I never had a massage before. What should I expect?

Many new clients, especially if they’ve never had a massage before, may be nervous when arriving for their first massage appointment. At CityTouch, we make sure your experience is a positive one.

A licensed massage therapist will review a detailed health intake with you before providing any massage services. This important step helps the massage therapist better understand your needs and provide the safest possible massage services. All information given to the massage therapist is confidential under HIPPA guidelines and may be released to your doctor only with your written permission. After a brief conversation with your massage therapist, and possible muscle assessment or postural tests, your therapist will introduce you to the treatment room.

If this is your first visit, make sure to fill out the new patient intake form when you book before you arrive.  You will receive a confirmation email after you book your appointment.  Go back to our website (linked from your confirmation email) and fill out the new patient intake form from your computer or mobile phone.

If this is your first visit, please arrive 15-10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time, to give you time to get settled and start the massage promptly. If you are a returning customer, 10-5 minutes before your scheduled appointment time is good.  We are unable to go over the scheduled end time due to subsequent bookings.

During my massage should I leave my clothes on or get fully undressed?

A licensed massage therapist will always practice industry guideline draping techniques.  Draping is where the massage therapist folds and tucks the towel or sheet around your body, only exposing the areas to be worked on. Many regular clients prefer to be fully undressed with draping. If you feel more comfortable leaving your loose-fitting underwear on, that is totally fine -- and you will still be draped. To access certain areas such as the back or glutes, removing your bra strap and/or removing undergarments (with draping) will help the massage therapist work these muscles at a greater depth.

Do I need to tip my therapist?

Contractor LMTs receive a commission of more than 50% of the base price for any client service — far above the typical 30% commission rate in New York City. Additional tips are neither expected nor required at CityTouch. However, if you wish to offer an extra tip for exceptional service, you are welcome to do so via cash or Venmo (to the LMT's account) only. Please note that the owner of our practice does not accept tips.

I arrived with a lot of pain, but after the massage the pain is still there!

While massage therapy will assist with pain relief, it may take several hours after your massage for the pain relief effects to kick-in. Additional sessions may be needed to reduce pain for chronic conditions.  When you join a gym and want to get into shape, you don't expect to reach your goal with a single workout.

Massage therapy, when applied correctly, may require more than one session to achieve your pain relief goals. If you are suffering from an injury or condition beyond the scope of massage therapy, we will refer you to someone who can best help you.

Who should I choose for my massage therapist?

Always check the background training and licensing information for any massage therapist in New York State before you make an appointment with them. In New York State, it’s a felony to practice massage therapy without a license. You can quickly check the licensing information for any massage therapist in New York State online.  Licensed massage therapists should display their state registration clearly in the room they are working.

Some clients may prefer working with a female or male therapist only -- and that is understandable for any reason. However, researching the background and training information for each therapist will help you find the best therapist for your specific massage therapy goals.

12-hour notice is required if you must cancel or reschedule your appointment. If less than 12-hours notice is given and the appointment cannot be filled, you will be charged the full price of the service. Same-day appointments cancelled more than 1 hour after being made will be charged in full. No shows are charged in full. We reserve the right to give away your appointment if you are more than 15 minutes late.  

By agreeing to this policy, you are authorizing the use of your credit card for the scheduled appointment. Your credit card will be preauthorized 24 hours prior to your appointment (to validate) and fully charged upon completion of your appointment.

This policy has been updated for COVID-19. The 24 hour policy has been changed to 12 hours to provide more leniency. If we cannot fill the scheduled appointment time with another customer, the client must assume full responsibility for payment of scheduled time, even if symptoms of fever or any other illness begin less than 12 hours prior to the scheduled appointment.

This policy applies to new and existing customers and is non-negotiable. If you anticipate missing your appointment with less than 12 hours notice, for any reason — including but not limited to illness, injury, a sick child, traffic, subway delays, weather conditions without a severe weather warning, job-related conflicts, and family emergencies — please schedule at another facility.

By scheduling with us, you are agreeing to adhere to this policy and will not pushback or attempt to damage our reputation if we have to enforce this policy. 

How do I make an appointment?

All appointments must be made online. Do this easily and securely: book online. A valid credit card is required to reserve your appointment.