Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions you might have.
Meanwhile, here are some FAQs which might provide a faster answer...
Qu: What measures are in place regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19)?
Click here for Clinic Visit Info re: changes in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
Click here for my Coronavirus Policy. If you have any questions or concerns around this, please do not hesitate to get in contact and ask.
Qu: Do you have Free Parking?
Yes! For the duration of their appointments, my clients are able to park their car on my private driveway, which is off-road and therefore exempt from Kingston parking charges. Please ensure that all 4 car wheels are on the driveway and not over-hanging on the pavement, as our local parking wardens are 'very efficient'.
Bicycles can be secured to the iron-railings on the side of the driveway.
Qu: What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
Please let me know as soon as you decide not to attend an appointment.
Rescheduling: It is possible to reschedule appointments with more than 24 hours notice, in emergencies or in cases of sudden illness, Clients who habitually reschedule appointments will be declined future bookings.
Cancellation: Cancellations ahead of 24 hours before the appointment incur no charge. If you cancel an appointment with less than 24 hour's notice you will be liable for your full treatment fee. You will be unable to re-book until payment has been received.
No-Shows: To help prevent forgotten bookings, you will be sent a reminder the day before your appointment. If you do not attend a confirmed appointment, you will be liable for your treatment fee and will be unable to re-book until payment has been received.
These policies are in line with most local private healthcare providers (eg dentists, physiotherapists, cosmetic clinics etc) and will be exercised in good faith.
Qu: What if I am late for my appointment?
If you are running more than a few minutes late for your scheduled arrival time, please let me know by phone/text if possible to do so, otherwise you will be called to check that you are on route and have not simply forgotten.
Please be aware that in the case of late arrivals, it will not be possible to extend beyond your scheduled departure time and you will still be charged for the full appointment. If you are more than 15 minutes late arriving, your appointment may be cancelled and you will still be liable for payment of the appointment fee; having said that, some time is factored in to each appointment slot for un/dressing & rebooking etc, so if you are just a few minutes late and able to change etc quickly, you won't miss out.
Qu: How long will I be at my appointment?
Unlike many treatment providers, I believe that if you book an hour's treatment, that is exactly what you should get (not 45 minutes on the couch with the other 15 minutes spent filling out forms and hurriedly changing clothes etc). Please factor in a little extra time for changing etc (approx 10 minutes in addition to your treatment time), so for a 60 minute treatment, please expect 70 minutes here on site.
Following new regulations for Covid-19 transmission reduction, your time at the practice has to be limited to your treatment and to changing. Therefore, before your first appointment you will be required to complete a health consultation online (or by telephone), in order to clarify what it is you hope to gain from therapy and for me to understand your medical history and any adjustments to your treatment plan it requires.
For subsequent visits, please email a day before your appointment any changes in your health or medication, or if changes are minor, these can be communicated on arrival.
Any required aftercare advice will come to you in a follow-up email.
Qu: What forms of payment do you accept?
For appointments: cash, debit or credit card payment on the day of your visit, or direct bank transfer in advance. To reduce currently outrageously high card-handling fees, cash and bank transfer are definitely preferred.
For Gift Vouchers purchased remotely: bank transfer to be cleared before voucher is sent.
Qu: Can I bring my child/children/someone else along to my appointment?
Sorry, no. My treatment room is frequently used by people with serious health issues who are immunosuppressed (ie susceptible to bacterial infection & catching every virus going). It's as simple as that - infection & contagion risk control - thank you for understanding and acting accordingly (ie rescheduling) should your childcare plans fail on the day. The exception is if you have special needs and require a carer with you to help you; in this case, please just notify me in advance.
Qu: Should I leave a tip?
No thank you, I do not accept tips; but if you enjoy your treatment, please take a moment to leave a Google review instead, as that would be hugely appreciated and really helpful to me.
Qu: Do you sell Gift Vouchers?
Yes! You can purchase a scheduled gift voucher and book somebody in for a treatment on a specific date and time (eg on their birthday or after their exams finish), or you can purchase a general gift voucher which allows the recipient to choose an appointment date, time and type of treatment.
