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Rev. 7/01/2023

S.T.M Policy Statement
 

          Thank you for choosing Strategic Therapeutics Massage LLC as your body therapy provider. This practice is dedicated to treating each client with courteous, professional, caring and first class service. This document explains our responsibilities and those of our clients in order to provide the best service possible.

 

          At this practice you will receive body therapy by a NC Licensed Bodywork Massage Therapist. Your *LMBT is trained in a range of body therapies and will collaborate with you, to find your areas of concern and then develop a treatment plan specific to your situation. This treatment may include Medical massage, Neural Reset Therapy, Motor point Stimulation Therapy, Oncology massage or Hydrotherapy. Overall sense of restoration will be enhanced by our tranquil inviting therapy room and soothing music. Any oils and creams used will be hypoallergenic and natural products. The setting will be fragrance free unless aromatherapy is decided for the treatment upon arrival.

 

 

Service offered

 

           Clinical bodywork services are very effective in promoting conductivity and improved engagement through the layers of the fascial system, which is beneficial for people who are stressed and people who suffer from Arthritis, Fibromyalgia,Tendinitis, back pain, muscle aches and chronic spasms, frozen shoulder, headaches and stress induced by conditions such as depression and anxiety.

 

         

          This practice is open:

    

Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday

(Works on most holidays, except for Thanksgiving,  Christmas and New Years)

                                                                                     

        Standard session length

Chapel Hill Studio                                                                                          

30 minute appointments

60 minute appointments

90 minute appointments

   

                                           

Guidelines and Forms

         To experience Therapeutic Bodywork at S.T.M. LLC, you must agree and adhere to the following terms in your intake form that will be sent to you upon requesting an appointment.

(If the Consent and Health History Form are not submitted prior to the scheduled appointment the therapist reserves the right to cancel and reschedule that session to a different day/time.)

Illness Protocol

          If you are noticing, and experiencing flu symptoms, extreme fatigue, light headedness, queasiness or have tested positive for COVID within 5 days before your next scheduled appointment, it is best to reschedule to a later time.

Etiquette

Client Etiquette

  • Wear appropriate clothing into the treatment space. Refrain from tops that expose the chest, stomach, and pants or skirts that are overly tight fitting or that expose the hips or legs in an immodest way.

  • Be mindful of your voice through the prints or images your wear.

  • Speak modestly. Your words impact the carefully crafted atmosphere of the space. Please refrain from using harsh and vulgar words during your time in the health center.

  • Wear shoes that are easy to remove and that are supportive of safe walking.

  • During the treatment, please remove any jewelry and put it in a safe place with your things.

  • Silence your devices. Note that vibrations make noise regardless of their placement.

  • During your treatment, if you feel a modification like: Pressure, heat, or cooling application, or a comfort related to positioning or extra emphasis on or a lack there of in a specific area would add to your comfort, tell your therapist immediately. She is happy to modify your session modalities to the best of her abilities.

  • Communication is key to all working and professional relationships. Likewise, if you have any bodily injuries, emotional or mental trauma or form of abuse experienced in your life, whether it is present or in the past, tell your therapist of any areas to avoid, so that the treatment can be modified to your comfort level.

  • If you are experiencing flu symptoms, extreme fatigue, light headedness, queasiness or have tested positive for COVID at least 5 days before your next scheduled appointment, it is best to reschedule to a later time, so your system can rest and recover.

 

 

Therapist Etiquette

I take an oath to uphold the Ethics of Proper Conduct stated by the NC Licensed Massage and Bodywork State Board and the Rules and Regulations.

  • My Priorities are: Your Safety/Comfort and Privacy/Confidentiality.

  • I regularly check and maintain my health. Likewise note, that I will reschedule our session, in a 2-hour window prior to the appointment, if I am not feeling 100%.

  • I will maintain and hold space for you. I will meet you where you are muscularly and physically, supporting your musculofascial maintenance and flexibility.

  • Confidentiality is my top priority. Your treatment details will not be disclosed. The set of circumstances in which your details would be shared are:

If you sign a verbal and written accountability form stating that you want S.T.M. to discuss treatment details with your other health care providers. Or if, your records are mandated by law.

Appointments:

       Plan to arrive on time. If you have any medical updates, be sure to send a message to your therapist at least 7 days prior to your next scheduled appointment  If you arrive late for your session, no time will be added, but we will do all we can for you in the time remaining and you will be charged for the full session.  

Scheduling appointments:

     All appointments are planned through your Clinical Bodyworker.  S.T.M. doesn't have an online schedule.

