My massage therapist answers her cell phone during the session.

Not only is this unprofessional, it is downright rude! A massage therapist should never answer his/her cell phone during a massage, except in the case of a true emergency.  Each and every minute should be devoted to the client who is laying on the table.

My one-hour massage was only 50 minutes long.

Many massage therapists consider a one-hour professional massage to last only 50 minutes. The remaining 10 minutes being time spent by the client undressing and dressing before and after the actual massage. I suppose it is fair as long as the client is well-informed of this prior to committing to the massage at a particular price.  It is, however, something that we would never do. If the client pays for an hour-long massage, he or she will receive a full hour.

My massage therapist pushed so hard that it was painful.

There needs to be constant communication between a massage therapist and his or her client regarding how much pressure should be applied.  A massage therapist cannot apply the same pressure to a 90-year-old female that he/she applies to a 25-year-old male weightlifter.  Similarly, the client should always be compelled to communicate the appropriate pressure to the massage therapist.  We are all created differently and the right amount of pressure for one person may not be the right amount of pressure for another.  The key here really is communication.

I arrived to my massage appointment on time but my therapist made me wait half an hour.

A massage therapist should realize that the client’s time is just as valuable as the therapist’s time.  The therapist should always be ready to start the session on time.  This may mean scheduling enough time between sessions for those who arrive a bit late for their appointment.  Tourists, especially, may not be aware of the traffic conditions here in Fort Myers in season.  That being said, clients should also realize that, if they arrive extremely late, their session may need to be cut short so as not to interfere with another client’s scheduled appointment.  There needs to be a little give and take here within reason.

My massage therapist never returns my phone calls.

Part of being a good massage therapist means returning phone calls promptly.  We, like many massage therapists, don’t have a dedicated receptionist.  We must answer and return phone calls ourselves.  Since we would never answer phone calls during a session, we always schedule enough time between sessions to return calls. While not always possible, it is advisable for clients to try to schedule their appointments at least a day in advance.  It can be a bit difficult to get a same day appointment in season here in Fort Myers.

My massage therapist talked during the entire session and I couldn’t relax.

Some people come to a massage therapist as much for conversation as they do for massage. Others would prefer complete silence or simply the sound of relaxing music. It’s important for a massage therapist to know when to shut up.  Enough said!

I told my massage therapist that my calves and hamstrings hurt but she worked on my shoulders and neck the majority of the session.

It is important to listen to your client and work on the specific areas that are bothersome.  Some therapists have a routine that they follow when administering a massage and they are often reluctant to stray from that routine.  We make it a point to listen to our clients and adapt the massage to address their concerns.  Sometimes we will encourage a client to schedule a 90-minute massage, if they have time and it is not cost prohibitive, so that we can adequately address any specific issue that they are having.

My massage therapist reeks of smoke or perfume.

We don’t smoke or wear excessive perfumes or deodorants and we launder our sheets and towels in fragrance free detergents. Many customers have allergies and we respect their comfort. Our goal is to keep you as relaxed and comfortable as possible from the time you enter our facility until the time you leave.