Folding Towels - A Podcast for Massage Therapists with Jackie and David

Today, Jackie and David chat with Peter Harman from HY.GIENE Australia about removing oily residue from towels and linen. Yes, we're talking about laundry again!

Not just throwing your towels into the machine after work, but how to prevent oil build up, extend the life of your washing machine and most importantly fire prevention because of hot, oily towels. We read about it in the massage groups - oily towels frequently catch fire in hot cars and in dryers.

HY.GIENE Australia has worked with the spa and hotel industry and also washing machine manufactures to develop specific washing products and a procedure to guarantee that your towels come out 100% free of oil, your washing machine lasts longer and that your fire risk is pretty much zero.

Order through https://www.hygieneaustralia.com.au/

Discount code: 15OFFFOLDINGTOWELS

Instructions for using the laundry products as mentioned at 13 mins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49fgdk18MmY

Complete Laundry Care System for Massage Therapists

Laundry Products

Viro.Giene

Beauty.Giene

Spa and Beauty Products

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

Jackie and David delve into the importance of building trust with our clients through effective communication and understanding their health needs. This starts with taking a detailed history, which not only helps us to determine where and how we work, but it builds trust and helps to prevent us from doing something wrong.

We talk about the necessity of intake forms, meeting client expectations upfront, using patients' names for connection, asking relevant questions based on their conditions and reading body language to gauge when further probing is needed.

The key takeaway: always take your client's detailed history - it's not only beneficial but potentially lifesaving too!

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

Join Jackie and David in this light hearted episode as they lament about how unpredictable and bat crap crazy the lead up to Christmas can sometimes be. From strategies to tackle last-minute cancellations to the importance of showing compassion. We cover a range of strategies to keep the peace even when you want to scream.

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

Jackie and David delve deep into a seemingly ordinary topic - gift vouchers. If you want to sell gift vouchers (and you don't have to if you don't want to, but your clients probably will ask) there are a few things that you need to do right ... sorry the rules aren't optional.

From low redemption rates to legal complexities, businesses need to navigate carefully when incorporating gift vouchers into their model. For instance, did you know that Australian law mandates a minimum expiry date of three years for all sold gift vouchers?

As professionals in our respective fields, it's crucial we stay informed about such nuances that could impact our operations and customer relationships.

If your business offers or plans to offer gift vouchers this episode is for you.

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

In today's episode, David talks about a common challenge faced by massage therapists - non-attendance or no-shows and late appointment cancellations.

It's a topic that affects us all at some point, and it can be frustrating, both in terms of lost income and disrupted schedules.

But fear not, we've got you covered. Over the next 20 minutes, we'll explore the reasons behind non-attendance, the impact it has on your practice, and most importantly, effective strategies to reduce it.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, there's something here for everyone. We'll even tell you how to write a policy for yourself.

So, let's get started on mastering the art of managing non-attendance in your massage therapy practice.

Jackie and David chat with Paul Averill owner of Rub Massage in Adelaide, and SA director of Massage Myotherapy Australia.

You can connect with Paul here: https://rubmassage.com.au/about/paul-averill/ and find his podcast The Man Bits here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YxZ6DN09oybOW7aAHPIj5

Paul started his career in corporate environments but felt drawn towards coaching roles within these settings. However, life had other plans for him when he survived the devastating Christchurch earthquake in 2011. This disaster changed his perspective on life significantly, pushing him towards embracing uncertainty and making drastic changes.

Inspired by Cindy Kohler's advice about embracing uncertainty, Paul transitioned into massage therapy—a flexible career allowing him set his own hours and study at will without committing years to university studies like other health sciences required.

His experience as an earthquake survivor also taught him valuable lessons about resilience and pragmatism—traits that have been instrumental in managing his business through challenging times including during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Despite initial apprehensions about buying a health business amidst a global health crisis, Paul took over Rub Massage from its founder Cindy with the belief that their work was essential as it positively impacted many people’s lives.

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

It's going to happen sooner or later. Someone is going to leave you some feedback that you weren't quite expecting, and it will probably come in the form of a review.

In this episode, Jackie and David kick things off with a story about United Airlines reducing costs by saving weight and hence saving money.

We chat about deliberately asking for feedback for the purpose of growth. About how we feel will determine how we receive that feedback. And most importantly, how to respond to negative feedback and especially negative reviews. Let's face it, giving and receiving feedback with compassion is a skill that not many people seem to have.

How you respond to a poor review is probably more important than having all 5 star reviews. Because your future clients will judge you on how you respond.

Jackie talks about receiving a 4 star review from someone who wasn't even her client. David opens up about having to deal with a very aggressive client. You can't win everyone over.

You can find the United Airlines story here

Terry Hawkins

Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

Do you you talk with your clients? Or do you work in blessed silence?

In this episode of the Folding Towels podcast, Jackie and David talk about whether massage therapists should engage in conversation with clients during their massage sessions. If you were to read Facebook there are some pretty strong opinions out there on this topic! But it's not a simple yes / no!

From using conversation as a therapeutic distraction, to seeking consent to knowing just when to keep shut up and let your client just be in the moment, to "those clients" that really enjoy a good chat because they find silence to be uncomfortable. Just don't forget your boundaries.

Reading cues from clients, allowing conversations to naturally fade as clients relax, setting boundaries at the beginning of each treatment and ensuring clients feel comfortable to communicate their preferences.

We also talk about the need to avoid inappropriate or burdensome conversations and the importance of respecting clients' desire for silence.

Ultimately, it's about striking a balance between conversation and quietude to create a positive and relaxing experience for clients.

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

In this episode, David chats with Christine Knox from the Health Leader Co about her journey into massage, of moving to Australia from Scotland, back again, flying off to work in a helicopter and then moving back to Australia with the dream of opening a massage school. Arriving in Armidale, Christine started her Australian massage career as a locum, going on to open her own clinic, hire staff, and then close it all down to make her dream of running a massage school a reality.

Join Christine at her face to face workshops in Melbourne and Sydney in October 2023. Or learn Remedial Hot Stones and Gentle Scar Massage online in a fully mentored environment.

To connect with Christine, to learn more or to buy her book visit https://healthleaderco.com/

https://ckmassagetraining.com/shop/

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc

Join Jackie and David as they get pretty deep about whether or not being friends with a client is a good idea or not. David admits to cycling with a couple of clients, Jackie opens up about where a friendship outside of work affected her work. And I think we unanimously agree, that being romantically involved with any client is a plain old bad idea. We take quite a few tangents here, and we do explore ethics, reputation and objectivity.

Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licenced use through Audio Hero Inc