Longboat Massage Policies

Appointments

Cancellation Policy
Our time together is important. Unless there is an emergency, it is requested that you cancel your appointment 24 hours in advance or pay the missed appointment fee in full. Call and leave a message on the answering machine to cancel appointments or change scheduling.
Clients who fail to show up for their scheduled appointment time will not be scheduled for future appointments. Gift certificates may be forfeited for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice. Gift certificates will be forfeited for no shows.

Lateness Policy
We request that you arrive early for your appointment. Our massage therapy policies state: If you arrive late for your appointment, the time left will be used to its best advantage. If the massage therapist is late for the appointment, the remaining time will be used and the client will receive a discount or will not be charged for the massage session.

Sickness Policy
Longboat Massage Therapy recognizes that both massage therapists and clients are vulnerable to infections and therefore ask clients to cancel appointments when they are feeling unwell. If you have any of the following contagious illnesses the massage session will be rescheduled:
Diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever, Chicken Pox, Measles, Mumps, Meningitis, Hepatitis A, Conjunctivitis, Rubella, Head Lice, Impetigo, Influenza, Meningococcal Disease, Polio, Ringworm of the body, feet or scalp, Scabies, Thrush, Whooping Cough and the Common Cold.

Sanitation and Hygiene

Our massage therapy policies on sanitation are that all equipment and linens that come in contact with the client will be cleansed in an approved method. All lubricants will be dispensed in a contamination-free manner.

Before and after each massage, the massage therapist’s hands and forearms will be washed with hot soapy water and a disinfecting solution. Any breaks in the skin of the massage therapist will be covered with protective coverings.

The client will come to the massage therapy appointment clean. The client will inform the massage therapist of any breaks in the skin, and these areas will be avoided.

Should the massage therapist or the client contract a contagious disease that could be spread during the massage session, such as a cold, flu, or other droplet or airborne infection, each will inform the other. The decision to reschedule will be handled on a case-by case manner.

Professional Boundaries

In order for Longboat Massage Therapy in Longboat Key Florida to best serve your needs – honest disclosure of any situation that may interfere with safe, nurturing, nonjudgmental, nonsexual touch must be considered.

The massage therapist needs to consider personal needs, biases, fears, concerns, and limitations as stated in the massage therapy policies and procedures.

Respect of Client Boundaries

In this partnership, it is important that the client is honest and open with the massage therapist. Feedback about the effectiveness of the work, situations that may have been uncomfortable for you, massage techniques that you enjoyed, massage techniques that you did not like, etc., is very important:
Is there a body area that you would like for me to avoid?
Would you prefer that I not use a certain type of lubricant?
Do you have a particular religious belief that is important that I respect?
Do you or do you not enjoy music during the massage? What type?
Please feel free to share this information with me, as you become aware of it. Sometimes it is hard to remember our areas that are sensitive until they are touched.

If at any time, you feel that another therapist would better serve you, please ask for a referral. If we do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, tell us. We will not be offended as we hold our massage therapy policies to a very high standard.

Respect for client boundaries is very important. To maintain respect for each client and establish professional boundaries the following massage therapy policies apply:

The client may choose to leave on as much clothing as needed for comfort.
The client will always be modestly draped. Only the area being massaged will be undraped. The clients will be kept informed of the area to be massaged.
The breast and genital area will not be massaged under any circumstances. Permission will be asked before working close to these area; otherwise, a professional distance will be maintained.

Sexual interaction or discussion of any kind between the client and the massage therapist is NEVER appropriate. It is understandable that the closeness of the massage relationship may, on occasion, be interpreted as sensual. This is a physical response that is part of the natural relaxation response, and only lasts for a few moments before the physical sensations shift to a deep feeling of relaxation.

Requests for sexual activity will not be tolerated, will be viewed as solicitation, and reported to the proper authorities under the guidelines of the massage therapy policies and procedures. The client will not be rescheduled if this occurs.

Children, under the age of eighteen, will not be seen without a parent or guardian present in the therapy room.

The therapy room door is never locked.

The client may stop the massage at any time and is free to leave.

The client may refuse any massage methods.

Visitors may be present during the massage at your request. Please, no children under the age of twelve.

Confidentiality and Conversation

The discussion between the massage therapist and the client is confidential. The client may or may not choose to talk during the massage.

It is inappropriate for a massage therapist to discuss the therapist’s personal life with the client. We are happy to listen to your conversation and share our professional expertise. We prefer to not discuss topics of a political or sexual nature.

We may be required to release records under a court order, or to your doctor. We are obligated to report suspicion of child abuse to the proper authorities.

Existing and New Medical Conditions

It is the responsibility of the client to keep the massage therapist informed of any medical treatment currently being taken, and to provide written permission from the physician, chiropractor, physical therapist, etc., that the massage may be continued.

The client must also keep the massage therapist informed of any changes in health conditions.

Informed Consent

The intake session provides time for the massage therapist to discuss each section of the massage therapy policies contained in this website.

Prior to each massage session, the treatment plan will be discussed with you. At your first visit with me you will receive a copy of the massage therapy policies and will be asked to sign the consent stating that you have read the information, understand it, and agree to comply with the professional massage therapy policies and procedures.