The last week has been a roller-coaster of emotions! Joy and relief at hearing therapists can massage again and then anxiety and confusion about what steps we should be taking to keep our clients (and ourselves) as safe as possible!
Although the internet is a fabulous source of information, it can also be a mine of misinformation and incredibly stress-inducing, particularly when therapists are asking questions and lots of different answers are being given. For this (and many other) reasons, I consider myself blessed to belong to the ‘Jing family’!
I discovered Jing about four years into my career and they were a turning point in my training. Set up and run by Rachel & Megan, two of the most informed, experienced and generous therapists I’ve met, their remit has always been to ensure that massage in the UK is taught to the highest standard. Teaching with their heads, hands and hearts the Jing team make learning SO fascinating and always fun. Their thirst for knowledge continually blows me away and they’ve taught me to be a better therapist in so many ways.
During the last quite stressful week, Rachel, Meg and their team held daily webinars on how to proceed as a massage therapist post lockdown, culminating in a Webinar on Thursday which included advice from members of the GCMT (General Council of Massage Therapists) and Balens insurance. Not only that, but I’ve joined their new on-line course for on-line consultation, assessment and self-care - basically a new model for us to help people in pain during these strange times. Because of all their hard work I now feel ready to work and have prepared my home and therapy room ready for my clients’ return.
Although I’m really excited to be seeing clients again, we’ll be working in quite a different way going forward. Following the Government regulations to keep face to face time to a minimum, I’ll be doing consultations (with a Covid-19 questionnaire) and aftercare on-line via Zoom. I’d never heard of Zoom before the lockdown but, having used it for my bi-weekly workouts with Empowered Fitness as well as talking to friends and family, it just makes it so easy, not only to chat to people but also to ask clients to show me their range of movements (ROM) and for me to demonstrate exercises to them. I’d also been putting off getting a card payment terminal but I’m now the proud owner of a Square terminal, which I’m ridiculously thrilled with! So, I’ve been dragged kicking and screaming into the tech age … and I think it’s a good thing.
As for the massage itself - well, initially, we’ll be wearing a visor and a mask and limiting time for the client lying supine (on their back). We’ll also start wearing gloves but please don’t be put off. Feedback from all trials have been that you really can’t tell the difference. I think all therapists have been buying linen in by the bucket load so that we can change every piece of linen between massages as well as having a wipe down under-sheet and plastic flooring for clients to stand on.
The biggest difference for us is the post massage cleaning. Straight after the massage we’ll be cleaning all common areas (halls, stairways, banisters) as well as the massage room itself to limit any risk of the virus being spread. We’ll be washing our hands up to our elbows throughout the day as well as before and after every massage.
This obviously all takes extra time so, to allow for on-line consultations, cleaning and the massage itself, I’m limiting massages to two a day for now. I think it’s important that therapists don’t rush in but are really confident in the steps we’re taking to keep our clients and ourselves safe.
So a big welcome back to all my clients and to new clients going forward. If there’s anything you want to know about either the massages or my health and safety procedures, please don’t hesitate to contact me by phone (07791898650) or email (ali@pureblissmassage.co.uk). I’ll be very happy to help!
It’s the end of my first day back to work and I’m feeling exhausted, elated, excited and curious about finding the best ways of making this new model work!
