New to therapies? Nervous? Try an Indian head massage

I really enjoy the variety that working as a self-employed therapist provides. I am intrigued how each therapy venue, broadly speaking, attracts a certain clientele.

Visitors to Glastonbury are usually very familiar with holistic therapies and healing techniques and will often be teachers and practitioners in their own right, taking a break or retreat, deepening their knowledge on workshops and courses.

The guests I meet in the spa environment generally have full time jobs and regular, busy lives. For them, therapies are an occasional treat or pamper.

 For two out of six ladies today, their massage with me was to be their first therapy experience; something they would not necessarily have chosen for themselves. They were going with the flow of the group and trying out new things as part of a fun filled weekend - they would be taking a line dancing lesson later in the day.

These clients elected to have Indian head massages and I feel that this is a really sensible choice for a first therapy, particularly if the client is nervous or apprehensive about receiving touch.

There is a degree of familiarity to having the head and scalp touched, surely all women have had their hair washed at a salon, a generally pleasant and soothing experience. (Indeed the word ‘shampoo’ is a corruption of the professional term ‘champissage’ which denotes head massage.)

The treatment is generally performed seated with the client retaining most of their clothing, which lessens feelings of vulnerability and exposure. The massage can also be taken without oil*, which ‘newbies’ seem to prefer.

It is gloriously gratifying to feel tensions subside as the treatment begins; the client relaxes progressively and allows me to support the head and neck enabling a thorough and effective massage.

With all due humility I really do hope that those ‘first timers’ at the spa today might be encouraged to book a follow up treatment, and maybe investigate other therapies. In any event I salute their open mindedness and willingness to receive therapeutic touch.

*Application of oil is strongly recommended for therapeutic value, I always offer a choice of oil/no oil and explain the benefits.

www.somersetspa.co.uk Spa breaks in Somerset with a choice of therapies and activities
www.embodyforyou.com/Treatments/ Information about Indian head massage