Indian head massage or champissage is performed mainly on the head, neck, face and shoulder part of the body. It aims in giving the client freedom from stress and tension while experiencing a soothing massage treatment. This therapy uses gentle massage strokes commonly used in a Swedish massage therapy.

Before performing an Indian head massage or any other type of therapeutic massage, it is important to prepare the environment, location, massage oil, and massage table or chair, and even your massage skills.

In order to give a successful, effective, and satisfying Champissage therapy, you need to set up and create a good mood inside the massage therapy room. Secure a room in your house where there are no distractions or noise during the session. Make sure that you and your partner are comfortable with the location and that the aura in that room is pleasing and positive. Scented candles, massage oils, and soft or instrumental music are options you and your partner would want to use to spice up the relaxing environment. Massage oil can greatly enhance the gliding motion which is mostly used in a head massage; however it can be uncomfortable to some patients especially when applied on the forehead. Indian head massage can be done without applying oil on the skin. Place the chair in your preferred spot and begin the therapy.

Most massage spas that offer this technique have their patients evaluated for abnormalities on the head or injuries to avoid problems. It would be wise if you also do this on your partner prior to massaging the head, neck, face, shoulders and upper arms. In case you felt anything out of the ordinary such as bumps or swelling, do not proceed with the therapy as you can only aggravate the condition.

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On qualified patients, you can start by massaging the shoulders to release tension and stress. You can simply do this by pressing the back of the shoulders in an upward stroke with your thumb. Repeat the process for at least three repetitions. Now shift to the neck area and begin by slowly stimulating the nerves with soft gliding touch of your fingers. This allows the neck to relax and get ready for a neck massage. Massage using your thumbs in a circular motion as you move up to the bottom of the hairline at the neck. Repeat this technique three times going from the bottom of the neck all the way to the top while holding your thumb at the bottom of the back of the skull. Slowly release and work again on the shoulders. After you are done with the shoulder massage, focus the therapy on the scalp. You can do this in a combing motion using your fingers. Spread your fingers and face them upward as you gently squeeze the head on the scalp using the heel of your hands. Use the palm and heel of the hand to vigorously rub the back and side of the head. Lastly, do repetitions of hand gliding motions from the center of the forehead down to the temple. Finish the therapy session by brushing the head using light sliding massage technique.

Who wouldn’t love to get a massage every day of the week and at any time of his or her choice? It is a well known fact that massages are extremely relaxing and that they also have plenty of therapeutic properties. People get massaged when they suffer from a great deal of stress in their lives. The act of being massaged causes endorphins to be released in your body. These ‘happy’ chemicals help to make your mood very elevated. Endorphins are also natural painkillers and they help you handle a variety of stresses and ailments. If you suffer from regular aches and pains in your muscles, you will benefit greatly from being massaged.

Massaging also helps to increase the blood circulation in your body. This also helps to keep you looking and feeling young for a very long time. Your improved blood circulation helps in the elimination of toxins. It also helps in taking nutrients to the far off parts of your body, thereby improving and hastening the process of cell rejuvenation. Massages are a very effective way of retaining one’s youth, vigor and vitality.

If there is only one drawback to massages, it is that they are quite expensive. You will have to pay a good deal of money in order to get these done, as a result of which you will not get them done as often as you want. Getting massaged every week or fortnight is really nice but it is simply not sufficient to get rid of all your aches and pains. Of course, massages do have other disadvantages. You have to locate a good masseuse and to fix appointments to go there. This can be quite a nuisance if you are a very busy person who can hardly be expected to take blocks of time out of your schedule in order to get massaged. Massages can also be quite messy especially if they make use of a lot of oil. Another problem you might face is if you are required to remove your clothes in order to be massaged.

There is a very simple solution to the problem. All you need to do is invest in a massage recliner chair so that you can get massaged as often as you need. These chairs are quite expensive but you will be quite happy to spend money on them when you start using them. If you are the owner of one of these chairs you can get massages any day you want. You do not need to worry about fixing appointments with a masseuse and taking time out of your schedule. The benefits are multiplied when more than one person in the family uses the chair in order to get massaged.

There are plenty of massage recliner chairs available in the market, which makes it very easy for you to find one that suits your requirements exactly. Make your selection well so that you enjoy years of massages from it. The only problem is that you will have to move your family members from the chair in order to get your turn on it!

Before you can start working as a massage therapist, you have to perform a massage interview to get the job, and interviewing for a massage position is quite different than most other interview processes. For many massage therapists, the first job they hold directly out of massage school is for a chiropractor, or a spa / salon owner instead of working as an independent contractor, and it’s important to know what to ask in order to accept the right position. Understanding if you will work as an employee or an independent contractor – especially when a massage therapist is beginning his or her practice – is helpful when deciding where to work.

