Client, Patient, Customer, at Iba pa; Masseur, Masseuse, Massage Therapist atbp.

Client, Patient, Customer, At Iba Pa
Masseur, Massagist, Massage Therapist, At Iba Pa
By yunesa@yahoo.com
(you can view, read, download and print this article for free, see below for details)

Client, customer, guest, patient, patron……ano ba talaga kuya? Alam niyo hindi ko lubos maisip kung ano talaga ang itatawag sa kanila. (You know, I really don’t know what to really call them) So, for me to sound politically correct we will dissect the words. Minsan nga nagiging topic pa ito ng mga diskusyon di ba? (Sometimes this has been a topic of discussions, hasn’t it?).

Let us differentiate a client, from a customer, to a guest, patient or patron. I am writing here with the focus of how the terms are used from the viewpoint of someone in the spa, massage therapy, bodyworks, beauty and wellness industry. Remember I am writing here not to be politically correct but to present each and every word within the context of how we view it in our industry and how it is perceived and used by others in different fields.

According to several online dictionaries that I have compared, a client is someone who uses and pays a professional or a specialist for goods or services. So if a person is not a professional this means the person seeking his/her goods or services is not technically a client? Ganun ba yun? (Is that it?) So let us say for example you are not really a professional spa or massage therapist, you don’t have the right to call your clients…clients? Normally, the word client is heard in a lawyer’s, solicitor’s, accountant’s, advertising agency’s office, etc.. But in the spa, massage, beauty and wellness industry we have also been using this term instead of the perennially hated word “customer”.

Let us go to the word customer. A customer on the other hand, is an informal word that refers to an individual buys/ pays for goods or services. Commonly this term is used in the retail industry. Because the word customer, has been tainted badly by people who promote sex other than purely professional massage therapy. People in the industry have been embarrassed to use this and instead used other terms which will not create stigma for the professionals. So kung wala namang bibilhin na product sa spa ang isang tao, dapat huwag siyang tawaging customer or if you cringe when you hear that word from fellow massage/ spa therapists then do not use “customer” at all.

Guest is a term used to refer to any individual or visitor who received hospitality from a home or a business entity. Generally, this is used in the hotel industry or any facility whose business is in accommodation, travel, holiday and tours industry. To be too technical about the term, in the spa, massage clinic or your wellness business, you can use the word guest if:
1. They are not regular visitors, meaning, to be technical about it, guest lang talaga sila. They do not come often.
2. You and your staff are really giving them the best service and value. What do I mean by this? How do we treat guests in our homes? I think the best example of treating guests is in the abode of Filipino homes. We treat them with utmost respect, honor, full-hospitality and accommodation. There are even times when the master’s bedroom is offered for the guests. We would tour them around even if that means being absent from the office or taking a half-day off. We would eat out with them from our own pocket and at our own expense not theirs, at marami pang iba. In short, they are treated as royalties and a distinguished part of the family.
3. To be again too technical about the term guest, guests are guests and they are not expected to pay. Naku! Hindi yata maganda ‘to…. if we are to be too technical about this term sa business natin…ang guest ay hindi natin ine-expect na mag-bayad. (Whew! This is not good because if we are too be too technical about this term, in our line of business, do you expect your guest at home to pay? Of course not, isn’t it? ) A guest is not expected to pay (?).
So meron na naman tayong sabit sa paggamit ng term na yan. So again, we will have another technical issue if we are to use that term.)

Let us go to the word patient or pasiyente in Tagalog. The word patient is generally used in the health and medical field naman because this is a person who requires medical care. So if you are in the premises of a medical setting, you are called a patient. Likewise, this term might be used also as an adjective meaning, someone who is fore bearing and one who embodies long-suffering or briefly, a patient is someone who endures. In Tagalog, mapagpasensiya. Which is correct in its context because when you are a patient, you are enduring some trying circumstances or situations. An ailment, disease or sickness. Before, the word patient is exclusively used by doctors, physicians but medical spas nowadays, use the word patient even if you do not have any illness, as long as you are in their premises and a receiver of their services they can call you a patient instead of client, guest, customer or patron. The word patient hooked two similar yet different denotations and connotations.

