Pregnancy Thai Yoga Massage for the Hearing Impaired

To the left is a photo of the collection of all the Post-It Notes my client and I scribbled to one another during her Pregnancy Thai Yoga Massage with me.  I worked with my first pregnant deaf client the other week (I don't mean to offend, but is it totally un-PC to call someone deaf?).  She didn't tell me beforehand she was hearing impaired, so I had no idea...not until she parked and got out; I yelled hello from a distance, but saw that she didn't react.  It wasn't until she walked through the gate, and looked up and saw my mouth moving that she pointed at her ear.  A-ha, I got it.

I didn't feel prepared, but very quickly, I found that body language was easier for me to communicate in, than verbal (go figure, being a massage therapist and all...).  Gesturing to her feet, I asked her to remove her shoes by the front door.  With a smile, I gestured for her to follow me to my studio.  She set her stuff down, and sat as I handed her a pen and my consultation form.  As she filled her info out, I had the brilliant idea to scribble my first notes: "Hi! FYI: Bathroom is down the hallway to your right, just in case.  I will ask you 1/2 way through the massage in case you need to go, OK?"  :)  Having to clam up forced me to be creative with my words, and also, more precise.  "Massage starts lying on your right-side.  I will prop and support with pillows, and keep you warm with a blanket.  Any questions, just let me know."

Have you ever felt like talking is a lot of hot air?  That much the time we spend speaking is just that...and not much listening?  I sure do.  But I am not hearing impaired, so I don't have the choice to block people's voices out, unless it's by avoidance.  But oftentimes, I wonder if talking is just filler.

Not so with my pregnant client.  I began my massage, and unlike my usual clients, there was no talking...just the soft sounds of kundalini mantras playing and keeping the vibration up.  Without verbal reassurance, all she had to go on was feeling comfortable with my touch...and I was keenly aware that my touch was one of the strongest trust builders she had.  As I kept massaging her, my initial anxiety over lack of preparation melted away into appreciation for the silence.  It allowed me concentrate deeper, and focus on body language to convey, totally and completely.

As we hit the halfway mark, I tapped her on the shoulder.  Most of my pregnant mommas appreciate the pit stop.  She was no exception, being nearly 7 months on.  During her break, I scribbled more notes: "Forgot to tell you, baby may move more due to you relaxing.  Your ribs and upper back are tight, so extra room gives baby room to move around."  She wrote back, "It's what the baby and I need!"

And so began a flurry of note scribbling, punctuated by nods and smiles of approval!!  It was really fun!  I found that my face, particularly the jaw, was really relaxed from not having to use it for facial expressions, other than genuine smiling.  I wrote my observations, and she wrote her back.  Felt like communication in a more purer form.  A connection was made...we got one another.

At the end of her 90 minute massage, I wrote, "U feeling OK?  Questions?  I'll show you a yoga stretch for opening up your ribs and lungs OK?  Will help stretch backs of legs too."  She wrote back, "The more I feel good (some pain) when you stretched me, the more I realize I really want to sign up for pre-natal yoga.  It's what I and my body needs."

Wrapping it up, I wrote, "If you have any questions, feel free to email me anytime.  I can always go over what we talked about over email...I'm sure you got a lot on your mind anyways." :)  She nodded and responded with the nicest compliment of all: a very generous 20% tip, and the words, "Whenever I am back in town, I will be in touch."