In April, 2024, I began my 23rd year as a Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in deep tissue therapeutic massage. At this point, I've decided that I have to reduce the amount of clients that I can help each week. I hope that, after reading this article, you'll have a better understanding about why I'm doing this.

Many massage therapists leave the profession before their five-year anniversary, mainly from not specializing (leading to a small clientele) or failing to take care of his or her health & fitness or having unresolved injuries that make massage therapy too difficult to provide.

Since I began my massage therapy career and started learning the best ways to help my clients, the demand for the service I provide has been increasing each year, which I have been thankful for. But with an unfortunate genetic tendency for both arthritic joints and tendinopathies that have started to manifest after the many years of overuse, I will have to limit my availability to only the clients whom I can describe as my "Ideal Clients."

For the most part, I have "given a pass" to clients over the years who have done things that an Ideal Client would never do. The fact that I won't be able to help as many clients as I have been means that I can no longer help those non-Ideal Clients. 


What exactly is an Ideal Client?

Each person who offers services to the public has his or her own definition of the Ideal Client. After providing massage therapy to thousands of clients (many of whom I would consider "Ideal"), I have found that a percentage of clients are more difficult to work with or make my work more challenging than it needs to be. So I will not be able to provide service to clients who do not meet my definition of an Ideal Client.


Are you an Ideal Client?

My Ideal Client is someone that I look forward to seeing, that I find rewarding to be able to help with my massage therapy, and who appreciates the effort that I give to help them. To be more specific, based on the thousands of clients I've provided massage therapy to, below is a list of that of characteristics that make up my Ideal Client. However, it is not necessary to meet every one of these characteristics to schedule massage sessions with me.

An Ideal Client...

• understands the value of prevention and has regularly scheduled massage sessions
  as opposed to always waiting until the last-minute when the pain gets real bad, then needs an immediate appointment

• regularly arrives for his or her appointment 5 to 10 minutes before its start time (and no earlier than that, since that can rush the therapist and shorten a needed break)

• has a personal reminder system (e.g., phone calendar app, paper calendar) so he or she will not miss an appointment if not reminded

• schedules most appointments at least 24 hours before the desired start time (ideally, multiple weeks before that)

• notifies the therapist at least 24 hours in advance if he or she needs to cancel or reschedule an appointment

• is late for an appointment no more than once out of every 20 appointments

• texts or calls as soon as it's obvious that he or she will not be on time for an appointment (however, emergencies can
  happen and cause a last-minute change, but emergencies aren't often)

• follows recommendations given to him or her regarding activities to do and not do between appointments

• is comfortable with the therapist's selection of soft instrumental music

• is comfortable with a room temperature between 71 and 75 degrees (including the use of heated mattress pad and/or
  heated blanket)

• puts phone on Mute before massage

• doesn't use phone during session (unless expecting emergency call)

• stays awake during interactive massage techniques

• doesn't start conversations about political or religious topics

• doesn't require a "special" setup for the massage table or massage room that 95% of other clients do not require

• doesn't wear excessive perfume/cologne

• doesn't arrive to massage appointment with wet hair

I do have quite a few regular clients who can check off every one of those characteristics, making them my top Ideal Clients. And as difficult as it may be to believe, I have clients who can only check off one of those characteristics--those are the clients who are too far from Ideal and will no longer be able to schedule massage therapy with me.

If you are currently or not currently a client of mine, but can check off most of the characteristics above, feel free to contact me to schedule your appointment!

Howard Northrup    MA 35627 

152 N. Harbor City Blvd, Suite 100, Melbourne, FL    MM38293

950 N. Cocoa Blvd., Suite 107, Cocoa, FL    MM12631