Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications do you have?

I have attended Raynor Massage courses and hold the following certificates:

Diploma of Raynor Massage
Advanced Diploma of Raynor Massage

The courses are run by the Raynor College of Massage & Natural Therapies. This is an accredited member of the International Natural Therapies Association, The International Institute of Complementary Therapies, the Massage Association of Australia, and the World Massage Federation.

Are you insured?

I hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance for the treatments I provide.

When did you set up your business?

I set up David Watts Massage Therapy in August 2022. But I was performing massage before this.

What do I need to check prior to booking a treatment?

There needs to be a room in your home large enough for a massage table (185cm x 71cm / 73” x 28”) with space all around it.
There needs to be a washbasin close to the room where the treatment will take place.
There needs to be nearby parking.

What do I need to do on the day of the treatment?

Ensure that there is space for the massage table in a room.
Please remove all jewellery and hair accessories prior to the treatment.

What Covid-19 safety and hygiene procedures are used?

Please be assured that Covid-19 guidance and hygiene best practises are strictly followed. This includes:

Postponing appointments if I have Covid-19
Asking you to verify that your home is Covid-free
I will wear a face covering if requested to so do
I am fully vaccinated
Frequent washing of hands/arms
Disinfected massage table and massage tools for each client
Clean set of drapes and towels for each client
Having short, clean fingernails

Will my floor/carpet be protected?

Yes. I place a large covering beneath the massage table so that any spilt massage oil does not come into contact with the floor or carpet.

What if I do not have enough space for a massage table or I have a busy household (e.g. young children)?

In this case you can come to me in Maidenhead. There is parking outside the house on the road.

Which parts of the body does the massage cover?

Raynor Massage is a full body treatment (excluding genital areas). Particular attention is given to the head, hands and feet.

During the massage you will be fully covered with a large fleecy blanket. When working on a particular part of the body I will uncover that area. When finished I will cover it again. For women, I do not work on the breast area and this will be covered at all times.

Do I need to indicate my medical conditions?

Yes. This is important in case there are any massage contraindications. I will ask you to complete a Massage Health and Consent form on your introductory session (which you check over in any subsequent sessions).

If you have any doubts about a medical condition, just contact me prior to the session and I'll check whether massage is contraindicated or not.

What can I expect in the introductory session?

I will ask you to fill in a Massage Health & Consent form.
We will go over the form and check that there is nothing that will preclude the massage.
I am passionate about the health of clients and will ask you whether you are interested in other health-related services provided by trusted experts.
I will ask you what you wish to achieve from the massage.
I will give a brief explanation of Raynor Massage and Raynor Bands.
Then, with your permission, I will massage different parts of your body looking for tight areas.
With the remaining time I will aim to remove surface tension in the tightest areas.
Finally, a treatment plan can be drawn up based on the findings.
You can then decide whether to book a follow-up session.

What can I expect in a follow-up session?

I will ask you to check over your Massage Health & Consent form in case of any changes and sign it.
We will discuss the treatment plan suggested at the end of the last visit and take into account how you feel now. We will agree where the focus of the massage will be.
Typically in follow-up sessions a part of the body suffering from more deep-rooted tension will be targeted. The amount of tension present dictates how much of the body can be covered. For example, both feet might be worked on for one person, but for another person with much more deep-rooted tension the whole session could be taken up working on a single foot.
At the end of the session the treatment plan will be updated according to the progress made.

Will I see an improvement right away?

Most people will notice an improvement after each session.

What should I wear during the massage?

Prior to the start of the massage, I will leave the room whilst you get undressed. Please leave your pants on (ladies please remove your bra so that I can massage the back area).

Please then lie on the massage table face-up (head at the face hole end of the table) and cover yourself with the large fleecy blanket. After a few minutes I will knock on the door, check that you are ready, and re-enter.

Will the massage be painful?

Raynor Massage is not like a ‘gentle touch relaxation massage’ in a spa.

There will be some discomfort if you have deep-rooted tension. However, having said this, we will discuss different levels of pressure. I will be working with you at all times to ensure that you are always comfortable with the pressure applied. So you do not need to worry!

What typically happens is that the discomfort lessens with each follow-up treatment as the tension reduces. And you should be feeling much better afterwards!

How will I feel after the massage?

The after-effects of a massage are different for everyone.

Your muscles may feel sore for a day or two, but this is normal. Some people will be relaxed and sleepy. Others will be full of energy and feel up-lifted, and in some cases people may feel unwell. Like any massage, the latter is a normal reaction and is caused by toxins being stirred up in the body. This is more likely when deep-rooted tension is being worked on.

It is therefore important to drink lots of water after the massage to flush out these toxins (avoid caffeine and alcohol for the rest of the day).

