One of the most important factors of your service to your clients is respecting their privacy. Massage therapy often involves a client in repose on a massage table with little clothing on. A properly draped sheet allows the therapist access to the client while still giving the client dignity and privacy by keeping the body parts not being massaged covered.
Therefore proper draping technique is absolutely essential in order to provide the best service possible. Keep in mind, respect of your client’s privacy starts before they even take off their shoes.
Allow clients to undress to their comfort; this might mean they keep on undergarments or, in some case, even their shirt. Never force a client to remove any clothing they do not feeling comfortable doing so. However, you should educate your client that a barrier of cloth (for example a sock) between their body part and your hands will hinder the massage process and full benefits will not be recognized.
Allow the client to undress alone, with the door closed, making sure to give him or her plenty of time to get situated on the massage table. Knock before entering to ensure they are ready for you. Upon entering, ask if they are comfortable. Adjust the draping as needed to cover all exposed skin from the top of the chest down (with their arms out).
As you move from each section of the body, gently uncover each portion of the body that you are working on only. As you work on regions of the body like the thigh or the chest, especially on women, be aware of your client’s anxiety or comfort level. For example, if you feel them tensing up, you might be touching them too closely to the breast or the groin for their comfort.
Remember also to take special care with the drape when you client turns over, making sure to assist them by holding the drape so it doesn’t slide of the table as they turn and allowing them to hold a drape, sheet, or even a pillow to their chest for extra privacy if needed.
Tags: Client Privacy, Drape, Draping, Massage, Massage Therapy