I booked the massage over the phone and spoke with Ray. I told him I wanted a 90 minute Swedish massage, and in that 90 minutes I wanted mainly full body relaxation massage plus some deeper massage on the most stiff areas of my body. He said Estelle may be better suited for me than him (the only other RMT available that week).
It seemed at the time Ray had my best interests in mind, but his carelessness with the booking and failure to communicate to Estelle the type of massage I requested proves otherwise (I did not know all this until after the massage unfortunately).
I saw Estelle 2 days later. She did not ask me what I wanted from the treatment and since I had requested (over the phone) a specific type of massage, I assumed that information was communicated to her and she would provide that service as requested. She did not. I thought for the first while she was just warming up, but after sometime it became clear that whatever she was doing was not in anyway related to Swedish massage. She did not use oil or lotion, her techniques was a poking motion through the sheets. This could be a valid technique?, but it was not Swedish massage. By this point it was too late to ask her to start all over again and be able to accomplish what I had requested for the massage. I also got the impression she was not open to changing her technique to something I would prefer more since she made no attempt to communicate in any way about the massage she was giving. I have seen many massage therapists, and all have checked in numerous times throughout the massage. Estelle was a mute, and I did not know how to deal this new situation until I perceived that what she was doing would result in my discomfort........
While she was working on my head, I suspected she was doing craniosacral as I have had that therapy a few times before, but it always left me with very unpleasant after effects, and I did not want to experience those effects ever again. I asked her what she was doing. When she said it was craniosacral therapy, I told her that I did not book craniosacral, and I did not want craniosacral. She abruptly took her hands off my head and moved to my arms where all she did was dig her thumb in between the muscles. This was quite painful from the beginning, but nothing I could not tolerate until the last point she dug into (only half way up my second arm). I grimaced in pain, then she just dropped my arm and just left the room.
Never at any point did Estelle mention she would be giving me craniosacral therapy as part of the treatment. She just did it. I never consented to have this therapy. Never at any point in the massage asked me if the pressure was too much or too little...or attempt any communication about the massage. She did not suggest any home care either. She did not seem to realize that I was a human being (not just a body on the table) who came to her to receive a service....not to just pay her for her mindless palpating.
When I came out to the reception area. I asked her what my booking said in the computer, and stated the massage did not resemble at all what I had asked for when I made the booking. She said it was put in as an "first visit" and that was all it said. I asked her why then she did not ask me before the massage what I wanted. She said "I just do what I want".
Estelle showed no interest in providing a useful service for the client (me). She was unapologetic about the booking mix up, the fact she did not care to find out what I wanted from the session, and kept justifying her actions as "what she does". She admitted that she always does whatever she want's if there is no specific request indicated on the computer booking.
I went to Trikinetic in hopes of a relaxing time. It ended up causing more stress in the end, especially due to Estelle's inability to communicate about her treatment and resolve a conflict. Estelle was incredibly unprofessional both inside and outside of the massage room. read more
