Finding the best massage in Newcastle
You’ve been wanting a massage for ages. You’re tired, burnt out, sore and achy. You google ‘Best Massage in Newcastle’ and a huge list comes up on the screen.
Enter overwhelm.
Enter option anxiety.
Enter give up.
Enter another night of poor sleep.
Enter another day of feeling flat and fatigued…
Enter yours truly; Katie Stephenson.
I am going to help YOU find the best massage experience in the Castle, so that you walk away feeling like the refresh queen you deserve to be!
What is important in getting a massage ?
First thing’s first, you need to remember this will be subjective. Each therapist will come with their own passion and skills, which is what makes our approaches unique. What you need to decide, is WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Because your tired and time poor, I’m going to keep this really simple by sharing my top non-negotiables (and maybe a few massage trade secrets) for a truly nurturing massage experience.
How to find a massage therapist in Newcastle ?
Word of mouth
This is the key. Ask your community, put a shout out on social media, ask your local hairdresser, check in with your mother’s group. Nothing beats word of mouth, and from a therapists point of view, we couldn’t love it more!
Goodness of fit
It’s not all about the Massage. You want to get a feel for how this person runs their business. Check out some of their content and see if the vibe is there. This will allow you to build some expectation and trust. Nothing worse than turning up to an unwanted surprise. Awkies!
Get clear on what you want
You’ve sussed out their content, now it’s time to dig a little deeper and see what it is they actually offer. There are stacks of different types of massage. These include Swedish, Deep tissue, Reflexology, Sports, Shiatsu, Ayurvedic, Holistic, Thai, Hot stone, Pregnancy, Lomi Lomi to name a few). They all have their time and place, you just need to do your research and discover what it is you need this time.
Connect
This is your go time. You’ve read the ‘about me’, listened to a couple of live streams and gone through the reviews. Now is the time to shoot them a message or make that phone call. Now by all means, go straight ahead and book online if all your boxes have been ticked. But if you really want to be sure, reach out and get a feel for how warm their response is. This will give you a taste test. This will give you some reassurance when handing over your hard earned cash.
What to expect in a massage ?
Now this is where I am going to get a bit more personal, I’m going to tell what I think is best practice from a Holistic Massage Therapist point of view. So by all means, take it with a grain of salt.
Go to Woe
From the minute you walk in the door, to the minute you walk away, you want to be treated like royalty. Some people don’t mind a no-fuss quick;y, but if you ask me, I want ALL the trimmings. I want to be offered tea, I want to be given time to embrace my surroundings, I want to feel like I’m getting the total VIP service. And trust me when I say this, it doesn’t need to be the Hilton’s for you to experience this kind of care. All it takes is a passionate therapist with attention to detail and a willingness to hold genuine space for each client.
Temperature and climate control
Nothing worse than laying there too hot or cold! It might sound trivial, but honestly, I speak from experience. When you’re laying there, trying your hardest to switch off, the slightest drop in temperature makes a huge difference. If you are cold, ask for another blanket! An intune therapist will offer extra blankets without you even needing to ask!
Invitation to communicate
No one knows your body better than you! And I know, you don’t want to tell the therapist how to do their job. But a good Massage therapist will start the conversation, invite you to speak up, and encourage practical feedback. I tell every client to tell me if something feels really good or they want me to go back to a certain area. You never want to walk away thinking, that was great but gee, I wish she/he focused a little more on my right hip or left shoulder..
Trust and respect
There’s an old but simple rule when it comes to building trust with clients and I work by it every day.
Never lose contact with your client. Always let them know where you are, what your doing and what to expect next. Now this may not always be with your words (God no one want’s a therapist that talks the whole time!) But with professional tools in the trade, we have ways of making you feel safe and respected. Please, whatever you do, make sure you feel safe and respected.
Talking
Another rule of thumb. I was always taught. “Do not speak unless you’ve been spoken to”. Honestly, an in tune therapist will honour this concept and I can’t tell you how much you’ll really appreciate it!
Walk away happy
There’s a real magic to closing a massage, it depends how important this is to you. Perhaps you’re happy to jump off the table and go back to your busy. Me on the other hand, I like to be gently bought out of the deep relaxation state slowly but surely. With a sense of grounding and preparation.
I like to experience a little debrief and be given time to ‘come back’. An observant therapist will even give you a run down on how your body responded through the session. Maybe offer some advice or stretches to take home. Remember, it’s all in the detail. The little things.
There you have it, my top tips on finding the best massage in Newcastle. If you’d like to see me put these points into action, why not Book a Massage with me or give me a call on 0421 194 620 and see how we go!