If you’ve booked for a therapy you may be wondering how to get your money’s worth from it. These are tips you may want to think about:

1. Before every session we have a little chat, however depending on what therapy you’re choosing and how you’re feeling on the day you may find that during the therapy you want to talk or you want to close your eyes and switch off. Either approach is fine. Ideally, if you’re looking for relaxation, then closing your eyes and switching off for the session is ideal, however if you’ve got something on your mind and you need to vent it, then it may be better to talk than to sit there thinking about it.

2. Ideally after a session it can be a good idea to have some water. This isn’t to flush out any toxins (which is an old massage myth), it’s because sometimes you may have had hot stones which can cause dehydration, you may not have had a chance to hydrate during the day, or you may feel a little lightheaded from taking time out and some water will help ‘ground’ you and give you a little preparation to face the world. 

3. If you’ve taken time out for your therapy then it’s great if you can keep the momentum going for the rest of the day. Sometimes, it’s necessary to head back into the madness of the day, but if you can take things a little easier then it lets your body enjoy the benefits for longer. If you do find yourself heading back into a stressful reality, hopefully you should find yourself a little more clearheaded than before the session.

4. When you finish the session you’ll be told to relax for the rest of the day. This is especially important if you’ve had a massage. If you’ve had your muscles worked and you then go off decorating, carrying heavy shopping or lifting heavy items etc, then you may find yourself more achy the day after and that the benefits don’t last as long as you’d like.

5. If you book an aromatherapy massage, then it’s great if you can avoid showering or bathing until later after the session. Essential oils absorb into the body at different rates and some can take a while, so, if you have the massage and then head home to wash it off then you’ll only benefit from some of the chemical components which have passed through the skin more quickly, and those that you’ve inhaled. If you leave it on until the next day you know the oils have absorbed for your maximum effect

Louise is an holistic therapist who owns Therapy Centre, Bristol BS14 9HB, a clinic offering a range of holistic and beauty therapies. Louise offers reflexology, aromatherapy, holistic massage, Indian head massage, reiki, baby massage and story massage. She is a mum of two boys and when she is not working she enjoys getting outdoors with her family.  For further information about Louise, visit louise-morgan.co.uk.