YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT ANSWERS.

What is massage therapy? 

What is an RMT? 

What is the difference between an RMT and a bodyworker (non-RMT)? 

Do I need a doctor's referral to receive a massage therapy treatment? 

Do you treat only a specific area or do you offer full body massage as well? 

What does a full body massage mean? 

What does a treatment session look like? 

Can I skip the intake interview and just have a massage?  

I have the sniffles, is it ok for me to come in?  

I had a car accident. I would like massage treatments to help recover. What should I do first? 

I had an injury at work. I would like massage treatments to help recover. What should I do first? 

Are you accepting new ICBC or WorkSafeBC patients?  

What is your cancellation policy?  

Why do you require me to fill out the health history form at least 1 day in advance? 

How should I prepare for my appointment? 

What should I wear to my  appointment? 

What time should I show up to my appointment? Where do I wait if I am early?  

Why do you take a blood pressure and heart rate reading? 

If I feel pain during the massage should I tell you? 

If there is a technique I don't like, should I speak up? 

Can I stop or change our treatment plan in the middle of a session if I need to? 

Why do you recommend homecare at the end of every session?  

Is it ok to exercise after a massage? 

Is it normal to hurt after a massage? 

How often should I come for treatment?  

Do you do direct billing? 

Do you do direct billing for ICBC or WorkSafeBC patients? 

Why do you take payment before the session starts? 

Are we supposed to tip you?  

The Massage Therapists Regulation defines massage therapy as the following: "massage therapy" means the health profession in which a person provides, for the purposes of developing, maintaining, rehabilitating or augmenting physical function, or relieving pain or promoting health, the services of

1. assessment of soft tissue and joints of the body, and
2. treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction, injury, pain and disorders of soft tissue and joints of the body by manipulation, mobilization and other manual methods.

An RMT is a Registered Massage Therapist; they are a regulated health professional that performs massage therapy. An RMT has undergone rigorous post-secondary education training and registration requirements. They abide by the College Bylaws, Code of Ethics, and Massage Therapists Regulation, and must upgrade their skills every 2 years by meeting continuing education requirements.  An RMT is the only type of massage professional where you can go to use your insurance benefits. 

An RMT is a regulated health professional, held accountable by a regulatory body, must hold liability insurance in order to practice, must upgrade their skills every year, must attend school at an approved college, must maintain medical records, must adhere to specific protocols regarding treatment structure and planning, must document every session, and are the only type of massage professional that is able to accept health insurance. An RMT typically performs a more therapeutic style of massage. 

A bodyworker (non-RMT) is not a regulated professional, is accountable to no one, does not require liability insurance in order to practice, are not required to upgrade their skills, are not required to attend an approved college, are not required to maintain records, do not have any specific protocols to adhere to regarding treatment, do not need to document anything, and cannot accept health insurance. A bodyworker typically performs a more relaxation style of massage. 

Typically, no you do not.  Anyone can receive a massage therapy treatment. In some instances, patients who have a serious medical condition may require a doctor approval first to make sure that the treatment is safe for treatment and if any modifications need to be made. Additionally, some insurance providers require a doctor referral note prior to treatment in order for the patient to receive reimbursement for massage therapy services. Please contact your insurance provider to find out their requirements for treatment. Since each insurance provider has different requirements, it is best to seek out this information first prior to your first session. 

We can do either options. Typically we do full body massage and treat the body as a whole instead of individual parts; however, this will largely depend on what the patient requests, what the patient symptoms require, and how long of a session we have. Together we will discuss what the patient goals and preferences are and what the desired outcome is in their recovery. It will be a collaborative effort.  

A full body massage typically includes the following: back, neck, shoulders, head/scalp, face, hips, legs, feet, arms, and hands. If treatment of the pectorals (chest), abdomen (stomach), or gluteal (buttock) muscles are required for the type of ailment presented, then additional special consent will be gathered from the patient before proceeding with the treatment.  

Treatment will start with a baseline intake interview and assessment. An intake interview is where your practitioner will ask you in depth questions about the reason for your visit, determine if there are any risks or concerns, rule out contraindications, and plan a course of action for treatment. During the assessment portion of the session, with your consent, your practitioner will perform a series of tests to confirm or rule out findings during the initial interview. These tests help narrow down probable cause, establish baseline measurements in order to measure progression, and give your practitioner a better picture of how to help you. After the assessment part of the session, you and your practitioner will jointly decide on goals you both wish to achieve during the session. Once goals are decided upon and your consent to proceed has been given, the practitioner will describe to you the level of undress required, the position you will start with on the table (face down, face up, or sidelying), the pain scale, and ask if you have any questions. The practitioner will then leave the room for your privacy while you undress to your level of comfort and get into position on the table. Outside of the room, the practitioner will be washing their hands and arms thoroughly. The practitioner will then knock on the treatment room door to inquire if you (the patient) are ready for the practitioner to enter. Upon entry, the practitioner repositions the sheets, pillows, and headrest to your comfort. The practitioner wil then asks if you are ready to start, and the massage commences. Only the part of the body being massaged is undraped at any given time in order to preserve your dignity, and to retain your body warmth. A few minutes before the designated session time is over, the practitioner will wrap up the treatment, re-cover any uncovered areas, and leave the room for you to get re-dressed. The practitioner will again wash their hands and arms thoroughly. Once you are dressed, you will open the door to allow the practitioner to come back into the room. The practitioner will then discuss their findings with you, discuss homecare options to maintain and improve your results, as well as discuss any ongoing treatment plan. 