Why You Need a Resume and Cover Letter When Interviewing for a Massage Position

While you will not be sitting at a desk or crunching numbers, you do need to prepare a resume and cover letter for your anticipated massage interview. Even though it is a non-traditional environment, your employer will want to see that you are a professional massage therapist who can represent himself or herself adequately, and a well-written cover letter can show that you have good communication skills – an invaluable asset when working with a diverse set of clients. Be sure to include information about your school, your modalities, and your intended certifications – the more a potential employer knows about you and your specific interests, the more you will stand apart from the rest of the crowd and the higher the likelihood that you will soon be interviewing for the massage position.

Coming in for a Massage Interview

When you receive a call to come in for an interview, prepare to actually give a massage. This might surprise some applicants, but you are interviewing for a massage position, and your employer wants to know what you can do and what your style is like. Because you want to be comfortable while giving the massage, be sure to wear an appropriate outfit for both a massage and an in-person interview. Often, clean, long black yoga pants and a collared shirt will do just fine. Unlike most interviews where applicants are expected to wear slacks and a button-down shirt, your potential employer will expect a massage therapist to be dressed for the test massage. Just to be sure, when you schedule the massage interview, ask over the phone what would be appropriate attire. Additionally, it is always a good idea to arrive at the massage interview fully prepared – a massage therapist should bring supplies to the interview such as sheets, and lotion or oil. While the interviewer will likely have these supplies on hand, it is always a good idea to be in control of the session by being fully prepared.

When interviewing for a massage position, depending on the size of the business, a human resources person or the owner will likely be the first person to sit down with you for a few moments and talk with you about your education and experience. During the massage interview, be prepared to talk about what you learned in school, what your strongest and weakest modalities are, what you envision for yourself as a massage therapist, and about your previous experience with clients. Then you will give a test massage, either an abbreviated (30 minutes or less) or standard (one hour) massage, showing your abilities to give Swedish and deep tissue massage. Interviewing for a massage position sometimes, but not often, involves you being asked to display competence in additional modalities that you have listed on your resume such as hot stone therapy, or sports massage.

It is important to be yourself during the massage interview. Just relax and give the same massage that you would give to a client. Do not be nervous, because it will come through in your touch. Your employer is looking to see your skill as a massage therapist, and the more natural and relaxed you are the better interviewing for the massage position will go.

Getting the Job and Working

If the massage interview goes well and you get the job, you will likely begin either as a full-time or part-time massage therapist. Be sure to speak with your employer up front about the method of compensation and your designation as either an employee or an independent contractor, because these are very different and can make a big impact on your revenue and tax filing at the end of the year. This is a very important question to ask when interviewing for the massage position as employees are expected to work during a set number of hours, can only work for one employer at a time, and must comply with the employer’s standards of service and instructions about how to deliver massage therapy. From a financial standpoint, make sure that you understand during the massage interview if you will be an employee, as employers pay the majority of the employee’s taxes, and the massage therapist is often eligible for benefits such as health insurance and paid vacation time.

Unlike employees, independent contractors are typically able to set their own hours, and are paid a percentage of the total revenue they bring into a business. They tend to have more flexibility about the type of massage protocol delivered and the types of services offered. If this is the type of work environment you have envisioned, you should establish this when interviewing for the massage position. For example, a massage therapist who is an employee at a large spa will be expected to adhere to the standard services as listed on a published menu of services but a contractor should legally have more flexibility. During the massage interview, ask if customers expect to receive a comparable massage regardless of which therapist they see, and if therapists are expected to closely maintain a massage protocol. If a massage therapist works as an independent contractor in a smaller spa or for a chiropractor, he or she is more likely to be able to decide upon which services to offer, the rate of the services, and the hours during which those services will be available. Another reason to clarify your status as an employee or contractor when interviewing for the massage position is because independent contractors are responsible for their own client records, and have control over those client records when and if they decide to leave their place of business. It’s important to understand this early on in the massage interview, because with this independence comes the expectation of independent costs – contractors do not have taxes paid for by their employers, and often pay a large amount of money out-of-pocket at the end of the year.

Longevity as a Massage Therapist (Employee or Contractor)

It is important to understand all of the different elements that go into interviewing for a massage position, and know which questions to ask before you get hired. In addition to being prepared to give a hands-on trial massage, you should also determine during the massage interview what your potential employer expects from you in terms of compensation, hours, employee status, massage type, and career ambitions. That way you can be sure to begin a long-term, profitable, and enjoyable job as a massage therapist, either as an employee or an independent contractor.

