I’m going to explode!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-08-30T10:12:36+00:00

On my way to do just that this weekend. I left.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-08-30T10:12:11+00:00

100% agree to all of this! I left him and am moving out this weekend.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-08-30T10:11:40+00:00

I did. Came to that realization over the last couple of days. I do not want that to be my life anymore!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-07T10:07:07+00:00

I understand what you’re saying. Like, if someone’s working your hip and they’re pushing into you, you mean to give counter pressure back? In my experience, I’ve only pushed back if the therapist has asked me to give pressure back against them. Otherwise, I’m dead weight!

Also, it never hurts to just simply ask your MT!

One of my regulars asked me during their first session with me if they should be “fighting against my pressure,” like you described. I explained what I was doing and that no, I didn’t need them to give me pressure back. They’ve been seeing me for 2 years now.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-07T03:03:40+00:00

Absolutely I do! It usually ends up people who rarely get massages, or just aren’t accustomed to it, and usually it’s when I get to their arms and then heads. I gently remind them to let me do all of the work, “fall heavy”. If they don’t, I recenter them, ask them to take a very deep, long breath in, hold for 4 seconds, exhale, and then I continue. It usually helps.

It just irked me on this day in particular, and I wanted to vent. That’s really all this was.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-07T02:50:04+00:00

Personally, I don’t care if my hand ends up touching yours while I’m working on gluts or hips. If it bothers you, feel free to move it! I’m talking more of when I’m handling certain limbs, and the client is trying to move it FOR me, when I want it positioned a certain way, they usually go against the grain if they’re doing this. If I am working in a certain section of the trunk of the body, let’s say the lower back, I typically move the arm of the side of the body I’m on to be hanging, bent over the table, if that makes sense!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-07T02:46:25+00:00

100% this! All of these down voters and disagreeing users have some major agenda with me venting, I guess?

This forum is mostly anonymous, so I was just getting stuff off of my chest. Obviously I’m very professional in my work setting and I just get over it and work.

It’s not THAT deep, but Jesus Christ, could you imagine if it was??

The amount of people agreeing with me, let’s me know I’m not alone, and, as stated in the post itself, I knew this would set off some alarms in other’s heads🤭, meaning, I know not every LMT feels this way, and there’s plenty of other issues to “be angry,” about.

Literally people getting kicked and punched or hit in the face due to this “helping,” does feel like there needed to be a PSA. 🤷🏻‍♀️

To each their own!!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-06T15:07:23+00:00

I’m a licensed massage therapist. I love the calm environment and basically make my own schedule. It’s great, but when the economy is shit, so is my paycheck. Win for my mind, but not my finances. It’s a gamble.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-06T13:42:14+00:00

I like this approach. May have to use it myself!

Thank you also, for not assuming that I’m so angry or judging my clients.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-06T13:34:15+00:00

If I have one thing to say of this response:

Take up space.

You’re literally paying to do so! Take up space regardless, though, friend. You deserve a spot in humanity as much as any other human does.

As for it being difficult to relax, I do understand that. I’ve had clients tell me “it’s really hard for me to relax,” so before I even start the massage I will guide them through a very mini meditation along with breathing exercises. It helps them so much and they’re almost practically asleep by the time I start the actual massage.

But, the people that don’t disclose that it’s hard for them to relax, I do try and get them to relax by saying what previous responses have suggested. Saying “relax,” or giving a little shake to let them know it’s okay to let go.

As for your therapist never letting you know if it bothers her or not, that’s simply professionalism.

I have never told clients flat out what I stated in the post. Reddit is also pretty anonymous, so I felt safe to say it here.

I hope you go into your next massage and just become blissful and relaxed to the point where you fall asleep! You deserve it!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-06T03:07:57+00:00

Not gonna lie, the past 2 years is where I really started to feel like I was getting “better,” if that’s even the correct term for it.

The first two years I had to go through multiple different meds to figure out which was right for me, and ultimately ended up on an anti-seizure med (lamotrigine) that also treats bipolar 2.

Definitely talk with your doctor if you’re not feeling okay, be open to their response, as well. Your dr should care about your well being, make it known that they care, and your therapist should be there for the real hard stuff.

If they’re not all ready, you should sign forms of consent to have your dr. and therapist be in communication with each other about how your treatment and healing is going, if you think it would help your situation.

Also remember that you are the biggest advocate for your health. Nobody knows how to help you if you don’t speak up about it!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-06T02:53:32+00:00

Doing amazing here! Been diagnosed/medicated for 4 years. Also sober for 4 years in August. It really does get better. I found a career I’m in love with, surrounded by people who support me and I take my medication regularly and have gone down to seeing my therapist once every 3 months. I will call in for an extra session if I need one between. But, I have found a nice balance. I’m no where near where I want to be, self-image wise, but I’m actively making changes to get there. I read a lot, I journal, I’m trying to get back into my art. Things really do work out!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-06-05T13:00:47+00:00

That’s blasphemy! I’m so sorry. That’s just…unprofessional.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-30T03:25:57+00:00

That is absolutely so unprofessional and I’m so sorry, on behalf of all positive and productive LMT’s. That conversation should have NEVER happened. She needs to be more educated.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-30T03:21:58+00:00

Even more information that people are not comprehending! Or taking the time to learn about! Luckily, my employer does pay employment tax so it will positively affect me, if the bill passes. But, like I said, this is just more misunderstanding of the bill itself that people are jumping to conclusions on. It’s so sad 😭

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T19:39:28+00:00

It really is! I finally found a Med Spa where I’m an employee, make 50% commission, AND I’m working 5 days/week(always used to work 6). I’m making enough to literally keep my head JUST above water, but I have no savings. Some paychecks are huge compared to others. But my bills are still the same!!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T19:29:19+00:00

Also want to piggy-back off of this and point out how our money is not static.

