new clinics "cropping up" on every block.

It is our mindset and reasoning that prevents us from birthing abundance. Therapists complain that the market is saturated and that there aren't enough bodies to go around, but the truth is there are more bodies than there are therapists, and this will always be true. Once you realize this truth you can relax in your practice and provide your services with ease, and know that your unique style is what your clients are needing, wanting, and desiring. And the only reason we need to receive a massage is that it feels good to feel good.