I want you to know something you don’t hear often these days. I am very grateful that you chose me as your Licensed Massage Therapist. To put it quite frankly, it’s an honor that you chose me! You see, massage therapy has undergone immense changes in just a few short years. The popularity of massage has skyrocketed. More and more people are turning to natural health care, and as a result the quality of care has decreased to the point that you’re just another number on the table.

I made a vow to myself that I was not going to let that happen in my practice. I became a massage therapist because I care, love, and want to help each and every one of my clients achieve long-term wellness in mind, body, and spirit.

Here is what this means for you. I encourage you to share ANYTHING with me, and know that it’ll be held private. I also encourage any health-related questions. If I don’t know the answer, I will try to find the correct answer for you, or guide you towards the correct answer. I am concerned about the WHOLE YOU!

Also, when you refer a friend, co-worker, or loved one to me, I am going to treat them with the same care, love, and willingness to help with which I am helping you. It might sound a little strange, but I consider my clients a part of my extended family.

I pride myself in having satisfied clients. My clients are extremely happy with how much massage therapy has helped them. Some clients first came to me thinking massage therapy was a luxury –
something you get just to feel good – but now they all see it as a necessity, to help reduce their chronic pain and “issues with their tissues.”

Again, let me say how glad I am that you chose me as your Licensed Massage Therapist, over everyone else.

Welcome to the family!

Where Will My Massage Take Place? Your massage will take place in a warm, comfortable, quiet room. Soft music will be played to help you relax.

Who Will Perform The Massage? Your session will be conducted by Dana Brandt-Tinker who is a Licensed Massage Therapist and owner of Nourishing Massage. She is licensed by the State of Ohio Medical Board and received training in a variety of massage techniques. 

Must I Completely Undress? Most massage techniques are traditionally performed with the client unclothed; however, you may decide what amount of clothing you prefer to wear for your own comfort. You will be properly draped during the session.

Will The Practitioner Be Present When I Disrobe? The practitioner will leave the room while you undress, relax onto the table, and cover yourself with a clean sheet and blanket.

Will I Be Covered During The Session? You will be properly draped at all times to keep you warm and comfortable. Only the area being worked on will be exposed.

What Parts Of My Body Will Be Massaged? Upon arrival, Dana will discuss with you your desired outcome for your scheduled session. This will determine which parts of your body will be massaged. A typical full-body session will include work on your back, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck, and shoulders. You will not be touched on or near your genitals (male or female) or breasts (female).

Will Lubricant Be Used? Fractionated Coconut Oil will be used during your massage to allow your muscles to be worked on more deeply without causing excessive friction to the skin. In certain instances, Dana may ask your permission to use certain essential oils during your massage to help enhance the benefits of your massage. 

What Will My Massage Feel Like? It depends on the techniques used. In a general Swedish massage, your session may start with broad, flowing strokes that will help to calm your nervous system and ease exterior muscle tension. As your body unwinds, the pressure will gradually be increased to relax and relieve specific areas of muscular tension. You should communicate with your practitioner immediately if you feel any discomfort above a 7/10 so that another approach may be taken. Massage is most effective when your body is not resisting.

Are There Different Kinds Of Massage? There are numerous different types of massage. Various techniques utilize different strokes, including basic rubbing strokes, rocking movement, posture and movement reeducation, application of pressure to specific points, and more. Feel free to ask Dana what she specializes in.

How Long Will The Session Last? The average full-body massage lasts approximately one hour. A half-hour appointment only allows time for a partial massage session, for instance, the neck and shoulders, back, or legs and feet. Many people prefer a 60 to 90-minute session for optimal relaxation and therapeutic benefits. Always allow relaxation time prior to and after the session. Scheduling a 20-minute Joovv Red light Therapy Session after your massage will help your muscles recover more quickly.

What Should I Do During The Massage? Make yourself comfortable and concentrate on your breath. Dana will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your arm). Many people just close their eyes and completely relax. Others like to talk during their session. Feel free to ask Dana any questions you may have about the massage you are receiving.

What Happens If I Have An Emotional Release While On The Table? Emotional releases such as crying, anger, anxiety, and anger are completely normal to experience during a massage especially if you tend to keep your feelings inside. If you’re feeling any of these please know that you are in a safe place and please be open with Dana if you feel that you need a break. She is here to help you.

How Will I Feel After The Massage? Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains developed from tension or repetitive activity. After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity, which can last for days. Since lactic acid is released from your soft tissues during a massage, it is recommended you drink plenty of water afterward.

