I received my first massage from Joe today. I felt comfortable around him right away, which helped…read moreme to relax. One thing that I definitely noticed is that there was very little chit chat during the massage. Just a little brief chit chat here and there. I appreciated that not only because Joe wasn't too chatty (he and I did chat a little bit here and there, though, which was nice), but because I have received massage from over 70 massage therapists in the Seattle area over the past 20 years, and there are very few therapists that I feel comfortable enough with during the FIRST session to not feel at all compelled to chat with the therapist quite a bit during my massage. I usually want to know who is massaging me! I get curious about the person!! Haha.
I can honestly say I've never received a massage quite like the massage that I received today from Joe.
I enjoyed some interesting stretches, some neck work that felt very needed, and some great mid-to-low-back bodywork. Part of my Deep Lomi Style massage was done with me positioned side-lying - my favorite position in which to receive massage.
I had checked in advance with Joe via e-mail about his safety procedures, and they're sound. He was able to leave the window open (at my request) during my massage, and he had an air purifier going also. He wore a mask for the entire duration of the intake, the massage, and the check-out.
The music was soft, not too loud or intrusive, and it provided a lovely background noise. The lighting was perfect for me, I prefer the lighting to be slightly darker in the massage room since it's more relaxing for me that way.
Joe checked in about the level of pressure, and he was very open and responsive to my feedback - which he strongly encouraged me to give - about level of pressure, position of my body and head on the table, preference for bolstering, any areas to avoid or go lightly on, type of oil used, and anything else that made the massage experience truly special. I felt that Joe went above and beyond to make sure that I felt cared for and attended to.
Usually when I review a massage therapist here on yelp, I explain that I graduated from Port Townsend School of Massage in 2016 - however, I have never practiced massage professionally, since my life ended up going in a different direction at that time. So, I know a bit more about massage therapy than someone who doesn't have this particular educational background.
I enjoyed my massage with Touch Factor Massage and Bodywork, I would receive massage from Joe again, and I would highly recommend this business to anyone who wants a truly unique and special massage experience.