Chatty Clients

I've asked on every other forum out there and no one's given any answers yet. Have you found any techniques that are good for quieting and calming down chatty clients? It's rude to ask them to be quiet, but talking through the entire session is distracting and can make me a bit nervous. We both would benefit from the session more if we had a little peace and quiet occasionally.

As soon as I meet the client I tell them what to expect from the massage. Ask them thier expectations and tell them you pefer if they just close thier eyes and take nice deep breaths. Tell them they will enjoy the session so much more if you can concentrate on your work. Of course tell them to give feedback if your hurting them or they would like your pressure a little deeper. Most people will thank you when its over that they didnt have to talk. Good luck

ladydifrie@aol.com said: As soon as I meet the client I tell them what to expect from the massage. Ask them thier expectations and tell them you pefer if they just close thier eyes and take nice deep breaths. Tell them they will enjoy the session so much more if you can concentrate on your work. Of course tell them to give feedback if your hurting them or they would like your pressure a little deeper. Most people will thank you when its over that they didnt have to talk. Good luck

Yeah, that's part of my pre-treatment talk and many times it just doesn't work. But instead of saying "I prefer you close your eyes and be quiet so I can concentrate on my work", I say, "You will be able to relax and enjoy so much more if you just close your eyes and focus on the areas where you feel my hands." I tell clients how being quiet will benefit them, not me.

Does anyone have something they do during the session?

Argh! I want to wear ear plugs with some of my motor mouth clients. Let's bring this topic up to the top. Anyone got suggestions? Please?

I ask them to breathe deeply. Then I say, I reeaally need you to focus your attention right now to the area I'm working and give me feedback through the treatment. How does this feel? {do some work} Tell me how it feels different now. It doesn't matter what work you actually do. The point is to get them to be quiet and focus on their body. I guess this is kind of like your pre-talk but during the session instead. Maybe the pre-talk to prepare them and then ask for deep breathing/feedback during the session? I just let some clients talk. It seems to calm them down strangely enough.

BTW I'm not in Portland or OR. That's weird.

Why would I want to try and change my clients. If they want to talk I let them. If they want to be quiet I let them. What they say and hearing about whats going on in their life gives me insight into how to heal them. Some people need to do what I call a verbal puke and once their done they feel better. Instead of trying to controll get back to trying to help.

On another note all massage therapist need to know that if the president has his way we won't have any insurance reimbursment by medical insurance companies. Massage Therapist will lose the ground they have gained because some states still don't have any licensure laws yet.
Pete

I let my clients talk, but give gentle short answers. I start supine, so at worst, when they go into prone position they generally stop talkng anyway. I save the back for last, which really seems to calm them.