I will provide you with a post-massage information sheet detailing recommendations and what can happen after a massage.

Do you massage with oil?

The initial massage of hands and feet is without oil (it is difficult to do an effective massage here when the skin is slippery). But otherwise oil is used when massaging the body.

What type of oil do you use?

I use grape seed oil. It has a light texture, provides long-lasting lubrication on the skin, and is good at reducing friction during a massage. Most people are not allergic to grape seed oil.

Another oil that I can use is coconut oil. This has a heavier texture, is still good for massage, and is absorbed well into the skin. It also smells nice!

On request, I can mix essential oils with the massage oil.

How long is the session?

The minimum session is 90 minutes. I find that this is the time needed to provide an effective treatment (hands and/or feet are often massaged first - where tension is anchored - and this takes time).

If you have deep-rooted tension you might like to book 2 hours or 2.5 hours, providing the opportunity of reducing tension as much as possible.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of treatment sessions needed depends on how much tension you are holding in your body and how long it has been there. Typically, the longer the tension has existed, the more sessions will be required to reduce/remove it.

Initial treatment sessions remove the surface tension and subsequent sessions address the deeper layers of tension. Raynor massage is not a "magic quick fix massage" - it takes time to remove layers of tension.

How often is your equipment cleaned?

After each client. The massage table, bolsters and my stall are wiped down with disinfectant wipes. Drapes and towels are washed, and any tools used are also cleaned. A clean set of drapes and towels is provided for each client.

Can I eat before a massage?

It's best not to eat before a massage, or if you do, just a light snack one or two hours beforehand. If you have a heavy meal prior to a massage you may experience digestive issues and you may find it difficult to relax.

Can I block book appointments?

Yes, just let me know which times/dates you would like. Payment is after each session. When booking 5 appointments in advance there is a discount available - the 5th session is free.

What is the time of the last appointment each day?

You may book an evening appointment. The latest starting time is 20:00.

Can a friend sit in with me during the treatment?

No problem. I just ask that they do not chat to you during the treatment so that I can concentrate on the massage.

How much does a treatment cost?

Please see the Appointements / Prices page here.

Is there an extra charge for your travel costs?

No. All stated prices are inclusive of my travel.

How do I pay for a treatment?

Payment can be made using cash, credit/debit card, mobile device or bank transfer immediately after the treatment. Cash or bank transfer is preferred. Cheques are not accepted.

Do you offer any discount packages?

Yes, if you book 5 sessions in advance the 5th treatment is free (so 5 sessions for the price of 4). You pay after each session.

What is deep tissue massage?

Deep tissue massage involves slow strokes with firm and sustained pressure applied. This allows the deeper layers of muscles to be massaged, as well as the connective tissue surrounding muscles known as fascia.

The strong pressure helps to break up scar tissue that forms following an injury and reduces tension in muscles and fascia. This relieves pain and increases mobility.

Deep tissue massage benefits include:

Refreshed and relaxed muscles, increasing the blood flow and therefore oxygen flow around the body.
Removal of toxins in sore and strained muscles; this helps them to strengthen and heal.
Lowering of heart rate and blood pressure.
Relieving chronic muscle tension.
Breaking down of scar tissue and “knots” deep in the muscles.

What is your relaxation massage like?

If you would just like to indulge in some "me time", I provide a relaxing massage. Some of the strokes are similar to those used in a Raynor massage but with less pressure applied (i.e. not a deep tissue massage). Other strokes are similar to those used in Swedish and Californian massage.

Do you do pregnancy massage?

Sorry, I do not do pregnancy massage.

Do you do acupuncture treatments?

Acupuncture is where fine needles are inserted into certain areas of the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes. I do not perform this type of treatment.

Do you do hot stone massage?

Hot stone massage is where smooth, hot stones are placed on your back. The hot stones provide heat therapy to the muscles, which can help reduce tension and pain. I do not perform this type of treatment.

Do you offer gift vouchors?

Sorry, gift vouchors are not provided at the current time. But you can arrange a massage in advance on behalf of someone else.

Do you offer 'happy ending' massages?

Absolutely not. Any such requests will lead to an immediate termination of the treatment session.

What is your privacy policy?

The information held for each client is:

Contact details (name, phone, email, address)
Massage Health & Consent form
SOAP form (diagram of body indicating tight areas)
Accounting details (name, date, amount paid)

This information is treated as confidential and is never shared with any individuals or organisations.

It is held for a reasonable amount of time dictated by the indemnity insurance policy in use (after this period, if no longer applicable, the details will be erased). Clients may request a copy of their data at any time.

Contact details will never be used by David Watts Massage Therapy for email/text advertising campaigns (i.e. clients will not receive unsolicited emails/texts regarding advertising). Clients may be contacted once to request a review of their experience with David Watts Massage Therapy.