Should I talk during a massage session?
Is it okay for me to talk during a massage? How can I ask my therapist to not speak? What if I want my therapist to speak?!
In this blog, we will talk about talking during a massage and cover questions relating to talking during a massage therapy session.
I recently had a fantastic massage therapist work on my back. I had needed treatment for a while so really was looking forward to a session. Whilst the massage was great, sadly the therapist would not let me relax and kept asking a million questions. I was unable to switch off and enjoy what was booked as a relaxing massage.
Some people absolutely despise silence and will do anything within their power to fill the void, and others embrace it, really enjoying their down and alone time. During a massage it isn't really as easy as saying "yes you should talk", or "no you should not", as there are so many factors involved, and sometimes a therapist needs you to talk, whilst other times you want your therapist to talk. Let's get into it.
Is it okay for me to talk as a client during a massage?
Yes. If you are the client then it is your session. So if you like to talk and find that helpful then talk away. A good therapist will read your vibe and if you are chatty, they will talk, if you start to become quiet they will only talk when necessary.
Why do some therapists talk during a session?
So talking about necessary, a massage therapist is trained to ensure that they are giving a good massage that meets your requirements.
So many people have had the issue going to a hair appointment and right at the end realising that the stylist messed up!
In massage we are trained to check the pressure is ok and comfortable, reaffirm things like where the pain is, and ultimately check that you are ok, especially if this is a sports treatment where some techniques can be rather painful at times.
The therapist needs to check you are ok and verify information so will often be checking in, and at the start, it is always great to build a rapport, not only to help ease you as a client but also to connect with you as a potential lifelong customer!
Is my therapist talking too much?
Unless it's a Sports or dry needling session where your therapist is checking pain level etc, then if you have to ask that question they probably are. In a context of a Swedish massage where there is candlelight, music and relaxing techniques are being used, it is often not required that a therapist says anything, other than the occasional checking in. But if you are talking they will usually respond. When it is is not good, is when they are leading the conversation and it is now about them!
What if I want to be quiet but they won't stop?
The easiest, and most polite way is to simply let the therapist know that you want to be quiet for a while to enjoy the massage. "OK it has been great chatting, but I am now going to close my eyes and listen to the music and enjoy the massage" is a very simple way of directing the conversation to a close and starting to embrace the massage in silence!