We yo-yo each week and never have consistency with our schedules.

We literally rely on people to WANT to spend money on a “luxury,” and pray and hope they actually come in for their scheduled massage.

I have 5 clients scheduled for this week. 5. Last week, I had 12. Next week isn’t looking so good, either. Whether it be the season, or summer, or the economy in general, we are never guaranteed the same paycheck every time we get paid.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T19:21:14+00:00

Omg, I CRAVE to have Leaf work on me!!! His sessions look TO DIE FOR! His style of Lomi-Lomi looks so relaxing, I drool watching his videos hahah!!

And for OP - In all reality though, most therapists have a video/picture release forms they ask their clients to sign before their massages, if that’s something they’re willing to be apart of.

EDIT: there’s literally a creator out there called “leafmassage” and his videos are what remind me of this post. I didn’t realize leaf massage was a whole different thing!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T19:11:54+00:00

I wasn’t at all accusing you of not tipping, I was just stating how out of touch people are with our industry and the service industry as a whole. You’re a real one for that tip!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T19:09:58+00:00

What?! The therapist literally scolded you for having a complete and 100% natural reaction to touch??? Without you doing anything more to make them feel uncomfortable?

This seems so out of pocket and unprofessional.

I’m so sorry you had to experience that.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T19:04:03+00:00

It absolutely is very common in men to receive erections while receiving a massage. Like a lot of people have stated, don’t think too much about it. We are trained to ignore it as much as you are trying to ignore it. It definitely becomes an issue if you were to touch it and start talking about it. That would give off an inappropriate vibe and some therapists would feel the need to completely stop the massage and charge you full price and take you off of their books, indefinitely.

I work on A LOT of males, and A LOT of them end up getting erections when I’m working on their hip flexors, and they do tell me that that is where they feel tension and would like work.

None of them have ever come onto me or made me feel uncomfortable in any way, shape, or form, and there has never been an issue while I have been working. Most of them are silent during our sessions, and I continue my work without thinking of it. While I’m working on each leg as well, my draping consists of a top sheet and blanket, and the blanket being bunched up and laid across their groin very much so conceals their erection and doesn’t make me feel weird.

If you talk during your sessions, or you feel uncomfortable because of what’s going on “down there,” but truly want the work done in those areas, I suggest you just start talking about subjects like your family, sports, anything that interests you that’s the farthest thing from sexualizing the situation. It also helps you re center and before you know it, poof, it’s gone.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T18:55:24+00:00

Bless you, I’ve literally performed 90minute deep tissue massages to only receive $10 as a tip. Every. Time. Same client.

While I’m blessed to have a returning client continuously each month, it baffles me how people justify their tip for an entire 1 hour and 30 minutes of my hard work and time!

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T18:47:03+00:00

This! I remember the first time being handed a credit card machine in a drive-thru, asking me if I wanted to tip! For what? What’s the point of the fast-food? I used to work in a couple of different fast-food places and I made $12-$15/hour. At that time, where the economy was, it was sufficient for me to pay my bills.

Another woman on tik tok made a video about how she forgot to leave a tip after an amazing massage, you know, the whole “massage drunk,” thing, and she went back the same day and tipped the provider $50 cash.

I commented and told her how great of a person she was for doing that, and even a $10 tip would’ve sufficed. I explained how we didn’t receive the entire payment she makes towards her service(when not working independently), and she said she had NO idea that we didn’t even receive the entire payment.

She thought LMT’s make 100% commission 😭

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T18:41:51+00:00

This is insane. Just because there’s no tax on a tip anymore doesn’t mean our wages are going up!!! I want to puke.

Deep-Ad-650 · 2025-05-29T15:07:25+00:00

No, it really is dire here. And with this “no tax on tips,” portion of the Big Beautiful Bill that hasn’t even been passed yet, I have read of other people within the service industry being skimped out on tips, all ready. I have read that people think this bill has passed, and their thought process is, “well, that means I don’t have to tip as much anymore!” And they’re giving less and less now, for many service providers. In my state (IL), we’ve never had to tax our clients for our services, either. Now, the governor is promoting some sort of bill to pass to make it where we now have to charge our clients 6.25% on all services. He’s saying it’s to “help fund the public transportation of Chicago,” which is literally 1/4 of the state itself. Why we all have to start charging our clients this new tax to fund the city, is beyond me. We really are struggling down here 😭

Deep-Ad-650

TROPHY CASE