What Are The Benefits Of A Massage? Massage can help release chronic muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture, and reduce blood pressure. Massage and bodywork are also known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, reduce anxiety, and create an overall sense of well-being

Are There Any Medical Conditions That Would Make Massage Inadvisable? Yes. That’s why it’s imperative that before you begin your session, you answer the questions on the Client Intake Form thoroughly and honestly so Dana can determine if the massage is right for you. It is very important that you inform Dana of any health problems or medications you are taking. If you are under a doctor’s care, it is strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for massage prior to any session.

Be aware.  If this is your first massage, please be aware that you’re going to feel spaced-out after your session for about 20-30 minutes. This is normal, as the feel-good chemical (dopamine) is released in your brain.  No matter if you receive a 30, 60, or 90-minute session, please take your time getting off the table as you may feel dizzy.  If I were you, I would lay there for 2-3 minutes after I leave the room and take some nice, deep, cleansing breaths, because your diaphragm is the greatest lymphatic pump there is.  Those nice, deep, cleansing breaths will help to get things moving.  Then slowly get off the table and get dressed.  

Schedule your next appointment.  Please be prepared to sit down with me for 5-10 minutes after your massage to checkout and go over a treatment plan tailored to fit your needs.  This is important because your body may not be “healed” in one session. Massage is a cumulative effect and thus requires a regular regimen to achieve long-term wellness.  If you feel 10% better after your first session with me, then we are on the right path.  During this time, I would like you to just sit and relax, and sip on some water.

Hydrate yourself.  If I were you, I would take your body weight and divide it by two: that equals how many ounces of WATER you should be drinking for the next 24-72 hours after your session.  Please avoid excess coffee, tea, soda, alcohol and other toxins for this time period, so you are not overloading your Lymphatic System while it is working to remove the “toxins”.  Massage is like passive exercise, so “toxins” (mainly lactic acid) are released from your muscles into your bloodstream.  Too much lactic acid build-up in your bloodstream can cause flu-like symptoms, especially nausea, so it is very important to hydrate yourself.  

Rest.  Don’t plan on doing any heavy exercise or out of the ordinary tasks for the remainder of the day if you can.  I would highly recommend taking a nap, because your body is going to be in a state of change for the next 24-72 hours, and it does a wonderful job healing when it is at rest.  

Apply Moist Heat.  It is common after a Deep Tissue or Therapeutic Massage to experience increased pain, tenderness, or even slight bruising after the session for the first 24-48 hours, depending on what techniques were used to loosen the tissue and where it is located on your body. You might even be swearing at me and calling me unkind names, but after that pain subsides, you will more than likely be calling me wonderful names.  What I love doing after a massage is to soak in a hot tub of water with Epsom Salts.  Epsom Salts contain magnesium, which your muscles love magnesium, and it’s absorbed through your skin straight into your bloodstream.  Plus, the hot water will help keep those tissues loose and limber.  Please remember to drink WATER during this period, because with the increased heat from the water those “toxins” will be moving throughout your body at a faster rate.  

Stretch.  Depending on what type of massage you receive I may show you stretches that I do on a daily basis to encourage those muscles to retain their new resting length.  Please note that I cannot prescribe you specific stretches, because it is out of my scope of practice, but I will be more than happy to show you what I do.  

Contact me.  If the pain that you experience after your massage reaches above a 7 out of 10, please call me at (216) 513-8464 or email me at nourishingmassage@gmail.com.  I’m here for support if you need me.  

What exactly is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? The IRS defines an HSA as, “A tax-exempt trust or custodial account you set up with a qualified HSA trustee to pay or reimburse certain medical expenses you incur.” In simpler terms, an HSA is like a personal savings account, but the money in them is used to pay for health care expenses.

HSA funds continue to roll over year by year and grow, and you own them when you leave your employer. At the age of 65, consumers can withdraw the money for any expense (but pay income tax on non-health expenses).

HSA Advantages There are many advantages to an HSA, one, you are not taxed on the money deposited into your account (so you end up paying less income tax every year). Additionally, in most states, your HSA earns interest tax-free.

Qualification To qualify for an HSA, you must be covered under a high-deductible health plan (with no other health coverage), you must not be enrolled in Medicare, and you cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return for 2021.

A high deductible health plan has a higher annual deductible than typical health plans and has a maximum limit on the sum of the annual deductible and out-of-pocket medical expenses that you must pay for covered expenses. Once you have determined that you are eligible, the maximum contribution for 2021 is $3,600.

