Available by appointment: (209) 818-8869
*New Clients must book by phone, answer pre-booking health questions + pay $30/deposit*
Sonia Alese Massage Therapy (209) 818-8869
Testimonials and Reviews
My reviews can be seen on Yelp, MassageBook, Google Review, and Facebook!
I also won the 2017 Small Business Excellence Award from the 'Best Of' Contest! In 2019 & 2020 I was voted one of the top 3 massage therapy establishments in Modesto and won the 2022 City's Best Award!
Go to the menu and click "services and rates" to see the entire list of the services I provide with full descriptions and prices. Or feel free to just call me or text me if that's easier:
Sonia Alese Massage 209-818-8869
What makes someone a great massage therapist?
In my opinion these are the important keys to becoming a good massage therapist.
1. Obtaining a thorough client health history and prioritizing their safety and health over your desire to make money. You need to turn people away if it would be potentially dangerous to work on them (for example, don't do deep tissue massage for someone with blood clots, this could be dangerous!)
2. Always ask your clients if there are any places on their body they don't want touched. You should not only ask at the beginning of the massage but should continue to check in to see if they are doing okay. Before you work on the glutes (butt) ask them again if the glutes were okay and can you massage the glutes directly or do they want you to work on them over the sheet and underwear? Let them know if they are uncomfortable at any point to let you know.
3. Allow the client to undress to their comfort level. Sure, it's easier for us to massage a client who is fully nude under the sheet, but maybe they have had past trauma and don't feel comfortable enough to be nude on our table. We should not push them, we should respect their boundaries. We want our clients to be relaxed and comfortable, not stressed and triggering their anxiety and trauma.
4. Always check in to see if the table warmer is too hot, if the A.C. is too cold. How's the massage pressure? You don't need to ask constantly, but every 15 minutes do a check-in. Don't assume a client will tell you if they are uncomfortable. Some people struggle with speaking up for themselves and communicating their needs. Once you have seen a client a few times, you will know what they like and dislike and can write those notes down. But it's still good to occasionally check in with a regular client too once in awhile.
5. Lastly, what was the client's goal of the session? You aren't going to be able to fix everything in one massage that's wrong with them. You can LISTEN to your client and prioritize whatever areas they say are bothering them in particular and spend extra time on those areas. If their goal is to relax, then give them the massage they are asking for. It doesn't matter if you think they would benefit from deep tissue work, if the client does not want it then you need to LISTEN to what they want and RESPECT their wishes.
Obviously, it does take knowledge of the body and massage technique skills to become a good massage therapist too. But if you don't listen to or respect your clients and their boundaries, then you are NOT a good massage therapist, no matter how many modalities you've trained in.
To Everyone who gets massages:::
you have the right to end a massage session at any time. If a massage therapist is inappropriate, you can say "I want to end the massage session now. Please step out of the room so that that I can get dressed." If they ask why-- just tell them you aren't comfortable and want to leave. So please step out of the room, I don't feel good and wish to leave. Also you can report any inappropriate massage therapist to the California Massage Therapy Council and they will investigate your claim. You can also report an assault (unwanted, inappropriate touching and creepy behavior) to the police. Once there are multiple police reports against a massage therapist, it helps build a case so that victims eventually get justice
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