FAQs

WHY AM I BEING ASKED FOR A CREDIT CARD?

Time is extremely valuable for a massage therapist. Typically, a massage therapist can (should) only do about 5 hours of massage each day. Credit Cards are how we protect our massage therapists from no call/no show clients. We always pay our massage therapists, even if a client doesn’t show up. We acknowledge there are people that hate giving out credit cards, but we have no choice but to require them. Also, this practice keeps our rates as low as possible.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELATION POLICY?

Cancelation outside of 6 hours of your appointment has no penalty.

Cancelation within 6 hours of your appointment equals 50% of session fee.

Cancelation within an hour of your appointment (or no show) is equal to 100% of your session fee.

DO I HAVE TO GET COMPLETELY NAKED?

The short answer: no, absolutely not.

We try to stress that taking everything off is the ideal scenario because it aids in our therapy options. However, there is no way any good massage therapist will ever insist on you being uncomfortable during your session.

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER MASSAGE PLACE?

Short answer: we actually care about your therapy - you are not just another client with a credit card.

At Sterling Therapeutic Massage, we believe in the word ‘therapeutic’ when it comes to therapeutic massage. We stress the word ‘therapeutic’ to get potential clients to understand that our approach is geared toward actual results. We use our combined 35 years experience to not only give a massage, but also to help educate clients on the why and how they are hurting themselves and what can be done about it.

DO YOU ACCEPT INSURANCE?

Unfortunately, no. We do not accept insurance. We would like to, but insurance companies do not believe in massage therapy and thus make it extremely difficult for massage therapy establishments to accept insurance.

I’VE HEARD YOU PERFORM BREAST MASSAGE. IS THIS TRUE?

Short answer: yes.

To clarify, when we are talking about this area, we are talking about the entire chest, not just breast tissue. Our bodies do not distinguish between areas that are comfortable for the client to have massaged. When we tense up every day, it is head to toe and front to back. Muscles in the front of the body (of both men and women) tense up just as much as anywhere else. We are one of the few therapeutic massage establishments that actually care enough about our clients to even consider broaching the subject when it is necessary. Please note, however, that it is never something that is pushed; it is always up the the client if this area is worked. A waiver and consent form must be signed before this area is massaged.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET A MASSAGE?

Once a month is the ideal preventative maintenance interval for therapeutic massage. If you have not had massage much before you start your monthly sessions, it is recommended to get the first few sessions at two week intervals.

ISN’T $99 A LITTLE PRICEY?

"You get what you pay for." Just like anything else, results matter. If you are like most people, you want to stop hurting all the time - you want a massage therapist that has the training, the knowledge and the care to help you find the results you're looking for. We are not “just a massage” and so will not fight the large chains to be the cheapest massage out there because, honestly, who wants to be the cheapest anything?

What’s the difference between Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Massage?

Sterling likes to say, “which word comes first.”

When American’s think of massage therapy, they think of a relaxation day at a spa where you pamper yourself for a job well done or as a celebration of something.

However, when people think of therapeutic massage, they immediately start thinking of the therapeutic nature of what’s going on. Our clients expect their massage therapy session to not be the most relaxing thing because they are looking for long term relief results as opposed to a pampering session.

Does Therapeutic Massage hurt?

Sterling always says a good massage therapy session should be uncomfortable, but never painful. This is because, much like going to a gym, if you aren’t feeling some sort of change, there is no change.

Clarification, “No Pain, No Gain” does NOT work in therapeutic massage. If it hurts beyond a general discomfort, absolutely tell your therapist immediately. There may be a less painful technique to achieve the same results.

Why is your mascot gnomes?

When Sterling was little, one of his favorite TV shows was David the Gnome. It was a wonderful show about a wood gnome named David. He was a doctor that spoke to children about helping animals and nature. As Sterling grew up, he never lost his interest in gnomes and decided that gnomes should be a part of the business.

Fun fact: Gnomes are creatures that, for the most part, look very human with human proportions. The “gnomes” one typically sees where all you see is a pointy cap and a bulbous nose sticking out of a beard, is a Gonk. A Gonk is a cousin to the Gnome.