HSA for Massage Therapy If you have a client who has a Health Savings Account, they can use the funds from that account to pay for a massage, but there is a catch. The massage can only be paid for using an HSA if the treatment was recommended by a physician to treat a specific injury or to prevent physical or mental ailment.

Here are some examples: back pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hypertension, stress, anxiety, depression, and more. Make sure you keep a copy of the physician’s recommendation in writing.

So, be sure to educate your clients. If you know they have an HSA and you are treating them for a physician-recommended treatment, then have them provide a prescription in writing for your records. This will also allow them to pay using their HSA.

Note In the state of Ohio, Massage Therapists are required to collect sales tax on all massage services rendered. Sales Tax rates vary inside each county and are based on where the service was performed.

In order to save money on your massage services and have them claimed as medical expenses, or if you would like to use your Health Savings Account (HSA), or your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to be reimbursed for your massages, please bring a written prescription from an MD, DO, Chiropractor or Dentist.  It should not have a set number of visits and can simply state, “Recommended for massage.” Or print off this one-page referral form for your doctor to sign.  If you plan on using your FSA as payment towards your massage sessions, you might need a diagnosis code on the prescription so I can add it to your receipt. Prescriptions are good for one year from the date they are signed.

The new policies and procedures have been put in place to help protect you, my other clients, and myself. They are non-negotiable.

New hours will be as follows: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 2:00 PM – 6:30 PM. I will only be taking 2 clients per day, and only 8 clients per week.

Before Your Scheduled Appointment

If you’re a new client or if I have not seen you within a 6 month period, you can now complete your Client Intake Form online. You also have the option to print it off, fill it out,  and bring the completed form with you to your scheduled appointment. The links to complete your Client Intake Form can be found in your appointment confirmation email.

Before your scheduled session please read the questions below. If you answer YES to any of the questions please reschedule your appointment.

1. Have you had a fever in the last 72 hours of 100°F or above?
2. Do you currently or have you recently had any fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle or body aches, fatigue, headache, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea within the past 72 hours?
3. Within the last 14-21 days, have you experienced a decrease in the amount of activity you can tolerate, including, but not limited to: needing to stop more frequently during walks/runs, becoming out of breathe sooner, experiencing heart palpitations or chest discomfort, experiencing chest pain, and/ or increased fatigue with usual level of activity?
4. Have you been in contact with anyone in the last 14 days who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or has coronavirus-type symptoms? 
5. Are you isolating or quarantining because you think you may have COVID-19 or are you concerned that you may be sick with COVID-19?
6. Are you currently awaiting the results of a COVID-19?
7. Have you traveled anywhere outside of Ohio within the past 14-21 days?

If you are experiencing a fever of 100°F or above, please wait 30 days after your fever is normal without the use of medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), or Ibuprofen to reschedule your appointment.

If you have been in contact with anyone in the last 14 days who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms, please wait 30 days after they are symptom-free before rescheduling your appointment. 

If you need to reschedule please give 24-hour notice.

Arrival For Your Scheduled Appointment

Masks are required for the duration of your scheduled appointment. Masks must tightly cover your nose and mouth. NO EXCEPTIONS! If you do not have one, I will provide one for you. When you are face down, you will have the option to remove the mask and place it in a bin, because a pillowcase will surround the face cradle to catch any airborne particulates. I will be wearing a mask too.

If the weather is nice outside I will greet you outside. At this time we will talk and I will take your temperature, and your O2 levels will be checked by a fingertip pulse oximeter. If your temperature is above 99.5 or your O2 levels are below 94%, you will be asked to reschedule (normal is 94-100%). Low oxygen levels can be an early sign that something is off, not just with COVID. Many people who are asymptomatic ARE having changes in their body but they don’t show up in perceptual ways.  There is strong evidence that people with COVID develop blood clots that then cause other problems such as stroke, pulmonary embolism, or heart attack.  Better to be safe than sorry.

Shoes are to be removed at the door. There will be a bin with a lid at the door for you to place your shoes and any personal belongings like keys, purses or coats in.

Hand sanitizer will be provided upstairs for you to use after the removal of your shoes.

Place all clothing and any other personal items in the bin that is located in the massage room bathroom. 

No cell phones are permitted with you while you are receiving your massage.  Please place cellphones in the bin with your clothes and other personal belongings.