Last but not the least, the word, patron. The word patron means someone who is a regular individual who champions your business and some one who defends you. This person recommends you and your spa services. Patron is generally used by artists, in the restaurant, service industry or any institution where repeat business is high. The meaning of this in a technical concept, is wonderful because we really want people like these who are loyal and zealous of what we do and what we provide for them.

Before I end this brouhaha over these terminologies there is another set of terms that has been a controversy in the realm of spa, massage therapy and bodyworks. And these are the words: masseuse/masseur, massagist, massage therapist and bodyworkers.
Obviously a masseuse is a female and a masseur is a male, both of which professionally practices massage therapy as a source of income. Again, since these words have given some form of stigma for the professionals because of its other implied meaning regarding sex.

Massagist, is a neutral term, which may mean a female or a male, a term I have not found in the Webster’s dictionary but I have first encountered in Chapter XIII of PD 856 which is the Implementing Rules and Regulations for Massage Clinics and Sauna Bath Establishments of the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines, Section 2, Item Number 10 on the Definition of Terms, massagist refers to a trained person who has passed the masseurs examination and is a holder of a valid certificate of registration for masseur issued by the Department of Health. The word massage therapist has not been mentioned in the Implementing Rules and Regulations for Massage Clinics and Sauna Bath Establishments of the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines but has been mentioned in the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Tourism (DOT) governing the establishment of spa facilities. The DOT defines a massage therapist as someone who is a certified licensed massage therapist who has undergone extensive training either locally or internationally regarding anatomy, physiology and multitude of massage techniques.

Bodyworker may mean someone who is making or repairing vehicle bodies or someone who is engaged in the profession of bodywork. Bodywork is a broader concept than massage therapy because bodyworkers may include other forms of somatic bodyworks not only massage therapy and this includes: Yoga, Rolfing, Alexander technique, etc. Sometimes massage therapy and bodyworks are used interchangeably but to be technical about it, while bodywork includes all forms of massage techniques, it also includes many other types of touch and healing therapies that additionally incorporate vast assessment techniques and tools that may for example, allow a client to benefit their posture and/or aim to enhance their awareness of the ‘mind-body connection’. Any activity which involves touch, energetic stimulation or the application of pressure or vibration to tissues of the body, including muscles, connective tissue, joints, tendons and ligaments may be termed bodywork.

So in my personal opinion, whatever word we use, whether that be: client, customer, guest, patient, patron or masseur, masseuse, massagist, massage therapist, bodyworkers or whatever upcoming terminology that may arise, the basic principle is we use terms with value and dignity. Hindi na natin pag uusapan dito kung sino ang tama o mali. The issue here is about adding value to the industry. If you think, the term that you will use will add value to a person’s dignity or an industry’s dignity then by all means use it. But if, in the deepest recesses of your heart, you think that this term has become obsolete or needs some fresh new start then change it for your peace of mind.

We can argue on the uses of these words over and over or we can use any of these terms with malice or indignation or with love and respect. Remember, words are very powerful. God created the universe with words. Words became flesh. Words do become flesh.

Since I am not writing to be politically correct, as stated earlier, all definitions have been definitions found from different online and offline sources like dictionaries like Merriam Webster, thesaurus, Google, etc.

I will end this topic with a little twist to tickle our funny bones, but certainly not to degrade any language. Please bear with me.

