Nancy Saunders believes in the trifecta of organization, communication, and trust. This instructor at the Boulder Massage Therapy Institute teaches that to be a successful MT requires mastering both analog and digital expertise, especially in the time of COVID-19. “Working smarter, not harder” is her motto and she has tips for MTs from her 30 years of professional practice and teaching. From the basics of client interaction to the skill set needed for establishing trust in the therapeutic relationship, Nancy wants to remind MTs to listen, because it’s the client’s session.
In this podcast, you’ll learn about:
- Establishing trust with your clients
- Making new clients feel comfortable during COVID-19
- Successful communication strategies
- Analog vs. digital communication
- The value of listening to the client
When asked about ensuring that it’s the client’s session, Saunders says, “It’s going to be a broken record of connection, connection, connection with your clients and listening. You cannot go into a session with a preconceived notion. You need to communicate with your clients by listening to what they say. And that comes from non-verbal communication. Just being more intuitive. Learning about their lifestyles. Everything works off of each other. Everything feeds off of each other. And when somebody is looking for a massage therapist, and they find you online, it’s so helpful and gratifying.”
Nancy Saunders graduated from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 1992. For over 10 years, she was the Massage Therapy Director for the Colorado Athletic Club in Denver. Saunders left the Colorado Athletic Club to become an independent contractor, renting a room and running her independent business within a massage therapy clinic. She learned to establish networking relationships with doctors, chiropractors, and OB/GYNs. In 2006, Saunders opened her own office, Saunders Massage Therapy. She specializes in orthopedic massage for chronic pain conditions and stress management. Her clientele has grown to include people living with MS, Parkinson’s, ALS, and cancer, and their caregivers. Saunders is also an instructor at the Boulder Massage Therapy Institute.
This episode of The ABMP Podcast is sponsored by Anatomy Trains and Yomassage.