Please wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds before getting onto the massage table. A clean hand towel will be provided for each client.

I will not be performing any face massages until further notice.

If you would like me to wear gloves during your massage, please inform me and I will do so. 

After Your Scheduled Session

Please remain in the room after your massage. Checkout and scheduling your next appointment will take place in the room. You are still able to schedule your next appointment online if you prefer to do so.

After your massage, I will leave the room and allow you to get dressed. I will lock you inside of the room to make sure a cat does not enter.

After getting dressed, please wash your hands again with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

After you are dressed, slide the laminated green card under the door to notify me that you are ready for me to come in.

If you are paying by credit card I am able to keep your credit card on file through Square to make checkout faster.

As much as I would love to sit and talk with you after your massage, I need this time to disinfect and prepare the room for the next client. If there is something that you would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email, phone or text after your scheduled session.

For Your Added Protection

There are three HEPA Air Purifiers throughout the house along with a .5 Micron air filter in our furnace. One HEPA air purifier is located at the entrance. One is located in the basement, and one is located in the massage room. The HEPA air purifiers will be running.

A silicone face cradle cover has been added over the face cradle to make disinfecting easier and prevent pathogens on the leather since leather is permeable. 

A fitted non-permeable cover has been added to cover the heated table warmer to make disinfecting easier and prevent pathogens from lingering in the fabric.

I will be wearing a clean apron for each client.

Gloves will be worn while removing soiled linen. I have also extended the time in between each client to allow sufficient time for me to disinfect doorknobs, handrails, soap and hand sanitizer dispensers, light switches, countertops, shoe and clothing bins, and the massage table.

This should go without saying, but new linens will be provided for each client.

COVID-19 Exposure

Be aware that if my husband or I start developing COVID-19 symptoms or either one of us test positive, I will have to close at a moment’s notice and quarantine for at least 2 weeks. That means all clients in the next 2 weeks (at least) would be canceled, and all clients who have been in the office in the past week would get a phone call from me to be informed.

If you develop any symptoms test positive and have been in my office in the past week or two, please notify me as soon as possible. This is VERY IMPORTANT to help stop the spread.

Final Note

These policies and procedures are not ideal, and they will not be forever.  The more we do today to limit the spread, the sooner we can actually get back to “normal”. 

Thank you for your continued support during this time.

Short answer: Yes, please.

Long Answer: Yes, please.

Massage is great. You know this. But it’s not always a great idea!

As cold and flu season approaches again, it’s important that you know when it may be necessary to cancel your appointment.

Why? 

When you are sick, your body needs rest. It’s strange to think about it this way, but receiving massage is an active task, it is not entirely rest. Massage causes change in the body, and your body has to work to maintain stability. Getting a massage when you are sick takes attention away from infection-fighting. That’s no good.

You’re not going to be cozy on the massage table.  Sure, it sounds like a warm squishy massage table would be great. But the moment you put your already-stuffy head into that face cradle, you’ll realize the error of your ways. Gravity and pressure are not your friend here. Even if I do a great face massage to drain your sinuses, you’ll likely feel worse when you get off the table.

You could get me sick. Since most of the common winter viruses are contagious even before symptoms show up, I could pass the cooties along to more clients before I even know it’s happening.

Further, when I get sick, I have to cancel clients and take a few days off work. I work for myself, with no paid sick days to compensate for lost wages. Sure, as a responsible business owner I have a fund for these situations. But I would rather use that fund to go towards a vacation or to go towards Nourishing Massage. So I’m gonna try to stay germ-free this winter.

So it’s a deal! You’ll cancel so as not to infect me and I’ll do the same for you. We’ll keep each other safe during this cold and flu season.

When To Cancel

1. If you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea in the past 24 hours, or are still feeling funky from a recent bout of such things.
2. If you’ve had a fever in the past 24 hours, or fever-related symptoms. This includes chills, aches, and fatigue. Even if you’re keeping the fever down with medicine, you’re still sick.
3. If you are itchy, runny, and/or sneezy, and you’re not 100% certain it’s seasonal allergies. And even then, allergies may leave you so miserable that the hour on my table would be wasted time and money for you.
4. If you are coughing constantly, or just a lot.
5. If someone in your household is ill and you are feeling at all funky, please cancel.

There is often some gray area here, especially if you are in the recovery phase of a virus or bacterial infection.  If you’re unsure about your situation, please call me before your appointment and we can make a decision together.

Yours in health,
Dana Brandt-Tinker