One of the most important things that you need to know before you can operate your own massage therapy clinic is massage therapy ethics. Knowing the guidelines (and laws) for ethics in and out can ensure your relationships with clients are productive. Plus, it protects both clients and your staff from further harm or even lawsuits. Here are some basic principles to keep in mind, although you will need more in-depth knowledge to operate your own business.
Setting Boundaries
One of the most important things to learn when looking up how to start a massage therapy business is setting boundaries. Massage is, by nature, an intimate act, and without establishing boundaries ahead of time, things can get complicated between a massage therapist and clients.
Setting and enforcing boundaries ensures that the massage is a therapeutic act that cannot be misconstrued. Boundaries also protect both the client and the massage therapist emotionally.
Creating Conditions for Informed Consent
Another important component of massage therapy ethics is consent. Massage therapy can bring up unintended consequences, both physical and emotional, for clients as it involves touch that can be sometimes intimate, sometimes painful. Obtaining consent ensures that the process will be therapeutic, not harmful.
Of course, learning how to establish ethics in massage therapy is more complicated than can be summed up in one article. Before running your own business, it’s important to learn from sources such as Books of Discovery so you are better prepared.
