First Session

The first step of the Assessment is to fill out the intake questions. Once the in-take form is filled out, we know what your goal for your first session is. Then, we may perform Orthopedic tests to help us zone in on what muscles to work on.

If you were referred to us by a Doctor include this in your intake form. We will stay updated with your Doctor. A free consultation will be included to go over insurance billing to cover your treatments. 

All of this is to get to the root cause of your pain or trouble and will allow us to better help you.

Once you know how the session will look, you will have a better idea of what to wear. At The Hands of Life, you are free to wear whatever you want. We provide three options to protect our clients’ modesty.

Fully Clothed: Our techniques are effective even when done through clothing, so we are happy to provide this option. There are a couple pro’s to choosing this option: No time is wasted changing clothes, and clients who may be uncomfortable undressing can still enjoy the benefits of medical massage. One thing to consider, most massage techniques are designed to be performed directly onto the skin. While we can still be effective because of our unique techniques, it won’t be as effective as working directly onto the skin. If you choose the fully clothed option, it is advised to wear loose-fitting pants or shorts.

Partly undressed: In this option, the client undresses the area your therapist will work on. For upper back issues, you can undress from the waist up. You will be covered with a sheet and only the area currently being worked on will be uncovered. This allows us to be fully effective during back and neck work, yet allows the client the security of wearing a top and whatever pants they already have on. This has been a very popular option with people who have upper back/neck/shoulder conditions.

Traditional: In this option, the client undresses to their level of comfort (many choose to continue wearing underwear) and covers him or herself with a sheet. Each body part needing to be worked will be uncovered only during the time that part is being worked on, then covered back up. Since this option provides the best access to skin, it is the most effective of the three. At The Hands of Life, your modesty will be respected at all times

After the draping method is selected, your therapist will leave the room while you get situated (and wash their hands) then the therapy session will begin. Once your therapist begins working, they will have a much better idea of your condition.

If your therapist notices a problem that may intrude on the effectiveness of the outlined therapy, he or she may have to change the course of that session, with your permission of course. Ultimately, this phase is about finding exactly what needs to be corrected, while getting started on it at the same time.

Once the session is complete, your therapist will have more questions for you. The effectiveness of the treatment needs to be determined. Based off of your level of results, your therapist will devise a protocol and explain the best course of action for you to get lasting results.

Once we have a better idea of what is going on we talk about what to expect during the session.

Using the muscular chart, your therapist will then show you the common strain patterns that have affected other clients in cases similar to yours, and relate it back to your specific problem.

Finally, your therapist will outline the session and show you how they plan to fix the problem. The office is suited to allow you to relax while getting a quality therapeutic massage.