Stress and relaxation; is it possible to have a balance between the two in the work place? Dealing with the constant pressures of deadlines and the toll it takes on the body can be draining. Spending more time at your desk may seem like the best solution but sometimes there just isn’t enough time in a day to do it all. Or is there?

Dr. Joyce Brothers once said “No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax for at least five minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.” How can you possibly relax at work? Self-massage! Instinctively, we do it without even understanding why. Allowing the body to hoard tension not only increases muscle pain but also waists an unbelievable amount of energy which can ultimately reduce one’s focus and productivity.

Self-massage distracts or blocks the nervous system from sensing pain in a way that lessens its intensity. The psychological effects of massage are also well-known for reducing anxiety, stress, and even depression. According to Wendy Turnbull’s 1994/95 article “Massage and Medicine Merging” from the Ontario Massage Therapist Association Newsletter no.8, studies have shown that a 15 minute on-the-job self-massage was not only effective on increasing mental alertness but also in solving computerized problems in half the time with 50% fewer errors.

Here are some quick self massage tips for muscle pain relief at work:

1. Scalp: If you don’t mind messing up your hair, using your finger pads to massage the scalp can feel amazing. Don’t forget the forehead or behind the ears.
2. Temples: Rub your fingertips in circular motions at your temples for a few seconds.
3. Eyes: Take both thumb pads and place them just below the eyebrows where they meet the bridge of the nose. Let the weight of the head sink into the thumbs for a few seconds. Then slowly glide the thumb pads along the brow bone towards the outer end of the brows. Repeat a few times.
4. Jaw: Lots of tension can accumulate in the jaw. Massaging your palms on the sides of the mouth can relieve a lot of tension.
5. Neck: Use your fingertips to massage the back of the head where it meets the neck. Then glide your fingers in circular motions downward along the spine without applying direct pressure on the spine. Bending the head forward can give you better access to those muscles.
6. Shoulders: Squeeze the shoulder muscles between your fingers and thumbs on each side. This may create some headache-like sensation. If so, squeeze until the pain diminishes and add a heat source for 10 minutes such as a hot water bottle or beanbag.
8. Feet: If you have a tennis ball that you can bring to work, place it under your feet (shoes removed) to roll on while working at the desk. This will reflexively relax the entire body.

So the next time you feel stressed out, over worked or in need of some muscle pain relief, just remember to take five. Your body, mind, and boss will thank you.

As a massage therapist, I am always trying to find ways to help my clients get the most out of their massage experience. Here are a five easy-to-implement ways to turn a good massage into a GREAT one!

1. ARRIVE ON TIME

There’s nothing worse than stressing out, working up a sweat, and screaming at other drivers when you’re running late on the way to a massage or reflexology session.

Give yourself extra time so you can arrive a few minutes early and relax in the waiting room prior to your session. If you are late or are stuck in traffic, just take a couple deep breaths and know you’ll be there soon.

Stressing out will not get you there sooner and will also make it harder for you to relax once you are there.

2. RESIST HELPING

We are a helping people. As such, many of us are inspired to try to help during a massage session. We lift our leg or arm or neck, in anticipation of the therapist’s move.

Please, please, I beg of you… DON’T HELP! It’s much more difficult for therapists to work with a flexed muscle than a relaxed muscle. We’d prefer to do the work (it’s our job!).

So please, just relax, and let us take care of everything. When you are thinking about what we’re going to do next, you’re NOT relaxing.

3. SPEAK YOUR MIND

Is the pressure too deep? Let us know.

Would you prefer NOT to have facial massage? Tell us!

We cannot give you the best possible session unless we know exactly what you want.

Are you worried about asking for something different because you don’t want to hurt your therapist’s feelings? Trust me, you WON’T hurt our feelings.

We’d MUCH rather have you communicate clearly about what you want rather than have you go away unhappy!

4. DON’T WORRY

We live in a body conscious culture. As such, some people come in embarrassed about their bodies.

Rest assured. Therapists are people who have a great reverence for the body. We love all shapes, all sizes, all bodies.

Ladies, we don’t care if you didn’t shave your legs today. Gentlemen, we don’t care if you have a hairy back. If we did, we wouldn’t be in this business.

5. CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE

It can be stressful to have to rush out of bodywork session in order to get to another appointment or engagement.

While it’s not always realistic to totally clear your schedule after a session, try to plan for a lighter activity day.

Though some people feel energized after a session, the majority of us are actually pretty sleepy and relaxed…a ten mile run is probably not in the cards for the day.

So, if at all possible, try to minimize the things you plan for after your session. Allow yourself the opportunity to ride the wave of relaxation the whole day through!

Here’s to your health!