Our attitude to massage is wrong - we need to turn it on its head!

By Beata Aleksandrowicz

The spa industry is at a bit of a crossroads.

Almost 80 per cent of treatments are massage. Fact.

However, clients generally associate massage with a quick fix to a physical problem. It’s regarded as a treat, something we pamper ourselves with – this remains the view of spas across the globe.

This view does a disservice to massage, to massage therapists and to the potent power of touch.

I so often hear spa managers complaining that massage makes up the majority of their business. We need to turn this on its head. We should celebrate it. People want massage, they crave it, they need it – they come to spas to receive the healing power of touch.

We should look deeper at why clients love massage so much and ... capitalise on it.

We should look deeper at why clients love massage so much and at ways, not only to serve and fulfil this need, but to capitalise on it.

The power of touch is profound. It is the first and most powerful sense developed in utero and it’s the very first sense we use in life. However, because many of us have narrowed our view of massage to a simple physical fix, we have lost the understanding of how powerful and healing touch can be on both physical and emotional levels. We have a tendency separate these two levels, coming from a longestablished paradigm that body, mind and soul are separated.

We need to lose the illusion that the body is a separate machine

Touch awakens the senses using skin – the outer nervous system – as a bridge. And when we awaken the senses, we balance chemicals in the body, influencing mood and emotions. We need to lose the illusion that the body is a separate machine –body and mind are connected.

Our mental state is important for the body, the body is hugely influential on the mind and a mindful, skilled massage therapist who is present in the moment and connected to their client can offer exceptional mental and physical results with deep tissue massage.

By taking a fresh, new approach to massage I believe we can recapture the essence of this potent therapy.

Spas are in the most unique position, connecting with individuals who have a deep physical and emotional need Spas are in the most unique position; we connect with individuals who have deep physical and emotional needs. Yet we fall far short of fulfilling this and are sadly neither serving our clients nor achieving our business objectives.

We need to train our teams to the highest level, enabling them with tools for the physical rigours of massage while teaching techniques to deal with the emotional release many people feel when excellent therapy is offered.

If we adopt this new way of looking at massage, we will hopefully appreciate the profound effect a therapist can have on clients. And so understand and value them more. And realise too the need for limiting massages per day and providing adequate breaks between treatments to allow therapists to maintain the exceptional quality.

Great massage will ensure the highest return of repeat custom. It’s guaranteed.

About: Beata Aleksandrowicz is an international speaker, author, go-to spa and massage expert and founder of the world-renowned Aleksandrowicz System, formerly the Pure Massage Spa Training Method. She is a powerful advocate on educating people about the importance of touch, massage, wellbeing and spiritual growth.