August 2004 | Vol. 5, No. 8
© 2004 American Massage Therapy Association®
All rights reserved.
Hello, e-touch
reader!
Nowadays, seeing a tip jar while picking up your
fast food lunch or morning coffee is standard fair. But what about when it
comes to tipping your massage therapist? What is the right amount? Moreover,
is it even necessary to tip after a massage?
In this month’s lead article, “Added Costs?
Tipping And Massage,” Amanda Kipp answers these questions, and offers up some
guidelines to follow the next time you are faced with this dilemma!
Enjoy the issue!
The
Editors
E-mail: etouch@amtamassage.org
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ADDED COSTS? TIPPING AND MASSAGE
By Amanda Kipp
In today’s society, where tip jars are fast becoming standard décor from major chain coffee shops to the counter at the local deli, the pressure of “who” and “how much” to tip is an unavoidable issue. And massage therapy is no stranger to the concept behind the tip jar.
A massage is intended to reduce stress, not induce it—which is exactly what the topic of tipping can do to some clients.
Is there a tipping etiquette?
“The ‘rules of gratuities’ are the same for most situations—tipping is for a
job well done,” says Gerald Kinro, a Massage Therapy Journal and e-touch
freelance writer, based in Hawaii. “I tip my [massage] therapist as I do the
person who cuts my hair.”
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Getty Images Nowadays, tip jars are a common sight, popping up at counters everywhere from the big coffee chains to fast food restaurants. |
But massage therapists are not in it for the tips; they are not waitresses who depend on the money because they are making $2.75 an hour,” Polseno adds. “Most massage therapists are getting paid what they’re worth and don’t depend on tips.”
Location, Location, LocationPhysicians, chiropractors and nurses do not receive tips. Likewise, massage performed strictly as a health-giving therapy on clients seeking relief or treatment of a physical condition differs from massage given strictly as a means of relaxation, which is why the concept of tipping may offend some massage therapists working in medical settings.
“I think of massage therapy as health care, not part of the beauty industry,” says Camille P. Matuszeski, a self-employed, massage therapist in Chicago, who practices in a professional office she shares with a naprapathic doctor. “Therefore, I usually do not tip.” Yet, she adds that tipping is always appreciated, and especially “when the [massage therapist] works for someone else.”
In fact, massage therapists working in a spa setting may be making far less per
massage than those employed at doctor’s offices.“Every person gets paid differently,” adds Polseno. “[Some] may charge $120 for house calls; [some] may get paid $20 an hour working at a chiropractor’s office where you may not even be performing massages on a given day; or [some] may have a room in their home for private clientele that pay $65 a massage.”
Then again, massage therapists in private practice have a number of expenses that others may not, such as equipment, a city business license, liability and health insurance, marketing, linens, laundry, music, travel time and fuel expenses, to name a few.
“[Tipping] is a perceived ‘worth,’” Polseno adds. For her, accepting tips came down to realizing that her clients’ needed to do it more than she needed to receive it. Similarly, Matuszeski says she accepts tips since “it is an extra thank you from the client.” Yet, she adds, “[tipping] it is not expected and it can become inappropriate if [clients] expects more time or anything else because they tip.”
Naturally, where you receive your massage is a big factor when it comes to tipping. “The environment plays a major part in the code of ethics adopted by the massage therapist, “ says Kinro. “While the AMTA and other organizations have their own rules, they, by association, become a party to the code of ethics of the environment they practice in.”
The atmosphere should be one where a level of professionalism is met, and where massage therapists focus more on what they can do for their client, as opposed to what their client can do for them.
A general rule of thumb: At the end of the massage, tipping is more than custom or good manners, it is a voluntary action that should be based on a client’s level of satisfaction with the service he or she received.
~ Amanda Kipp is a freelance writer based in Chicago, who has written for both MASSAGE THERAPY JOURNAL and e-touch. She can be reached at amandamkipp@earthlink.net.There are some tips you can follow when tipping. Polseno offers these guidelines:
1. There are no rules. “[You need] to look at tipping as a gesture of appreciation. When in Rome, do as the Romans do—look around. If people are tipping, then it is acceptable; whereas, in a doctor’s office, where tipping is not appropriate, then don’t.”
2. Just ask. Some massage therapists say they will only accept tips left on the table, whereas others may have no problem receiving tips directly from their clients; there really is no hard and fast rule. “I really appreciate clients’ directness when they ask: ‘What do most people give you?’” Polseno says.
3. No one should expect a tip. “I don’t promote tipping; you should give whatever you want to give. I’ve received everything from $2 to $20. Tipping should be a reflection of the service you have received.”
4. Tipping is a reflection of the person. “[It is] making a statement about the person tipping. How do you tip in other circumstances? Are you generous? What does tipping mean to you? …Is it an obligation? A reflex? Are you using a tip to punish or praise?”
5. Think. What are you doing when you tip? “Assess the situation and be honest in what you give. Tipping is a gesture of appreciation. Do you have the ability to tip? If you are saving your pennies for a massage and you have no money for a tip, don’t worry about it. A massage therapist would much rather have a client, than the tip.”
Q: What is the origin of therapeutic massage?
Therapeutic massage methods used today have both Eastern and Western origins. The first written records of massage date back 3,000 years to early Chinese folk medicine and ancient Ayurvedic medicine of India. Shiatsu, acupressure and reflexology spring from these Eastern sources, as do other contemporary methods.
A: Western civilizations were introduced to therapeutic massage by Greek and Roman physicians. Modern Western massage is credited primarily to Peter Henrik Ling, a 19th century Swedish athlete. His approach, which combines hands-on techniques with active and passive movements, became known as Swedish massage—still one of the most commonly used methods in the Western world.
FIND A PROFESSIONAL MASSAGE THERAPIST
Use AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapist® national locator service to locate a qualified AMTA Professional classification member anywhere in the United States. This service will direct you to professionals who are well trained, adhere to a professionally recognized code of ethics and standards of practice, and are committed to continuing their professional education and development.
Visit the locator service online today, or call toll-free at 888-THE-AMTA [843-2682].If you have a friend, coworker or relative who could benefit from using the online locator service to find a professional massage therapist,
send them a personal E-mail message from AMTA. Spread the benefits of massage!Heal Your Child With Touch
How powerful is a parent’s touch? Very calming and comforting—it relieves anxiety and conveys the message of security to the child.
To begin a massage, choose a quiet, comfortable, warm spot and rub oil
(baby oil or olive oil will do just fine) on your hands so they’ll glide
smoothly over your child’s skin. Basically, massage your child’s face,
chest, back of arms, hands, lets and feet. If your child is ticklish, maybe
go a little deeper or skip over that spot of the body. End your massage with
a hug and a kiss, and tell your child how much you love and appreciate him
or her. They will love you for it! Happy massaging!
Dana Doorey
Wooster, Ohio
For a different massage tip each week, visit AMTA’s Massage Room.
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