Body Positioning During Your Massage
Your comfort, safety, and privacy are important during your massage session. Here’s what to expect for positioning your body during a table massage. Feel free to ask for adjustments at any time.
Face Down Position
- I usually position your legs so that your feet hang off the edge of the table. This allows me to work on your legs effectively and reduces strain on my back.
- This position also helps avoid foot cramping, which can occur from pointing your toes down for too long.
- If this isn’t comfortable, I can bring your legs closer together and place a bolster under your ankles for support.
- You can rest your arms comfortably on the table beside you or let them hang over the table edge. I’ll adjust them as needed to do my work.
Face Up Position
- When you’re laying face up, the legs are separated to allow effective leg work that won’t strain my back.
- Your arms can be placed beside you on the table or hanging off the side or top of the table, whichever feels more natural to you. I will reposition them as needed.
- If you feel low back pain when face up let me know and I can add a triangle bolster beneath your legs to provide some relief.
Underwear
I want you to be comfortable and have the best possible massage experience tailored to your preferences. My wide range of massage modalities allows you to choose one that feels just right for you.
Some massage modalities like Lomilomi, and Esalen are incompatible with traditional underwear. These styles of massage require unrestricted access to the full body.
If it’s necessary to wear underwear when requesting these modalities, such as during your period, a G-string with thin straps is workable. It needs to provide maximum access to the glutes with thin straps at the hips that I can glide over. Be aware that the underwear will get soaked in oil.
Some modalities can be adapted to a client wearing underwear like Swedish massage. If you’re not comfortable with removing your underwear for massage, I offer effective fully clothed alternatives like Thai massage, stretching, myofascial unwinding, sports massage, and chair massage.
Your concerns and questions are always welcome. If you have any questions or concerns about underwear preferences, and the various bodywork styles I offer please feel free to discuss them with me so we can tailor your massage experience to your comfort level.
Draping
In massage therapy, “draping” is the technique of covering a client’s body during a massage session. I use sheets, towels, sarongs, and pillowcases for draping. I use draping to ensure your privacy by covering private areas and genitals are always draped. Draping can also provide warmth and comfort.
Draping Waiver – Female clients have the option to be treated as men and waive the use of the breast drape by completing a consent form.
The edge of the drape does not define the physical boundary of my touch. My touch will go beneath the draping to the boundary level we agree upon. This allows me to ensure your privacy while still providing an effective massage.
Conservative Option – If you want more conservative work request “Envy Style” and only a portion of the body will be undraped at one time. This will eliminate many of the best techniques especially underbody and longflow moves, but it’s available if you prefer.
When long flow techniques are a part of your session then minimal draping is required and most of your body is exposed throughout the session. Because of the increased exposure I warm the room to your comfort level, use heated oil, and heat the table. If you want a cooler room or a fan just let me know.
Touch Boundaries
As a massage therapist since 2012, I’ve worked with thousands of clients. I assure you that there’s no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed about your body and any discussions we have are completely confidential. I want you to be comfortable throughout the process and that begins with good communication and shared expectations.
Before our first session, we’ll have a detailed discussion about your health issues and also your choice of boundaries. This conversation is a standard part of my practice and is aimed at ensuring a professional and therapeutic environment. During this discussion, we will establish your preferred boundaries to create a comfortable and respectful atmosphere for the massage.
I understand that everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to physical boundaries, so I offer a variety of options to accommodate this. Specifically, clients can set their boundaries in three key areas: the glutes, chest, and pelvic regions. To simplify, I’ve categorized these into three levels – 0, 1, and 2. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Level 0: This is the least conservative option. It allows for more comprehensive bodywork, suitable for those who are comfortable with broader physical contact.
- Level 1: This is a moderate option, balancing between extensive and limited touch.
- Level 2: This is a more conservative choice. It includes more restrictions on the extent of touch, and eliminates certain body positions.
By offering these levels, clients can choose the one that best matches their personal comfort and boundaries.
Note: The draped area often covers more of the body than the touch boundaries, therefore, my touch will extend beneath the draping to provide an effective massage within the boundaries we agree upon.
Your comfort and informed consent are of the utmost importance. Please feel free to ask any questions or seek clarification during our pre-session discussion, or at any time during the session. You have the final say in establishing your preferred boundaries, and I am here to ensure that your massage experience is both professional and respectful.
Face Down (Prone)
When you’re lying face down during the massage, the main area of concern is the butt crack also known as the intergluteal cleft.