No. The intake interview is vital to the integrity of the massage therapy session, and forms the basis of your Health Care Record which is required by law.  

If you have the "sniffles" or any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, runny nose, sneezing (not allergy related), nasal congestion, hoarse voice, chills, unexplained fatigue or malaise, difficulty swallowing, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain please do not come come in to our office. Instead, please seek medical attention if required or stay home. 

If you have sustained an injury from a vehicular accident you need to report the injury to both:

1. ICBC
2. your doctor

Once you report your injury, you will be assigned a Claim # and a Case Manager (Support & Recovery Specialist). You will need a claim number in order to start treatment for your injuries at an approved provider.  To find an approved ICBC provider near you, please click here.  You will then have 12 weeks from the date of your accident to take advantage of pre-approved services. To learn more about ICBC coverage and limitations, please  click here. 

*PLEASE NOTE: We do not provide direct billing to ICBC. The patient is responsible for the payment of the treatment received as well as submitting their own claim to ICBC for reimbursement. Treatment fees that exceed the amounts covered by ICBC are the responsibility of the patient.  

If you have sustained an injury from work you need to report the injury to both:

1. WorkSafeBC (WCB)
2. your doctor

Once you report your injury, you will be assigned a Claim # and a Case Manager. You will need a claim number in order to start treatment for your injuries at an approved provider. To find an approved WCB provider near you, please click here.  Once your claim is accepted, you can receive up to 6 treatments within the first 8 weeks from the date of your injury. WorkSafeBC claims will require a doctor's referral prior to a scheduled appointment. To learn more about WorkSafeBC (WCB) coverage and limitations, please click here.

*PLEASE NOTE: We do not provide direct billing to WorkSafeBC. The patient is responsible for the payment of the treatment received as well as submitting their own claim to WorkSafeBC for reimbursement.  Treatment fees that exceed the amounts covered by WorkSafeBC are the responsibility of the patient.   

No, we are currently not accepting any new ICBC or WorkSafeBC patients at this time. To find an approved provider near you, please click here.   

In order to give you the best possible care, we ask for all new patients to fill out their online health history form a minimum of 1 day in advance of their appointment so that we have a chance to review the forms and determine if there are any other extra steps we need to take prior to the scheduled appointment.  

Please show up to your appointment showered and clean. Please do not wear any perfumes, colognes, strong scents, or smoke anything prior to your appointment, as it may make your practitioner sick, and your appointment would need to be cancelled and rescheduled. If you have recently had a sunburn and are still red, sore, or peeling from it, please reschedule your appointment and wait until the redness, soreness, and peeling have disappeared. 

Clothing that allows for ease of movement is typically prefered in order to perform assessments. If you are wearing a dress, skirt or tight jeans, please bring a pair of shorts or leggings to change into for assessment purposes. If you are wearing a big sweater, then please bring a tank top or tshirt to change into for assessment. 

Please show up to your appointment no earlier than 5 minutes in advance of your scheduled appointment time. This will allow you time to pay for your session prior to start time, or use the washroom if needed. If you are early, the door to the clinic may be locked. Please wait in your car or outside the building until 5 minutes prior to appointment time.  

On the day of your first appointment, in order to provide a safe and effective treatment and know which position is the safest to treat in, we need to know what your current blood pressure numbers are.  If you are high risk, then we may monitor your blood pressure and heart rate at the beginning and end of every session as an objective measurement to see if your treatment is working, to monitor progress, and to always make sure that it is safe to treat. 

Yes, absolutely. Discomfort can be expected; pain should not. Your practitioner will establish a pain scale with you prior to commencing your treatment. This pain scale will let the practitioner know where on the pain spectrum you are, and whether that means to decrease, increase, or maintain pressure. Clear communication is vital to the integrity of massage appointment. The preconceived notion of "no pain, no gain" is a myth.  

Yes, please do.  Whether it is a technique you like and want more of, or a technique you don't like and want less of, please let us know. You won't hurt our feelings. This is your massage and meant to be an enjoyable experience. Communication is key. 

Yes, absolutely. You have a right to stop or pause treatment at any time if you are uncomfortable for any reason. You also have the option to change the treatment plan if you change your mind about the original goals agreed upon, at which point we would establish a new goal and receive new consent for the change.  

Prescribing homecare is a requirement for your Health Care Record. While ultimately it is your choice whether to participate in the recommendations, homecare is provided in order to support and supplement your massage therapy appointment to help further progress your healing. 

Massage therapy is best performed after exercise, not before. It is recommended to wait 24 hours post massage before participating in strenuous exercise. Light exercise such as walking would be ok after a massage.  

Depending on the type of massage and techniques used during your massage, you may experience discomfort post massage. Your practitioner may recommend using either heat, cold, or contrast therapy to help mitigate the discomfort you may feel. 

This will largely depend on the presenting issue and your overall health goals. Your practitioner will develop a treatment plan with you at your initial session.  

Direct billing is not available at this time. However, we do provide you with a detailed receipt with the required information on it so that you can submit your claim to your insurance provider yourself. 

We do not provide direct billing to either ICBC or WorkSafeBC. The patient is responsible for the payment of the treatment received as well as submitting their own claim to either ICBC or WorkSafeBC for reimbursement.  

**PLEASE NOTE: We are currently not accepting any new ICBC or WorkSafeBC patients at this time. To find an approved provider near you, please click here.    

We take care of payment prior to your session starting so that you do not have to worry or stress about it after your session. Instead you may leave your session feeling relaxed, restored, and "in the zone". 

No. RMT's are classified as a health professional. Tips are not required nor expected by health professionals.