Any professional Holistic practice or Mobile Therapist will always ask a series of questions. When you sign up to a new surgery, they will ask you similar questions for their records. This is perfectly normal and known as a consultation. The majority of Therapists will include a consultation in their treatment price.

A consultation is made up of a series of questions that will help determine what kind of treatment is suited to your needs. It is made up of personal details, such as contact details and GP information. It may ask more amicable questions, such as ‘is this your first treatment?’ or ‘What other Holistic Therapies have you tried?’ It will mostly be made up of personal medical history, such as hereditary conditions, past or future operations, diet, exercise and fresh air intake.
For certain treatments, such as Aromatherapy, the questions may be a little more precise. You will be asked about your muscular and skeletal system - and if you have any problems, even if they are only aching muscles.

The consultation is necessary for many reasons, such as the health and welfare of the client; if there is a problem/condition that is not made known to the Therapist, certain essential oils may make the condition worse.

All information during the consultation is kept confidential, and any data collected is held within accordance to the Data Protection act 1998. The Therapist will keep all consultation forms together in a safe place, available for clients to read at any time if necessary.

Preparation for Treatment

The preparations for most massage treatments are the same.

• Try not to eat, drink or smoke one hour before your treatment. The Therapist will be working on all your systems, and having consumed something that may be lying on your stomach or chest will feel uncomfortable when any pressure is applied to that area. The other reason is elimination. Your Therapist will be helping eliminate any broken down toxins and waste in your systems, and any large amounts will not be eliminated easily, causing great discomfort
• If you are wearing makeup, it would be best to remove it before you arrive at the treatment room. This will save valuable time. There are mirrored facilities to apply make after your treatment
• It is advisable to remove any jewellery before the treatment commences. The Therapist will have a special place for any jewellery bought into the room if any is not removed before arriving for your treatment. Newly pierced areas may be avoided, and, if necessary, may have to be covered with gauze or adhesive plasters to prevent oil contact.
• For treatments involving oils in head hair, washing or arriving with wet hair will make it impossible for a full treatment to go ahead (oil and water do not mix well!)
• For pregnancy treatments, wear loose, comfortable trousers or skirt. No oil will come in contact with your clothes.
• For Baby Massage, wait around half-hour after feed or nappy-free playtime before treatment. Please bring spare nappies, and any toys or distractions. If you are not the parent, please make sure full knowledge of medical history is known, as the consultation must be thorough.