Communication

Areas of communication that impact on my practice as a massage therapist;

• Professional presentation; How I present myself to a client is always important. I can communicate this in a non-verbal way by; my appearance, how I decorate and maintain my rooms. Display qualifications relating to my practice. Body language is also important in this setting. Being alert and purposeful generates a feeling of confidence in my abilities from the client. The intention is to ensure my client feels safe and confident.

• Phone booking and reception skills; Listening skills, paraphrasing and tone of voice are important communication tools when I undertake making appointments and scheduling treatments. Before answering the phone or at reception my head needs to be clear of unrelated thoughts, so that I can listen to my clients name and hear what it is they need. By doing this I can paraphrase back to them to clarify and confirm that I have heard correctly. Tone of voice coveys interest, friendliness and respect. It is important my client feels welcome via the telephone or at my reception area. I want them to come back.

• Client welcome and greeting; It is important to make eye contact when welcoming my client and be respectful. I want them to feel welcome. At this time I want to be prepared and look prepared.

• Client interview ; Presenting questions in a way that information is obtained in an effective and timely manner is important for myself and the client. To ensure that I can safely and effectively provide massage treatment. It has to be effective in the time allocated so that I do not encroach on the available massage time. How I approach questions will determine how they are answered . An open question will allow me to to ask more questions on that subject or clarify anything. While a closed question will edict a yes or no answer . Paraphrasing is a useful tool as it allows me to make sure I have understood what I have heard and therefore need to practice good listening skills. Body language will convey to my client if I am interested and is another important component of a client interview.

Whilst thinking about how communication impacts on my practice I find there is no skill that isn't important.