After all these heated discussions and arguments which is right and which term is wrong, the English language is a crazy language and here are some of the reasons why: There is no egg in an eggplant, nor ham in hamburger. There is neither pine or apple in pineapple. French fries were not invented in France nor English muffins in England. Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which are not sweet at all, are meat. There are a lot of paradoxes in the English language and we will find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a Guinea pig is neither a pig nor an animal from New Guinea. And why is it that writers write but fingers don’t fing? Hammers don’t ham and grocers don’t groce? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why then isn’t the plural of booth beeth? One goose, two geese. So one moose, two meese? Gets confusing….right?
Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? That you can comb through the annals of history but not a single annal? Or an anus? If a vegetarian ate vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Have running nose therefore they run? and feet that smell? Park on driveways and drive on parkways? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise guy and a wise man are opposites? How can overlook and oversea be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell in one day and cold as hell the other?
One has to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill a form by filling it out and in which an alarm clock goes off by going on.
As I quote Pastor Ed Lapiz, from the Special issue of Light Touch Magazine, vol. 8 number 3,Copyright 2004, Glad Tidings Publication “Filipinos are linguists. Put a Filipino in any city, any town around the world. Give him a few months or even weeks and he will speak the local language there. Filipinos are adept at learning and speaking languages. In fact, it is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his dialect, Filipino, and English. Of course, a lot speak an added language, be it Chinese, Spanish or, if he works abroad, the language of his host country. In addition, Tagalog is not ‘sexist.’ While many “conscious” and “enlightened” people of today are just by now striving to be “politically correct” with their language and, in the process, bend to absurd depths in coining “gender sensitive” words, Tagalog has, since time immemorial, evolved gender-neutral words like asawa (husband or wife), anak (son or daughter), magulang (father or mother), kapatid (brother or sister), biyenan ( father-in-law or mother-in-law), manugang (son or daughter-in-law), bayani (hero or heroine), etc. Our languages and dialects are advanced and, indeed, sophisticated! It is no small wonder that Jose Rizal, the quintessential Filipino, spoke some twenty-two languages!”

English, Tagalog, Spanish, Norge, Nipponggo and all the other languages were invented by people and not by computers. Language is a blessing in the hands of responsible people. We can bless with words and we can curse with words. We can express our love with words or scar a person with words. Words can be used both as a positive influence and a negative one. Language embodies the creativity of the human race (which, of course, is not a race at all…ay sus!). That is why when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. Any why, when I say I would wind up my watch it means I would start it and when I say, I would wind up this talk, I would end it.

May we always have words that are encouraging, helpful, nurturing and loving to everyone around us.

Mabuhay!

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Preventing or Avoiding Sexual Advances in a Spa, Massage Setting (50+ Ways of Handling Client Advances)

PREVENTING/AVOIDING SEXUAL ADVANCES DURING A SPA OR MASSAGE SESSION
“50+ WAYS OF HANDLING CLIENT ADVANCES”
by Eunice
yunesa@yahoo.com

This article/report is not an all encompassing, everything-in-it method of preventing or avoiding sexual advances in a spa or massage session. The methods and ways described herein are intended to at least minimize, if not totally eradicate a common malaise of our industry, having to deal with “sexually charged” clients. Like anything else in life, there are no guarantees and the practitioner is cautioned to use their own judgment about their individual circumstances and act professionally and accordingly. Trusting one’s guts and intuition may prove life-saving in some cases. As in all my writings, it is presented in a contemporary style to address mainly the practitioners and spa, massage clinic and wellness center owners or operators and a minority of the inquiring public.

Let me be clear that there is no one way to totally avoid sexual advances or offers of such. Massage is by nature an intimate and pleasurable experience but it is not intended to sexually gratify a person. Some spa and massage therapies require the client to be semi-nude and sometimes naked. Even in the most professional setting the massage/ spa professional is exposed to being vulnerable to temptations which might lead to awkward situations. We can combine several of the pointers mentioned and act with due diligence. Practitioners in the spa, massage and wellness industry should perform their tasks that only true and unadulterated professionals do.