Certificates are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Choose between a paper version through the post or an e-certificate by email.
Qu: Can you travel to me for my treatment?
If you are able to travel to & from the practice by taxi or private transport, this will be more economical than having a clinic-based therapist travelling to you. However, if necessary for those with post-surgical mobility issues or for Oncology Massage clients too unwell to travel, appointments within a short travel time of my practice can be arranged following my provision of & your acceptance of an off-site treatment quote. Please understand that accepting off-site work means I necessarily loose work at my practice which is typically fully booked, and so in order to travel to your home, I must charge for all the time I spend offsite at a rate which covers loss of earnings at my practice.
To detail this further, this is how my off-site quotes are calculated:
The treatment fee...
Plus: Additional time for car travel (in both directions, as estimated by Google Maps as average for the relevant time of day)
Plus: Additional time: 30 minutes for setting up and taking down my massage table & other equipment both at my practice and in your home.
Plus: Any applicable parking charges (unless you provide off-road parking spot or Visitor's parking permit for the duration of the visit).
NB: All Additional time is currently charged at £55/hr.
If when choosing a therapist to come to your home, paying the lowest price possible is your priority, you will find it more economical to use a mobile therapist or a mobile massage company rather than a predominantly clinic-based practitioner.
Qu: What are your nearest public transport links?
Kingston train station is a 7 minute walk away.
65 Bus Route: Get off at the "Kings Road" bus stop.
Buses travelling towards Kingston from Ham & Richmond: the 'Kings Road' bus stop is outside The Oak pub which is on the corner of Richmond Park Road. Walk to clinic: less than 1 min.
Buses travelling towards Ealing Broadway from Kingston: cross the Richmond Road & head towards The Oak pub, which is on the corner of Richmond Park Road. Walk to clinic: 3 mins (due to waiting for the traffic lights)
Qu: How often should I get a massage?
For those using massage for general wellness, I recommend a frequency of once/twice a month, which allows people in normal good health to receive maximum benefits as each session builds upon the positives of the last. Bodies used to massage respond to it better and faster to it than those who have not experienced it before or in some time.
Research demonstrates very strongly that massage helps to combat depression, stress, anxiety and insomnia-related-to-stress, so for people going through a particularly difficult life situation or for those in high-stress professions, I suggest aiming to have a massage every one to two weeks.
For the treatment of a chronic condition eg arthritis, or for an acute problem eg muscular injury or postural aches, people generally need to receive massage more frequently in order to see any real improvement. I advise my clients individually on the type of schedule I believe most suits their needs, but very broadly speaking: approx once/twice weekly for the first four weeks, then gradually increasing time between sessions as symptoms improve, before moving down to a maintenance schedule. These 'decreasing intensity' schedules are most likely to have the best results on improving mobility or painful symptoms. You wouldn't expect to reach peak fitness after one exercise session, the same is true in harnessing the benefits of massage.
With pregnancy massage, it very much depends on the individual progress of the pregnancy and the mother's health in response to it, but many women find that in the last trimester particularly, weekly massage helps to improve stress levels relating to the impending birth and can certainly alleviate common pregnancy symptoms such as swollen ankles, back ache, headaches and sciatica.
For those aiming to enhance athletic performance, massage is a superb support mechanism for reaching peak physical fitness whilst providing some level of injury protection. People heavily involved in sports recreationally, or those competing at a serious level professionally are advised to have a massage twice (or more) a week during periods of intense training and perhaps once or twice a month during their off-season to maintain muscle health and flexibility.
The bottom line is that people who wish to treat specific conditions or symptoms will need to have massage more frequently than people who use it purely for enjoyment and relaxation. Not everyone has the time or financial ability to commit to 'ideal massage schedules' however, so to them I say "Some is always better than none!" Ask yourself how you felt after your last massage... When you need that feeling again, book yourself in.
NB: Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage is a different kettle of fish altogether and the above guidelines are not directly applicable to it.