Advanced Scheduling:

     Once the treatment plan is determined, we may schedule in advance our next appointments as far out as S.T.M. has available. By scheduling in advance we are able to be confident we have time to address what we have set out to achieve. If any CEU opportunities, unexpected family related situation or unexpected illness arise, your therapist, Victoria will contact you as soon as she knows to let you know that what certain appointments need to be changed to another time.

 

Cancellations policy:

       You will not be charged, if you give at least 24 hours of cancellation notification. You will also not be charged in case of dire emergency.

Missed appointment without notice:

       Everyone can sometimes forget an appointment, so you will not be charged for the first missed appointment, however payment will be required in advance in order to schedule any further appointments. After the first missed appointment, other missed appointments will be paid for at the full price.

Short notice cancellations:

       Same day cancellations, with notice before the scheduled appointment will be charged at half of the sessions price.

Payments:

       Your payment is due at the end of your session.

Preferred methods of payment are by cash or check. (S.T.M. doesn’t carry change).

Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex, HSA, and FSA) and will require a 5% convenience fee per transaction.

There will be a $35 fee for returned checks and you will be expected to pay cash for future appointments.

 

Privacy Policy:

       This practice takes your privacy very seriously and will hold all your information as confidential. It will not be released to any other party without your written consent unless mandated by law.

 

Insurance:

My business at this time does not submit insurance.

However, I do provide well documented and detailed invoices to my clients who request it. The detailed invoice can then be submitted to their insurance company for reimbursement. Many of my clients have done this and they were reimbursed with no problems.

 

Thank you for your kindness,

your respect and your time.

Preparation for your appointment, you will be sent an online Health History/consent form to fill and submit at least five days prior to your appointment.

SEBTS Exclusive:

30 minute appointments

60 minute appointments

90 minute appointments

Payment Types
Cancellation Policy
Appointment Specifics
Client Etiquette
Expectations

Healthy Expectations

One of the primary goals of any massage therapy is to produce substantial relaxation. If relaxation is the only change a client's body is able to receive on the day of the session at S.T.M., then that alone constitutes a successful session.

 

While I always strive to promote deep relaxation AND accomplish individual goals to the extent possible, with the allotted time using specialized techniques, there are many factors that determine how much can be accomplished on specific goals in a single session – especially a first session for a particular concern.

 

The following 4 factors are the biggest variables regarding effectiveness in clinical massage therapy:

 

1.      The complexity of the muscular issue.

2.      The underlying cause of the muscular issue.

3.      Length of time the issue has persisted and

4.      A positive attitude towards the tool of massage therapy to bring actual relief.

 

With some people results are dramatic and in one session some or all of their concerns are completely alleviated, and I see this happen on a regular basis. In most people though, the first session serves to promote relaxation which then allows me to determine what issues exist and offer a realistic treatment plan. The number of sessions recommended will be based on this initial evaluation.  The working of this plan will begin in the first session and as much as possible will be accomplished within the time allotted. (Please be aware that most of the time a fair evaluation as to the effectiveness of massage therapy for your particular issue requires at least 2 sessions.)

 

Because general massage focuses so heavily on the relaxation element offered by massage, some people expect that all massage is the same and produces only relaxation or instant results no matter the problem being addressed. However, this is not the case. Clinical massage actually frees up fascia and muscles that may have been tight or bound for a long time in complex ways. Therefore, most people experience recovery in stages after they undergo clinical massage as follows:

 

            Stage 1 –  they feel better right after their massage 

            Stage 2 –  they feel soreness for a day or two OR, though it is rare, some people actually feel worse during this stage of recovery. It is important not to stop therapy at this stage, but to realize that the body needs time to regroup.

            Stage 3 -   the issue starts to resolve or resolves completely.

 

Because clinical massage is like giving the muscles an intense workout, how your body adapts afterward can be similar to the way you feel after exercise, especially when you are first getting back into an exercise routine.

 

So, what does successful clinical massage feel like – it depends – but in general, success is when you make one step forward into healthy relaxation on the path to future sessions to correct underlying muscular issues.

 

Massage therapy is shown to have the potential to alleviate many muscular concerns such as tightness, pulling, lack of range of motion and pain, etc. Your first session is your first step in potentially achieving deep relief.

 

Massage is a great tool, but, it cannot solve all muscular issues. Having massage is a successful step toward feeling better even if you find out that it can only solve part of your issue or even none of your particular issue, because at least you know you have given a natural method an honest try.

 

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