When you first arrive at The Monkey’s Tail, you will notice a guest sign-in book. It’s an old leather journal with wonderful smells and textures. Enter your name, appointment time, and the weather outside.
Your therapist will greet you, invite you to take a seat, and discuss your treatment goals. If you enjoy the company of cats or dogs, let your therapist know and she’ll bring one out to snuggle with you. The cat is a hairless Sphynx named Cowboy. The dog is a Foxhound mix named Bebop. He knows a lot of tricks, and they both love people.
You’ll build a rapport for about 10 minutes talking to your therapist about your background, experience with bodywork, expectations, and needs. The therapist will then explain the next steps and leave you alone to write a mindfulness exercise and get on the treatment table.
When the treatment ends, you will be told to slowly get up from the table by rolling to your side after the therapist leaves the room. While your therapist washes up, you’ll get dressed and write in the journal any thoughts you had during your experience. These are often artistic expressions that may not make any sense, but are beautiful to read. You may be inclined to draw an image you saw, write a poem, or just say how you feel. There is no right or wrong, and it’s free of judgment. Your entry will serve as the only physical proof of the beauty that transpired during your bodywork session.
Your first appointment will involve an extra 10 minutes so we can get to know each other. I want to be sure I understand what you need, and I want you to feel comfortable communicating those needs with me.
I’ll give you the tour and talk a bit about what’s offered, then we’ll sit and I’ll ask you what’s going on in your life, mentally and physically. We’ll just do that for a few minutes, then I’ll give you a bit of space to write in a journal using a prompt I’ve prepared for you. If you like dogs or cats, I can bring the pets out for you to cuddle during the writing.
I’ll explain the massage protocol, then leave the room so you have some privacy for undressing (if you’re comfortable with that) and getting on the table, under the sheets. After the massage, I will again leave the room so you can privately put your clothes back on. You’ll sit on the couch for a moment and we will discuss how the massage went for you for just a couple minutes. I don’t want you to rush out the door with a foggy massage brain. I’ve known clients to forget their wallets, coats and even their shoes. This is a micro-spa, where you are treated like royalty and given ample time around your treatment. I don’t want you to forget anything you brought with you, and I want you to drive safely. It usually takes a few minutes to wake up from a massage.