Here it is: A distillation of everything I’ve learned about massage since massage school, and how to really nail down that feeling of “flow.”

These tips might seem rather simple, but I invite you to take them, one at a time, into your upcoming sessions and see what changes happen.

These are all really about giving a mindful massage. What message are my hands sending when I place them on the body? When I remove them? How am I allowing my focus to change the quality of my touch in areas that I’m thinking about versus everywhere else?

My favorite tip, and the one that is probably most difficult to implement, is the last one: “Put yourself in your client’s place.” This one is difficult to describe because it feels like being in two places at once. While staying connected with your hand and its actions, what is their shoulder feeling? Can I feel it in my shoulder?

This is a head space that I try to dip into as often as I can during a massage, especially on days when I’m distracted or just not “feeling it.” By immersing my mind in the place where our nervous systems meet, it helps me move intuitively and shake off automaticity. If this were my shoulder, what would it want next?

Let me know what you think about this one, and get back to me once you try one or more of these!