Aromatherapy FAQ's| Tend

The answer is yes, but only if you’re comfortable with it.

You only need to undress to your comfort level. - As a therapist, or personally, at least for me, ideally a client would be undressed down to their underwear/pants. The reason for this is so that we have access to your body without having to clumsily move items of clothing around, which may disrupt your relaxation - or ruin and damage clothing with the oils or lotions.

You will always be covered with a towel or sheet, and this is usually the therapist’s top priority: maintaining your modesty and comfort. - However, some clients feel uncomfortable removing clothing, or may feel uncomfortable removing certain items, and that is completely fine too. A good therapist will always make sure you feel comfortable before starting treatment. We will work around your comfort level and modify where we can.

There have been times when I’ve worked with clients who begin with feeling uncomfortable removing clothing, so we do touch therapy instead and have a discussion on whether areas I can get to are on or off limits. Usually, once I’ve built trust with them, they become increasingly comfortable removing items. But if they don’t, that’s also fine with me.

I get this question a lot, and the short answer is yes! Each essential oil has a unique mix of chemical compounds, a bit like a fingerprint. Each compound has a therapeutic benefit, such as antibacterial, painkilling, antispasmodic, etc.

When the oils enter our body through the skin or inhalation, the compounds travel through the bloodstream, working as they go. Smell is also linked to the memory and emotional parts of our brain. Extensive studies have shown the effects essential oils have on our brain, and the results are outstanding.

This depends entirely on why you’re seeking treatment. It can be a bit of a minefield out there with the types of massages, and then on top of that, therapists create their own fusions.

Sports massage - For recovery, flexibility, performance. Can be quite intense and uses movement a lot during the treatment

Deep tissue massage - Relieves pain, breaks up knots, boosts blood flow, improves mobility. Not as painful as it’s made out to be and uses a lot of very slow, controlled techniques and trigger point therapy. The aim is to reach the deeper muscle layers, not the surface ones.

Swedish massage - For total-body relaxation, eases tension, and improves circulation. When you think massage, this is probably what you picture. Very rhythmic and soothing, medium to light pressure, stroking motions.

Aromatherapy massage - For applying Essential Oils. This is for relaxation and circulation. We use a very slow, gentle pace to create maximum relaxation. Generally, not for working out knots or that deep muscle itch. The oils are the stars of the show, not the “massage”, although it’s still amazing.

Lymphatic Drainage - For moving trapped fluid. Unlike our Blood (fluid), our lymphatic fluid doesn’t have a “pulse” propelling it around our bodies. It relies on movement and massage to do this. It’s a very light rhythmic treatment that usually targets superficial layers of the body, not the muscles.

*Note: Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) massage is different. This is a clinically mapped medical protocol designed for post-op swelling, lymphedema, and recovery. It’s worth checking a practitioner's qualifications and making sure they're best suited to your needs!

You also have Hot stone massage, Lomi Lomi, Thai stretch, Myofascial massage, Oncology massage… the list goes on and on!

I’m happy to chat with you to understand what you want to achieve from treatments, and I can either recommend a Tend treatment or refer you to one of the many contacts in my network.

Of course you can. If that’s what you need. In my experience, clients either completely conk out or chat from the minute we start until they take the last step out the door. It’s people’s way of expelling the energy in their bodies, or the stress, or tension.

Some people like to completely switch off and have an hour of quiet time; others have needed human connection all month, and it’s the first time they can let it go. Personally, I’ll always be led by you. One treatment you might be super chatty, the next you might not be in the mood. So, I’ll always try to meet you where you are.

Over a decade of practising Holistic Therapy, one of the biggest negative feedback points I've heard about other therapists (usually on Social media elsewhere in the world) is that their therapist wouldn’t let them talk or talked to them too much. It’ll be rare that I initiate a conversation during a treatment, but if you want to chat, I’ll never say no!

At Tend, it’s not just a massage or just a reflexology treatment. I have around 10 years’ experience in the industry and have pulled together my favourite parts of my training and self-taught elements, making them my own.

I also use Aromatherapy in everything I do. So, my reflexology isn’t just reflexology. It’s aromatherapy, reflexology, meditation and sound healing. My massages aren’t just massage; they’re Massage, Aromatherapy, Aromatherapy massage, Deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, meditation, acupressure… so to strip them back to just one doesn’t do them justice. Giving them a name that aligns with my values, and the treatment reflects that there is always a little added Tend sparkle in every treatment, or ritual, as I like to call them.

In reflexology, the foot maps the body. On the feet, points linked to organs and systems correspond to each other. As reflexologists, we feel “crunchy”, “gravelly”, or “poppy” sensations in the feet, which may indicate an energy imbalance. This doesn’t mean something is wrong, just that the energy there is a bit squiffy.

As a client, you may also feel these sensations, along with areas that feel “bruisy” or sharp, like the therapist’s nail is digging in, or a little static zip. I promise it’s not painful or unmanageable, but those are signs we look for too, as they also indicate imbalance. It’s all completely normal, and usually on a client’s first treatment I ensure I've explained the typical sensations they can expect, and talk through the points and anything the client feels as I go - they find it interesting to hear what parts of the body I’m working on.

I have two membership options.

Nurture Membership is a personal membership with an automatic monthly payment that comes out of your account. In this membership, you get:

- One treatment per month (exclusions apply)

- 10% off Seasonal Rituals

- 10% off the 1:1 meditation class

- Access to a trusted support team (grief coach, relationship coach, Financial Advisor, Mortgage Advisor)

I’ll tell you a little secret… The membership is cheaper than a treatment, so it's absolutely worth it!

The idea of the membership, and why I encourage people to sign up for it, is that regardless of it making you savings, you’re making a commitment to yourself. You include it in your monthly outgoings because it's set up like one. It’s an investment in your health and wellbeing and a promise to yourself that you’ll look after you.

The Corporate membership Tend at work is the same. Same benefits. But your employer pays.

It's set up so your employer pays a monthly fee, and up to 5 staff members receive a code to use at checkout. This renews each month. So if you want free treatments, refer me to your employer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What types of treatments do you offer?

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Do I have to take my clothes off for a treatment?

Does Aromatherapy actually work?

What type of massage do I need?

Can I talk during a treatment?

Why do you name your treatments rather than just call them what they are?

What are the painful points when having reflexology?

What’s included in the membership?

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