Recently, I have been asked again a truly valid question, one relating to handling clients who are taking advantage of their practitioner (whether this is a spa therapist or massage therapist). There are some ways of handling this, but let us first take into account what one validates (on a professional perspective) as “taking advantage or inappropriateness” means. Ano ba talaga ang maco-consider nating inappropriate? These are some examples (and by far, not a complete one) of inappropriate behaviors:
1. When approached or asked by a client or practitioner requesting any sexual contact of any kind.
2. When a client is trying to touch the practitioner inappropriately or the client asks to be touched in private areas including but is not limited to the genitalia.
3. Asking the practitioner to do something sexual apart from professional massage/spa therapy.
4. Making direct and/or indirect movements and comments that make it uneasy for the practitioner to work professionally and proceed with the session.

How do you, as a professional, handle these types of clients? These are just some tips and pointers in handling these types of clients, how to prevent sexual harassment during a session, setting boundaries and how to free yourself from being perceived as a prostitute instead of a real, honest-to-goodness” spa or massage professional. I said some as you can adjust the pointers listed here depending on your specific condition. I am aware that there might be many questions and a combination of answers out there and we are at our liberty to implement these pointers as befits us:

1. Most of the time, simple statements like “I cannot perform more than just massage or professional therapy because I love my job” or “The only extra service we provide is a smile and a hot cup of ginger tea (called Salabat in the Philippines) or rice tea, which would you prefer?” or “if you cannot respect me in this way, I would be forced to terminate the session and you will be charged in full sir/ma’am _______ (the client’s name).”
2. Always address them with sir or ma’am, so even in addressing clients you have already set your boundaries. Never call them just by their first name or nick name. Overly sexual comments and requests or suggestions of the client should be handled by comments such as “we only provide professional therapies and anymore of those comments and requests will force me to stop this session immediately and you will be charged in full price”. These statements should be memorized and taken to heart by the practitioner.
3. Your establishment should have a clear and strict work ethics and guidelines which are to be implemented not just written- again, these ethical guidelines should be implemented all throughout the rank and file including management. No exceptions. An example of this rules and regulations: sexual advances towards clients by any employee will not be tolerated.
4.Immediate termination of employee/s will follow any complaint that is investigated and where legitimacy of the claim is determined.
5. In cases that you cannot control or your safety as a practitioner is being compromised, you can end the session immediately and ask the client to dress up and pay for the session and then to leave the premises.
6. Therapists should leave the area or room and should not return until
the client/guest has departed the premises.
7. The client’s name should be entered into the prohibited client database to prevent any subsequent appointments being made by the client.
8. Likewise, if you are the client, tell your therapist that you are only interested in professional massage, nothing more.
9. Move out of the room and let them cool off for the meantime.
10. Any sexual contact and indulgences between a client and a staff is equivalent to being fired on the job.
11. Create an environment that is conducive to a healthy, relaxing and satisfying experience for the client. Examples: do not display or post nude and sexually explicit photos, displays, etc. inside your spa, massage clinic or wellness center; if your spa has a video or movie lounge do not include videos that are rated X.
12. Never ever include any sexually appealing advertisements for your establishment or practice. I have seen ads that goes something like “young, pretty, sexy, discrete masseuse for hire”, “presentable, class A, awesome beauty, flawless, available for stag party”. Words such as sexy, hot, macho, meztisa, irresistible, heartthrob, etc. should not be used at all costs. Hay naku, ang ipinagtataka ko lang, why is it important to be sexy and with awesome beauty? Is it not enough to be decent, clean looking and professional? So, if you want to be taken seriously in your practice, never ever- and I say it again, never advertise like those mentioned above.
13. It should be stipulated in the employee’s manual that therapists are not allowed to date or to have any other external physical relationships with any client while that person is a client of your respective spa, massage clinic or establishment until after a period of six months since the client received the last service. Definitely, NO dating with clients. As a practitioner, you are not there to look for a boyfriend, you are on the job to make a living and not be looked down upon.
14. The room should never be too darkly lit. To be technical about it, under Philippine laws, in PD 856 Chapter XII Section 5.4.1 states a room shall be provided with illumination to permit effective inspection and cleaning in accordance with the DOH (Department of Health) general illumination standards. The massage room shall be provided with a minimum of 10 foot-candle or kilowatts (107.6 lux) have a minimum while a sauna bath room should be provided a minimum of 5 foot-candle or kilowatts (53.8 lux) illumination. In 5.4.2. All lightings shall be reasonably free from glare and distributed so as to avoid shadows. But if you will ask me, I would prefer lighting which can be adjusted so when doing massage or spa therapies it will not have too much glare and when cleaning the room one can have enough illumination.
15. It is also the responsibility of the practitioner to communicate clearly with the client allowing the client to be at ease and know that they are professionally (not sexually) handled.