Level 0 - Glutes
At Glutes Level 0, I massage the entire hip and buttocks/glutes area, including the muscles and skin around them. I don’t massage inside the intergluteal cleft (the area that separates the buttocks), but I do work right up to the edges of this cleft, and the valley area leading to the crack. Touch may span across the crack without going in it.
Level 1 - Glutes
Glutes Level 1 is a bit more cautious than Level 0. I still massage the entire hip and buttocks/glutes area, but I avoid any touch that spans across the cleft.
Level 2 - Glutes
Glutes Level 2 is a more conservative option I offer for gluteal massage. In this level, I reduce the area of touch even further, avoiding the region within about 1 inch of the intergluteal cleft.
Face Up (Supine)
When you’re lying face up during the massage, the main boundary areas to consider are the genitals and the areola and nipples of the breast.
Breast Massage
I want you to know that I don’t offer breast massage. Instead, I focus on working the muscles located beneath breast tissue. This includes muscles like those near the sternum and collarbone, as well as muscles between the ribs and on the side of your chest. (specifically subclavius, pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, intercostals, serratus anterior, and external obliques). The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork defines breast massage as working on the soft, non-muscular parts of the breast, including the areola and nipple. While breast massage can be beneficial, it’s not a service that I provide.
Now, let’s talk about the different levels of chest massage I offer.
Level 0 - Chest
At Chest Level 0, I massage the entire chest area, focusing on the underlying muscles but I avoid touching the areolas and nipples.
Level 1 - Chest
Chest Level 1 is a bit more cautious than Level 0. I restrict work down the center of the chest to a palm’s breadth on either side of the breastbone (sternum). The massage also extends to a palm’s width below the collarbones and covers the area of the serratus anterior muscles (located on the side of your chest). If needed, I can work beneath a chest drape for your comfort.
Level 2 - Chest
Chest Level 2 is more conservative. Here, the massage area is limited to a single palm’s width down the center of the sternum, a palm’s width below the collarbones, and up to the line where the underside of the breast meets the chest (the inframammary fold). If a chest drape is used during the massage, my touch will stay above the drape.
Pelvic Region
In professional massage, your privacy and respect are always a priority. Specifically, the private areas in the pelvic region are always covered and never exposed. Additionally, there’s a strict rule: no touching of the private parts at any time during the massage. This ensures your comfort and maintains professional standards.
Level 0 - Pelvic
At Pelvic Level 0, I provide a comprehensive massage of the front part of the pelvic area. This includes working up to the pubic symphysis (under the pubic mound), avoiding the genitals. I also address the inguinal fold area (where the leg meets the pelvis) and the inner thigh muscles (adductor muscles) up to where they attach to the pubic bone, all while carefully avoiding the genitals. To access the inner leg, I may use positions like the ‘figure 4’ or ‘frog.’
Level 1 - Pelvic
Pelvic Level 1 is a bit more cautious than Level 0. While I still work on the inguinal fold and may use positions like the ‘figure 4,’ I avoid massaging the area within about an inch of the pubic region and stay approximately an inch above the pubic symphysis. In this level, I use my forearm and elbow instead of an open hand to massage the adductor muscles of the inner leg.
Level 2 - Pelvic
Pelvic Level 2 is a more conservative level I offer. It shares the same approach as Level 1, but I don’t use the ‘figure 4’ or ‘frog’ positions. The focus is on avoiding more sensitive areas.
Good Communication is Key
Clear and honest communication is key to our sessions. It’s important for you to feel comfortable and be open with me about your preferences. Your comfort level may change from one visit to the next, and that’s perfectly okay. If at any point you feel uneasy, please let me know immediately, and we can adjust. You can also change your boundary preferences during the session—just inform me, and I’ll make sure to respect your wishes.
I offer a Level 0 boundary option, which I believe is the most comprehensive bodywork a professional massage therapist can provide in California. Typically, clients who choose this level are very comfortable with their bodies, have a lot of experience with massages, or have been my long-term clients. You’re welcome to choose this level, but I generally suggest starting at Level 2 and only moving to a more open level if you feel ready. The choice is entirely up to you.
It’s important that you feel comfortable with the bodywork I offer. If you’re seeking a more conservative approach than my Level 2, let me know what your concerns are, and I will consider if I can accommodate them or decide the restrictions are too limiting for effective bodywork.