Why I don’t accept tips as a massage therapist
I have never taken tips. As I was finishing up massage school in 2007, I knew for certain this was not going to be part of my massage practice.
When I went to school for 18 months to become a massage therapist I learned anatomy, kinesiology, pathologies, every single muscle and bone, precautions to take with certain health conditions, what is contraindicated for massage, how to give suggestions for stretches or movement, we analyzed how people walked, we learn how their daily activity impacts their body...I think you get the point. I am not giving you a luxurious massage and rubbing oil on you. I am a therapist for the body. I can make changes and shifts in the body, relieve pain and address injuries. I am not a medical health care provider, I do not have life saving skills (though we have to have basic CPR and First Aid certifications), but the work I am doing is impacting the health of your body.
Another reason I do not take tips is I do not like the dynamic it brings to the session. People often wonder if they should tip, do I tip if it is not a spa, do I tip if it is the owner, how much should I tip? What if they didn't like the massage, should they still tip? What if I really liked the massage but I don't feel I can add 20% on top of what I am already paying. So, I decided from the start, I would never add that element.
I believe that massage not only can heal your physical body but the major impact it has on your nervous system can be life changing. On a simple level, regular massage can slow your heartrate, settle anxious or stressful feelings in your body and can get you into a meditative state. We all need to slow down, let our body and mind rest and an hour of massage not only does that but can carry over into your daily life. Just having a massage booked starts the destressing process. Receiving regular massage, whether that is every 2 weeks, once a month or quarterly, it conditions your body and your body remembers. That consistency helps your body truly relax on the table and allows you to go deeper into this state each time you receive a massage. The random massage here and there will not have the same lasting effects.
A massage therapist may say, “But you are the owner, so you get all of the money”. Actually, I don’t. I take on the responsibility of a lease that is typically a multi-year contract. I also have to furnish the office. I pay for a website, a scheduling system, I pay the Square transaction fees, I pay for the laundry service, and generate clients. I do not pocket the full amount and as a business owner I take on risk that a contractor or employee does not.
I do think that businesses should pay their massage therapists more and then the therapist would not feel the need for a tip. I actually think their schedules would be full and with consistent repeat clients if they had a no tipping policy. We need to educate people on the benefit of massage in their life.
As a consumer, paying less for a massage is going to show itself in the quality of the massage. If you really want a high level massage that gives you the benefits I have described above, you have to invest in it. I am also able to provide a superbill with insurance codes and an NPI (National Provider Identifier) number that you can submit to your insurance and see if you can get any type of reimbursement. You may also pay with your HSA card.
I am a health provider. I have extensive knowledge of the body, how it works and how to help you feel better. By not accepting tips, I think it gives my profession the integrity it deserves. You would not tip your mental health therapist, your nutritionist or your personal trainer so you don’t need to tip me either.
Written by Caroline O’Neill, owner of the BBBC and massage therapist.