Want to earn continuing education credit for this article? Learn more.
Submitted By Anonymous
I was doing house calls and a man met me at the door in a bathrobe and a beer in hand! I had to explain that I was a massage therapist and that I was there only to give a massage. I asked if he would mind dispensing with the beer and putting on a pair of briefs. Then I introduced him to my 12-year-old son who was with me to help carry my equipment. The man was actually very pleased and welcomed me in for the massage and, in the end, he said it was the best massage he had ever had, and that not having to worry about what HE had to do after the massage made a world of difference in his relaxation.
If you were confronted with the same situation again, how might you handle things differently?
Response from Anonymous
I would do the same thing. If the man had refused to put away the beer, which he had just opened, or put on the briefs I would have apologized for the inconvenience and left.
Response from Institute for Integrative Healthcare Studies
While house calls, or out calls as they are sometimes called, can be convenient for the client, they have the potential for being quite dangerous for the massage therapist.
The best way to stay safe is by taking preemptive steps:
- Don’t take same day appointments from someone you don’t know. These last minute calls should raise red flags all over the place.
- Always take a fully charged cell phone with you and, when you arrive at your location (and in front of the client), make a call to let someone know where you are and when you plan on leaving.
- Send a first time client an information sheet with instructions listing what they need to do, or not do, for the session. For example: no alcohol; adequate space for the massage table; what to wear, etc.
- If you have several outcalls scheduled for one day, leave a copy of your schedule with someone. Include the client names, addresses and phone numbers as well as the times of the appointments.
- As an extra measure of safety, wear a whistle around your neck. Just tuck it in under your shirt. In case of an emergency, the sound of a whistle carries further than a scream and takes less breath.
Too many massage therapists going to a house call session have been, at the very least, surprised by the expectations of a new client and, at worst, been assaulted or even killed, simply by not taking safety precautions.
Earn continuing education credit for this article contained in our Health Maintenance – Body & Mind series. Click here to enroll.
Follow Us
In the story above, I think it was inappropriate for the therapist to bring her 12 year old son to ‘help carry in equipment’. Did he stay while she was giving the massage?
I totally agree Anita – That is really unprofessional of the massage therapist.
Well, it doesn’t seem her client felt it was unprofessional. Perhaps she had no one else available at that time. Plus, I think she was most likely very happy he was there when the man came to the door in a bath robe and a beer in hand. The client enjoyed his massage and everyone was safe. That’s what maters
I only do out calls for women and their husbands. I usually have the women as a client first and then if their husbands want massage I will do it. No single men ever have I done an outcall for. Usually I know all the clients first that I have done out calls for or they were referred by another client.
I would like to know more of Lmts that were killed doing outcall.
I do very few out calls but when I do I tell the client that I will be bringing along someone for my safety and that it may be my husband. Those who seem upset by that I cancel the appointment. There has only been one! All others were very polite about it and said they understood for my safety.
Good common sense. Good for you Bry!
I’ve been doing house calls for 20 years. I would never think of bringing someone along. If you are uncomfortable with seeing a male client in his home don’t take male clients. There is nothing wrong with that. Talk to them during the initial phone call. If something sounds “off” tell them you are unavailable or not taking new clients. I said to one man “you do realize this is a therapeutic massage there is nothing sexual about it.” I inevitably told him I wasn’t available. I wouldn’t have put my 12 year old in a potentially dangerous situation. Take male clients by referral. That is effective most of the time… not 100% though. Going into strangers homes change the dynamics in massage. The most important thing is for you to be safe. They say in Massage 101 “when in doubt, don’t”… apply it to prospective clients as well. If you are uncomfortable about working on men put the energy into bringing female clients into your business.
Whatever you do, don’t massage the rapist.
The amount of victim blaming in both the article and the comments is really disgusting.
The other option is that you actually CAN utilize your right to the “Freedom of Information Act” and do a background check on any new potential clients. Anything raising a red flag should be addressed. And, since the information is readily available (often with a small fee for a specified time frame), you do not have to be afraid to let them know that it is simply a part of your protocol for ALL new clientele, for the sake of your own safety. Honest people with clean records typically aren’t offended by this.