Massage Therapy and Intention Setting

Have you ever walked into a massage room, not knowing what you wanted worked on? Did you leave feeling refreshed? Or unsettled that the knots and aches that have been bothering you weren't addressed? Taking a moment to set intentions prior to your massage can help focus your session and yield your desired results.

What do we mean by "Setting Intentions"

What we mean by "setting intentions" is both with yourself and with your massage therapist. All massage therapists regardless if they've received a New Client Intake Form, if the client is new, or a long-time regular, should also have a verbal intake with their client to check in on their current condition and focus.

In order to articulate your needs and current status, you need a moment to reflect on yourself prior to your massage. Identify any aches or pains, how these make you feel or how they affect your daily activity, and to derive your areas of focus from this reflection.

Then, once you enter the massage studio, you and your therapist will check in on these topics to form a plan for your session. The information you provide is invaluable in guiding the massage therapist with setting their own intentions in how to approach your needs.

What Direction is Helpful

First reflect on what you're feeling in your body. Do you have any aches or pains that need to be addressed? Where in your body do you feel these? And how does this ache or pain manifest? Is it a burning or sharp pain? Is it painful at the touch, consistent pain, or only when that joint is performing a specific motion?

Next, reflect on how you feel this sensation, ache, or pain -or in other words, how it affects your body or lifestyle. Does it make it hard to breathe or is it more like a stitch in your side? Does it impinge your mobility or do you compensate by relying on other body parts?

Your massage therapist will ask guiding questions during your verbal intake prior to your massage in order to gain a better understanding of what your current experience is and what your expectations for the session are.

How Chase Uses this Feedback

Chase uses this information to establish what areas are your priorities, giving your areas of focus the most attention. By listening to your feedback in the type of pain or sensation your experiencing and how this impacts your lifestyle, he can better hone in on the specific trigger point or muscle group that is the source of your discomfort. By understanding the source of your discomfort, Chase can form a plan to approach this area with the appropriate massage technique or tool.

Some Examples of Intention Setting Include...

"I would like a 'tune up'. Just see what you find and work on what's needed."

"I feel tension in my lower back and between my shoulder blades that I want worked out."

"My body feels out of alignment and I want some help with this."

"I injured my elbow playing pickle ball and can't extend it fully now."

"I want to maintain my body wellness by focusing on .... (fill in the blank)."

“My intention is to recognize the root of my physical pain, to hold myself in love and kindness and to allow deep healing to occur.”

In Conclusion

Taking a moment before entering the massage room to consider what your focus for that session is, and which areas you want to prioritize can give invaluable direction to your massage therapist, and provide you with the most optimal experience during your session. Additionally, by directing your focus to your healing process, generally your body will focus on aiding the healing process as well.

References:

Fritsch-Gerl, M. Setting Your Intention [blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.listeningtouch1.net/setting-your-intention.html

Jason, D. E. (2014 October). Focused Mind, Energy & Words: Harness the Healing Power of Intention [article]. Retrieved from Healing-Intention-Article-Oct14.pdf

Walters, C. (2025 November 10). Discussion of Intention Setting with Massage Therapy (C. G. Walters Interviewer) [Personal communication].

Additional Sources:

Jason, D. E. (2014 October 1). Sample Intentions for Therapists and Clients [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.massagemag.com/sample-intentions-for-therapists-and-clients-26989/