The following influencing factors will determine the treatment plan you agree with your client. A consultation form and treatment plan should be completed prior to the treatment to enable the therapist to provide the best possible treatment for their client:
Age – Elderly clients & children should receive shorter treatments & massage pressure should be lighter
Health – The state of the client’s health should be established within the consultation & the consultation form can include questions about the client’s general health and lifestyle
Postural analysis - The way a client walks into the treatment room can speak volumes, as well as observing how they stand & sit can determine if there are any postural problems or imbalances, as well as conducting a postural analysis during consultation for a massage, sports or holistic treatment
Client preference - This should be established at consultation, e.g., what pressure do they prefer in massage? Do they hate their feet being touched? For beauty treatments, do they suffer from watery eye? Is there products they dislike?
Time of day i.e., client may not want a treatment if they have to go to work after their treatment, i.e., spray tan, manicure, massage, microdermabrasion
Medication – Part of the consultation would include asking the client if they are taking any medication. Medication can have side effects and the client may experience differences whilst on medication that they do not normally experience, for example, they may develop skin sensitivity
Lifestyle - This can determine things such as their posture, how they look after their skin, their stress levels, their nutritional content of their diet
Expectations – It is important for the therapist to discover what the client’s expectations are of the treatment, and to clarify anything the client is not sure about, as well as ensuring the client’s expectations are realistic.
Contra-indications - Some conditions will prevent or restrict a treatment from being carried out. Each treatment will have its own contra-indications and these should be checked during their consultation
Cost – The cost of a treatment will very often determine how often a client returns for further treatments, regardless of how much their body responds well to treatment. Ensure that you price your treatments fairly, and it is good practice to research other therapist’s charges within your area. You could also consider offering a discount for block booked treatments as an incentive for the client to book regular treatments.
Time – Sufficient time should be allowed for the treatment so the client does not feel rushed, and the client having the time for frequent treatments might be a factor to consider
Frequency – How often would the client benefit from having the treatment, the client’s finances might deter them from booking a treatment as frequently as they would benefit from.
Medical history - Are their any previous contra-indications to consider? What is their family medical history?
Presenting symptoms - What conditions do they have and what are their current symptoms?
Previous treatments (the type of treatment they had, what were the results, what were the benefits, any contra-actions that may have occurred). Previous treatments carried out by yourself, should be recorded in the consultation and treatment plan. It is also good practice to ask the client if they have had the treatment elsewhere before and any outcomes / reactions that they may have experienced.
Consent – The client must sign the consultation form, consenting to the treatment being agreed and carried out.
Objectives – What objectives are the client wishing to achieve from the treatment, this important so the therapist can adapt the treatment accordingly – Relaxation, Uplifting / Stimulating, Balancing, Stress relief, fuller/longer lashes, tanned skin, glowing skin, more prominent eyebrows.
Presenting conditions - The consultation gives the therapist the opportunity to establish any presenting conditions that are treatable with a treatment, such as, depression, arthritis, colitis, constipation, hay fever, stress, etc. It is important to ensure that the client has no contraindicated conditions before treating.
Reactions – Each client’s reaction to the treatment will vary as well as each treatment might be different on the same client. All of their reactions should be logged in their consultation records for future reference, e.g., client felt cold. Client experienced discomfort
Contra-actions (undesirable reactions/ healing crisis) – These should be recorded whether it occurs during or after a treatment. It is important to ask at their next appointment, how they felt after the treatment so the client can give you their feedback on any reactions they might of experienced, e.g., they might of slept really well that night, they may have had a headache the next day, or felt like they were getting a cold, felt more emotional, skin was sore following a waxing treatment, redness of skin.
Stress level – The consultation form should include, what the client feels their stress levels are at that particular time of treatment. It is also important to establish whether they lead a stressful life & if there are ways they can reduce / eliminate the sources of stress.
Thank you for reading :-)
Karen xx
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