Client Agreement
Welcome to One Health Massage. Etiquette can vary from place to place, so here is a run down of what I expect from you–and what you can expect from me.
Payment:
For Single Sessions payment is due at the time of your session and can either be made at the start or end of the session.
For Packages, payment is due either beforehand if you’re paying online, or at the time of the first session. Or, if making multiple payments then according to the schedule we’ve discussed, which is probably 3 equal payments, 30 days apart.
Fees are as follows:
Single Sessions: $130
12 Session Series: $1350
Series sessions will be used at an interval that is consistent with the goals we’ve discussed. Those goals are usually to receive consistent care that improves quality of life, or they are goals for achieving a particular outcome, such as a decrease in foot pain and and increase in walking and standing ability. Those intervals are usually somewhere between once a week and once a month.
Accepted forms of payment in person are cash, checks, chip cards (I can’t swipe magstripe cards) and Venmo.
You can also pay for some packages through my website.
Cancelling and Rescheduling:
You can reschedule your session. I think it’s better to get it on the calendar and have to reschedule than it is to not get it on the calendar.
If you know well ahead of time that you’ll need to reschedule then please let me know as soon as you can.
Late Cancellation:
If you cancel or reschedule within 24 hours of your appointment time there will be a $50 fee.
I know things sometimes come up unexpectedly that might cause you to cancel a session within the 24 hour window. In order to meet whatever need you have for flexibility, while still honoring my needs for both order and predictability there will be a $50 fee for any sessions cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours of the appointment time.
Please consider this fee as an invitation to do what you need to do, without worry that you’ll be damaging our therapeutic relationship in the process.
It requires commitment and preparation from me to be ready for your session. If you cancel at short notice it keeps me from being able to offer one of my limited number of session times to someone else.
No Shows:
If you don’t show up for an appointment and don’t communicate that to me, or if you cancel within 1 hour of your session you will lose the session, if it’s a prepaid session. If it’s not a prepaid session then you will need to pay me the full cost of the session before we have another session.
Appointment Reminders:
I often send out appointment reminders as a courtesy. If you’ve got a package that was set up through my online scheduling software then you’ll get a reminder automatically.
I know it’s reassuring to get a reminder, so that you know I didn’t forget. Plus it helps some people remember and show up.
It adds stress and complication for both of us to have a missed session, so I make an effort to provide this service. However, not receiving a reminder is not an indication that our appointment isn’t happening. If we have a scheduled session I will be there for it. If you don’t receive a reminder and would like reassurance that I didn’t forget, text or email me.
Regardless of whether or not you receive an appointment reminder it is your responsibility to keep track of your session and show up for it.
Vacations:
I take vacations sometimes. Usually those vacations are about a week long and you probably won’t even notice I’m gone.
Occasionally there is a longer trip on our list. Like traveling to Europe or doing a long distance hike, in which case I could be gone for 3 or 4 weeks. I’ll let anyone I’m working with know about such a trip at least 4 months in advance and we’ll make sure you’ve got resources to support your goals or at a good place for a pause during my time away.
Likewise, I hope you go on vacations too. If we’ve made a commitment to work together every two weeks and you take a trip, we’ll just work around it. I consider vacations hitting the pause button on our work together.
Communication:
Phone:
You are welcome to call me. Be prepared to leave a message, I rarely answer my phone.
If you are calling outside of normal business hours (particularly in the evening) I’m unlikely to get back to you until the following day.
If you are calling on a weekend I will likely return your call the following week once I’m back in the office on Tuesday.
Email:
I’m an email person. It’s my preferred form of communication.
I will likely email you with information related to our work together from time to time. I encourage you to email me about your relevant experiences between sessions, i.e. things you noticed, activities you were able to do, questions that have come up. Of course, all of this takes time, but I’m happy to do it. It’s part of my commitment to your care.
I haven’t yet had anyone email me too much or too often. Usually it’s the other way around. If it starts to feel like it’s too much and taking more time than I can offer, I’ll let you know and will work out how to meet both our needs.
Text:
I can text, though I don’t carry my phone with me and often forget to look at it for hours. It was easier when I had a phone that beeped incessantly when there was a message, but this one doesn’t make a sound after the first beep, thus I forget that it might contain some recent communication. It’s really not a bad way to get a hold of me though, it’s just that I’m a relatively slow responder.
Access:
You can park various places, but the spot facing the river bench is often best.
You can use the downstairs toilet and utility sink.
You can arrive 5 minutes early, but any earlier than that and you’ll have to just wait in your car or at the river bench until I’m ready. I don’t have a waiting room.
Our Work Together:
Our sessions are 90 minutes long and start at the time they are scheduled for, regardless of whether you’re running late.
Me:
I and my studio will be clean and tidy. The studio will be well heated.
I use a massage table and draping and clients are usually undressed and/or wearing only underpants, but comfortably covered by the drape, while on the table. This can be modified if someone would feel more comfortable staying clothed. It isn’t really as big a problem as you might think to work through clothing, but I’ve found that some types of clothing work better than others, so we can chat about that.
Our session starts with a check-in or assessment to see how things are progressing and to inform our work together and make it more effective.
The hands on work will make up the majority of the session, and will be completed 5 minutes before the end of our time together.
The session will end with a brief check-out, and I may take a few minutes to share some strategies for exercises to try in the time before our next session. If there is too much information to convey before our session ends, I may email you with materials later.
I will be devoted to your care and to helping you reach the goals that we discuss together. With that in mind I will bring up your goals many times during our work together so that I stay in touch with what is important to you, and so that we can pivot as things change or as goals become clearer.
I will do my best to refer out to someone with a different expertise when it seems like it will serve you better. Unfortunately, one of my limitations at this time is in not having as large of a referral network as I would like. If you know someone in a different discipline (a neurologist, for example) who you think is skillful at what they do, I would love it if you would share their name or contact info with me.
You:
You will be clean and tidy and on time for your session. If you’ll be more than 5 minutes late you’ll let me know that you’re still coming.
If you’re more than 15 minutes late and have not contacted me I might not be immediately ready to receive you. If you’re an hour late, but still show up I consider it a no-show, see the No Shows section above.
When we come up with strategies or exercises for you to try between sessions, you’ll either give them a try or tell me why you couldn’t. In other words, you’ll participate actively in helping us reach your goals.
You’ll give some thought to what your goals for your physical abilities and lifestyle are, and pick a few that feel meaningful to you.
You can email me with questions about your health and mobility and I will either answer you by email or bring it up at your next session. Either way I will think about your questions and come back with my best answer. I love questions.
Paperwork:
I will need an Informed Consent and Health History form from you, as well as some written information about any current concerns.
You can download that here: