My Massage with Meredith Grech
Wednesday, September 9th, 2020
Overall Experience
I highly recommend getting a massage from Meredith
Making the Appointment
I’m friends with Meredith (we met in 2019 because we both wanted to give chair massages at a Goblin Festival!) so I texted her about when to come in. She doesn’t have an option for scheduling online.
Parking & Arrival Instructions
Parking is so easy at Body and Soul Wellness that they don’t even need to address it (see what I did there?). You just have to put the address in your GPS and boom, you can park easily in front of the clearly marked door and walk right on in.
The Pre-Massage Interview
I really loved that she sat down to ask me how I’m doing and talk about what I want out of the session. Sitting down allowed me to settle into the space and unwind from driving over.
The Massage
Meredith’s massage style is calm, gentle, and centering. She’s into energy work and Reiki, which comes through in a regular massage session.
Follow-up
Meredith texted me a few days later asking how I felt.
How the session went
I made the appointment about a week in advance. Two or three days before the appointment, I strained my left hamstrings, likely due to dancing without stretching first. I texted her the day before to let her know I was going to need her to focus on that area.
Tip:
I appreciate when clients book ahead and answer intake questions ahead of time. Why?
I always want to provide the best experience for my client, which can mean doing some homework ahead of time. For example, I haven’t been asked to treat Tennis Elbow in 10 years. If a client needs me to focus on that issue, I want to dig through my resources and find a good treatment protocol rather than relying on very dusty memories.
If you’d like to know what courses I have taken throughout my massage career, click the link below.
Meredith asked what I’ve been doing that might have caused the strain to my hamstring, and I told her about my new crush on The Fitness Marshall. I mean, look at that video. I spent 5 hours one night trying to get the choreography for his Dua Lipa Break My Heart routine. Over the next several days, I did many other Caleb Marshall videos and even bought a Nintendo Switch and started playing Just Dance. That’s where I really messed up. It was an entirely new experience for me and in my excitement I forgot to stretch. I also put less attention on my body as I frantically tried to keep up with the game. Always. Remember. Your. Body!
She asked me to start face up so the heat from her table warmer could penetrate my low back and hamstrings. Unfortunately, the bolster prevented the heat from getting to my hamstrings. I should have said something.
Clients: Do not forget to speak up!
I started my massage training when I was 17. That was a very long time ago. And yet I *still* feel strange about speaking up. So I totally understand your hesitation to ask for any sort of correction from your therapist.
But your therapist is just another person. I promise! I’m not a goddess, and Meredith isn’t a goddess. I know, it’s really hard to believe that if you’ve ever gotten bodywork from us. But if something doesn’t seem quite right, you should *ALWAYS* speak up.
I have a hard time following my own advice
I didn’t speak up about the heat being obstructed by the bolster and not reaching my hamstrings. Meredith did great work while I was supine, then we switched to the prone position, with my face in the face cradle. Again, I was shy about speaking up. I took my mask off and let her put it with my belongings. Not long after that, I started having a hard time with breathing through the face cradle. Instead of just asking for my mask back like a normal person and putting my head to the side, I tried to relax into a sort of shallow breathing. It didn’t work, and frankly, it was dumb. It’s dumb to feel shy about asking your therapist to accommodate you.
The End
I did finally ask for the mask, and of course she happily handed it to me.
After the wonderful massage, I explored the Asian businesses down the road from Body & Soul Wellness. Her location is so fun! There are so many interesting places to check out before or after your massage.
Go check her out and let me know what you think!
