Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2025

confusion over roles or what the client might experience during massage. This may be especially true for military personnel because they are used to following orders, no matter how uncomfortable they may feel. Following is an example of how you might approach intake with a client who has experienced trauma: Massage therapist : “What brings you in for massage therapy today?” (Open question) Client : “I don’t know.” Massage therapist : “Did someone suggest that you have a massage or did you decide to make the appointment yourself?” (Clarification) Client : “The nurse at the base hospital told me it would help me relax.” Massage therapist : “So you have some difficulty relaxing?” (Paraphrasing) Client (hands jammed under thighs, eyes darting, appears to be holding her breath): “Yeah.” Massage therapist : “Have you ever experienced a massage before?” (Closed question) Client (Nervously licking her lip and smoothing her hair): “No.” Massage therapist : “Are you having difficulty relaxing right now?” (Closed question) Client : “Um, yeah. Sort of.” Massage therapist : “OK, let me get this straight. You are a soldier. The base hospital nurse suggested that you receive a massage because you have difficulty relaxing. You have never experienced a massage before, and right now you feel nervous. Have I got that right?” (Perception-checking) Client : “Yeah. That’s about it.” Massage therapist : “Well, before we go any further, let me tell you a bit about how I work. Then, if you still want to go ahead with the massage, you can decide that then. Would that work for you?” (Reassurance, clarification of procedure, and check in to see if client is comfortable with what has been shared) Client (visibly relaxing): “Great. I would appreciate that.” Massage therapist : “First of all, it is important for you to know that I will not touch you or massage you until you feel comfortable and ready. In this room, you call the shots. I will offer options, and you can choose to proceed, change the way we work, or stop completely.” (Reassurance and clarification of framework)

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