16. During a massage, the practitioner should minimize, if not refrain from making direct contact with “stimulating spots” like the inner thighs, groins, nipples, etc.
17. No touching of private areas and genitalia.
18. An experienced massage therapist should be able to guide the recipient through the massage or spa process so that there will be little confusion about some of the basic areas that may cause embarrassment or confusion. Like, if there are client concerns regarding a body scrub or body treatment, the concierge, practitioner or therapist should explain to the client that he/she will get undressed, get the armpits and butt rubbed, etc. will make the client prepare psychologically on the procedure.
19. Presence of mind on where the practitioner rests their hands while the other hand might be working. Example, if your right hand is doing a massage your left hand should be assisting the movements of your right hand and should never rest in any private area of the recipient or client. Hindi dapat nakadantay sa maselang bahagi o kahit sa malapit sa maselang bahagi ng katawan ng client ang kamay ng isang therapist.
20. The amount of clothing worn during a session is dependent on the type of treatment or therapy to be administered. Therefore, do not expect that you will be asked to take all your clothes off if you choose Thai massage or Shiatsu. Normally these massage modalities are performed with the client’s clothes on. It is also common to be completely undressed during a Swedish massage BUT don’t despair, as your therapist will professionally drape areas which are not
being worked on. The bottom line is that, the client should be able to wear what makes them comfortable but not to the point of distracting the therapist’s work or disregarding the policies on clothing (if there are any) of the spa, massage clinic or wellness center.
21. Shorts can be provided by the spa to all clients and can be worn during the session.
22. The therapist should also instruct the client about what to expect before they begin to undress.
23. The therapist should leave the room when the client will be undressing and return afterwards. Generally, no less than 5 minutes and should knock before entering.
24. The practitioner should also say something like “Ma’am/Sir ______ (name of client) are you ready?” before opening the door.
25. To quote again PD 856 Chapter XIII Section 5.8.2 a massage room shall be provided with sliding curtain or wing type wooden door or equivalent materials at the entrance. Doors with locks are not permitted. If you will ask me, my personal favorites are the sliding doors or the accordion type doors. Some form of privacy is needed though when the client dresses and undresses.
26. The therapist should instruct the client to position himself/herself under a sheet or towel during the massage session.
27.The therapist should work on a client with the same gender.
28. The therapist should always cover the genitalia area at all times.
29. The therapist should ignore minor comments regarding giving “extra service”, “happy ending”, “pocket massage” and provide professional answers instead of joking about it.
30. Respect the boundaries set by the client and establish your own conscience-boundaries.
31.No therapist should take their liberty or make assumptions relative to what parts of the body can be touched. As a general rule, it is never appropriate to touch the genitals during a massage or spa session. The client should never expect to be touched sexually and the therapist cannot touch the client in a sexual manner.
32. Let us briefly touch the topic about breast massage. While there are documented benefits of breast massage, it should not be included in a full, complete or total body massage. Breasts (including nipples) are off-limits unless a very special request is made by a qualified therapist or physician. This means that breast massage can only be included if and only if, it is indicated in the patient’s (notice I used the word patient instead of client. guest or patron because of the medical condition that a patient really needs to undergo breast massage) plan of care and only after receiving informed voluntary consent from the client and their qualified health care provider (most often, a physician). But normally, breast massage should be restricted.
33. A professional massage therapist, whatever gender, should know how to deflect sexual advances by a client. If a subtle response does not do the job then a forceful statement or ending the session will be the correct alternative.
34. A client, who respects their practitioner, should feel confident to tell them that they feel they are being touched inappropriately. If it is just an incidental/accidental contact or just a slip, the therapist should immediately apologize and continue with the client’s discomfort noted accordingly.
35. The relationship between a client and a therapist should always be bounded professionally and not personally. Therefore, therapists are not allowed to give their personal mobile numbers or private contact telephone numbers without asking permission from management or having to consult with their direct superior. In the meantime, if the client is persuasive let them know that they can call the establishment during business hours so their concerns or any questions, if there are any, can be addressed.
36. If you will allow any relationship between the therapist and a paying client beyond the massage table or spa premises to a more social or even romantic connection is like inviting a host of ethical dilemmas. Examples of preventing social relationships include: do not go out on a date with a client, return a client’s phone call only within the premises of the spa or business establishment and during business hours.
37. Although I do not personally agree, installing a security camera (focused only on the massage table area and not the dressing area) inside the room to be able to monitor the activity in each room can also minimize ‘sexual harassment” for any or both parties, practitioner and clients.
38. All clients should be draped, whether they like it or not, except for the head and the area that the therapist is working on.
