When I think back to my Massage Therapy session at the end of December, I have very good memories. As this Massage Therapist is a previous student of mine, I knew that it would be a good session, but the location took me by surprise. When I stated that this was a "no frills" session, that is based on the location, but this proved to me that the decor is not everything.
Chiropractical is a little clinic found on the corner of Southland Drive and Elbow Drive SW, in the little strip mall area that includes Bank of Montreal, Planet Organic and Pizza Hut. With plenty of space in the parking lot, it was really easy to find the clinic, with nearby parking. As I entered the small reception area, I looked around and noticed a cramped front desk, a couple of chairs pushed against the front windows, and filing cabinets/shelves stuffed in the corner. I filled out my health history form at the desk, and was then escorted back to the massage therapy room by my therapist Christine.
As I am taken down the short hallway to the small room at the end, I notice the worn carpet and the basic decor. I enter a deep, dark colored room, with the massage table in the center, with thick blankets, and a light stand in the corner. Although a smaller room, it is filled with soft, and gentle reminders that the focus is putting the client at ease, and to encourage relaxation. It is always great to see the time and effort put into the details of a room, despite the limitations that a location may provide.
After my basic client interview, and finding the areas that we would be working on, I was left alone to get onto the table. It was a quiet Monday afternoon, and through the wall, I could start to hear music from the business next door. Not sure what is was, but I started to think, that this might not be the best idea... My goal today was to relax, and this did not seem like a good start. And then my massage began.
Christine returned back to the room, and relaxation was the focus. She had some beautiful music, which due to the size of the room, filled the entire space, and the next door sounds became almost obsolete. The extra blankets, soft lighting and music made the session feel like it could have been taking place in a spa.
She focused her treatment on my areas of concern, and I felt like the hour was never ending. A lot of therapists get carried away in one area, and are unable to deal appropriately with the time constraints, and then you hear the dreaded words "So, we can't fit in everything today.. What would you like to have omitted?". This was not the case with my session with Christine. The session felt complete, and that always make you more and more relaxed.
I really enjoyed my session at Chiropractical, and that was all accomplished thanks to the extra effort provided by my therapist. Without the attention to detail, it could have felt like a small, cramped room with paper thin walls. Instead, I shook my head at my inability to look past the cover of the book, and realize that the story within is what counts.
My thanks to Christine for this lesson, and I hope that her practice thrives in this small, yet "practical" clinical space in SW Calgary.
Christine Arndt, RMT, is a 2200 hour graduate from the Foothills College of Massage Therapy, and has been practicing for the past couple of years.
#385, 10233 Elbow Dr. SW
Calgary, AB, T2W 1E8
Calgary, AB, T2W 1E8
Phone: (403) 258-4422
www.chiropractical.ca
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