39. The genitals, breasts and nipples (especially for women) and the gluteal cleft (puwet or pwet) should always be covered professionally. In some cases, a portion of the gluteal cleft might be reasonably exposed if being worked upon.
40. The front desk people, concierge or receptionist should be able to screen clients before any procedures and ask relevant questions as well as professionally answer any concerns the client might have. It is very important that these people (front liners) project professionalism, care to the health and well-being of the client and reputation of their establishment. They
should undergo training and briefing on how they should handle client calls, answer specific questions, provide relevant data, etc. Inquire about this with your spa consultant.
41. If your establishment is accepting out-call or in-room services, be sure to bring a companion or the company driver to drive you to the location. The HQ (or headquarters) of your central information center should know the exact address, the time that you arrived and what time you will be done with the session/s.
42. Upon arrival, you should phone-in and let the HQ know about any changes in the service/s to be done, do this where the client can hear you.
43. Be firm in saying “NO” to any sexual requests and favors. Let the client know that you have a firm foundation in your profession. This will help reputable clients feel safe and non-reputable individuals know that they picked the wrong place and the wrong person.
44. Educate friends, relatives and significant others in the wholesome benefits of massage and spa therapies. Treat them to a spa day; buy gift certificates for them so they can experience the feeling and satisfaction of a client after a session. Thereby, dispelling the myth that massage (or any spa therapy for that matter) is a sexual experience.
45. If you are working in a spa, massage clinic or wellness center, bring them at work and give them a tour on the premises.
46. Never talk about a client unprofessionally between your colleagues. Examples of these conversations, include, but are not limited to: “her butt is perfect”, “ay, ang guwapo ng lolo mo ang sarap pagpantasyahan”, “makalaglag panty naman yang lolo mo” and other comments.
47. Before any procedure/s, let the client sit and fill-up an intake form that details some of the common medical histories of the client including allergies, medical conditions like high blood pressure, etc. This will at least prevent (if not, turn-off) the client from assuming that the establishment is tolerating sexual services. It sometimes helps to interview the client after the intake form is filled-up and just ask some follow-up questions like what prompted him/her to have a massage? Is there any particular area that the therapist should focus on like the upper back or head? What are the painful areas? Etc.
48. It depends on the modality or the service/s to be rendered but a clear intent should be set from the beginning to work with the client’s quantitative goals. For example, a client came because of chronic shoulder pains. In order to establish yung ating quantitative goals, we should ask how long this has occurred, clearly explain the recommended therapy/ies to be made and how many times in a particular period (whether weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.), the cost and the
expected results- assuming that the client really wants and can afford the program, you have to meet the goals of the client.
49. I could not stress more about the practitioner’s demeanor and attitude in setting an appropriate tone that would dispel any misconceptions regarding “extra services”. The client watches how you handle him/her and any insinuation that you are open to an offer might give the client “lakas ng loob” to ask the practitioner for an extra service. So watch your language and movements.
50. Professional boundaries should be established before, during and after the session/s. It’s okay to be friendly and cheerful but do not overdo this and be careful about joking with clients.
51. Be aware of where you place the client’s hands while working with other parts of the body. Do not place nor rub the client’s hand on your breast or inner thigh and other areas that might signify that you are open for a sexual discussion or activity.
52. There are some body treatments or other types of waxing like bikini wax, Brazilian waxing, etc. that would really entail the client to be nude. In such circumstances, maintaining professional boundaries firmly in control is the best option. This is the time where you as a professional can prove that you are a grounded and mature professional.
53. Always practice “distancia amigo” or distance while performing massage or spa therapy. Meaning, always practice reasonable physical distance and focus less on your client’s sexually charged areas.
54. Be aware and monitor your own breathing techniques and right body mechanics while performing massage and other spa therapies.
55. There are some forms of massages that are oriented to sexually energize a couple or an individual. Some of these are: tantric massage, yoni massage, sensual massage, couple’s massage, etc. but as of this writing, these massages are rarely done in a spa, massage clinic or wellness center. It is more often in the privacy of the client’s home. To a client who is seeking these types of services, it is very important that you stress to your client that your sessions are not to stimulate arousal and is therapeutic in nature. Therefore, you will neither tolerate sexual advances, innuendos or sexual comments. Tell them that “my work is to bring healing and a sense of well-being and relaxation.”
56. Inform your direct superior at once regarding any untoward incident so that necessary precautions and the spa, massage clinic or wellness center’s protocol can be implemented as per definitive guidelines.
57. Train your staff to give professional remarks, intelligent and respectful answers and proper decorum. Your spa consultant can guide you through this.
58. Timed-sessions inside your spa rooms or installed wall clocks and your therapist knowing the duration of the treatment/s to be made will minimize sexual interferences.
59. Decent looking uniforms should also be worn during his/her duty hours by the practitioner.

All in all, there can be combination of ways that can at least deter clients on asking more than what a professional really does. In other countries, different ways have been implemented in order to strictly enforce client boundaries. To give you an example, in Minnesota, a client is not allowed to date their therapist until after two years of his/her last session. In Indonesia, a chastity belt is being worn. Thanks to the proliferation of day spas that slowly, the industry is now being perceived as a wholesome, even family oriented environment. Hopefully in the future, there might not even be room left for any sexually explicit activities in our industry just pure unadulterated pampering health and wellness at hand.
A list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. You can order it online via www.Amazon.com or for local Philippine orders, email yunesa@yahoo.com. If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.

This article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book

If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from www.Amazon.com or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.

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Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcible under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Acthttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:*** Digital Reprint Rights **** If you publish this article in a website/forum/ blog, etc. You Must Set All URL’s or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author’s Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links).* Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author’s links without redirects having been inserted into the copy.* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.* Email Distribution of this article must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.* You are allowed to format the layout of the article for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author’s interests within the article.* You may not use sentences from this article as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the “WHOLE” article.*** Author Notification ***We ask that you notify the author of publication of her work. Eunice can be reached at: yunesa@yahoo.com*** Print Publication Reprint Rights ***If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: mailto:yunesa@yahoo.com============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= The content of this article is solely the property and opinion of its author, Eunice

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To view, read, download and print for FREE the artcle, please click on the link below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3539943/Preventing-and-Avoiding-Sexual-Advances-During-Spa-and-Massage-Sessions

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