New Location, April 1st!

As many of you know, I’ve been diligently looking for a bigger space for my little business for well over a year. It has been challenging! I really wanted to stay relatively close to home and my daughter’s school, which limited me to a fairly small radius. But looking back, I do believe the universe was trying to make sure I was really ready!

I’m excited to announce that as of April 1st, Luminaria Studios will be located at 2305 SE Washington St, Suite 109, just one block north of Birch Salon where I’m at now. This new space will have a glam, old-Hollylwood vibe (much like my current studio!) with three treatment studios, a waiting room, office, and bathroom. Parking is free and plentiful, right up to the front door. The universe really rewarded me with this gem!

Soon my goal is to share the treatment rooms with motivated Independent Contractors who can offer a mix of beauty and self care services that will make you GLOW! That said, if you have friends or know someone looking to relocate or start a new venture in the beauty industry, please send them my way.

If you’re a current client with appointments booked out, please note that after the first of April you will need to come to my new location for your service. If you don’t have future appointments scheduled, I highly recommend getting on my books to ensure you have the time/day you prefer! My hours won’t be changing, so those two evenings a week that I am open continue to be a hot commodity that book quickly. And I will remain “by appointment only” for now; no walk-ins allowed until further notice.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please text or call Jen at 503.679.5327 or comment below! I really look forward to sharing my new chapter with all of you, and continuing to offer the same amazing service.

Massage Clients: Be Empowered to Protect Yourself

In light of recent news regarding inappropriate conduct at some Massage Envy locations, as a Licensed Massage Therapist I want to let clients know this is NOT acceptable. It saddens and angers me that there are opportunistic people in the world preying on the vulnerabilities of their clients. However, please know there are ways you can avoid these situations. First and foremost, remember that you are in control. Massage therapy is just that - therapy. It is for the purpose of reducing pain and improving movement, sleep, and mood. If something doesn't seem right, speak up. A respectable and reputable LMT will cooperate and do whatever it takes to ensure your comfort. You do not have to continue a service that makes you feel uneasy. Also: as a woman, I know it can make us feel even more vulnerable to be seen by a male therapist. There are many, many amazing male therapists who live and work by Oregon's strict ethics and codes of conduct. But if you feel uncomfortable, speak up. Request a female when scheduling. This is your money, your time, your therapy. You have control. I want my clients to feel safe, respected, heard, and taken care of. If any of those things are not met, I want my clients to know they can speak up without being judged.

Below, I've listed these tips and some advice that you can use to protect yourself and put yourself in the drivers seat, and what to do in the event you feel uncomfortable during your treatment:

• YOU ARE IN CONTROL. You have the ultimate say in all things that happen in that room.

• SPEAK UP. You can stop that massage at any time - even if it is 5 minutes after it starts. Be confident that it is OK to say something, or even move off the table/out of the way.

• IT'S YOUR DOLLAR. You're paying for a service and have high expectations, as you should. Do not continue a service that doesn't meet your expectations. Likewise, you do not have to pay for any treatment that involves misconduct.

• COMMUNICATE. A good therapist will ask you up front about likes/dislikes, needs, and areas to avoid. Please communicate during the massage about these things as well.

• DON'T BE AFRAID TO REPORT INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT. Massaging the muscles that connect to the pelvic bone is common and acceptable practice; touching genitalia is NOT. Report conduct that is beyond normal massage therapy, that is obviously in violation of codes of conduct and ethics, that is illegal. Go to management first; if there is no manager, go directly to the police. Either way, in situations of obvious and blatant misconduct, police should always be involved. You can also report to Oregon Board of Massage Therapists directly.

• KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: Massage Therapists are educated to work on all muscles - including those of the glutes and upper thighs. Some people feel vulnerable around the glute area. That is completely ok. If you don't know you're uncomfortable with glutes being worked until you're in the middle of the massage - speak up right then and there. Don't let it continue if it makes you feel uneasy. If you know ahead of time that you don't like certain areas touched, communicate that before the massage even starts. We've all had experiences in our lives that dictate our level of comfort in vulnerable situations, and a respectable, professional therapist will not make you feel bad for ending a service or even moving on to another body part. It may seem obvious, but it is important to reiterate here: working the muscles of the glutes and upper thighs has absolutely nothing to do with genitalia. If an LMT is clearly touching your private parts, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Stop the service immediately! Do not let it continue. Also: it is against the law to not be draped. You must be draped at all times, with only the body part being worked on exposed. If a therapist states he/she "prefers to work without sheets", end the service immediately. That is inappropriate and illegal. (Likewise, I refuse to work on any client who requests to be massaged without a drape. I've been asked. It will never happen.)

As a Massage Therapist, I do everything I can to make my clients feel at ease, comfortable, and their needs are being met. I know that our relationship can feel "off kilter" with regards to "power" - meaning, the client is laying disrobed on the table, under a couple layers of fabric. This can feel vulnerable and for some people, can make them feel powerless. We as LMTs must respect that, and the vast majority of us do. We are upheld to strict codes of conduct, to ensure clients' safety. Here in Oregon, we have high standards on education and continuing ed. We're required to attend 4 hours of ethics training to renew our licenses; that includes accepting the responsibility of being a whistle-blower when we are alerted to misconduct. Please don't let these recent events deter you from an indispensable and proven therapy such as massage. Do not let it make you fearful of the treatment room. Let it empower you to make good choices and to do your research. Remember, you have control.

"You Deserve a Massage". Really?

What does it mean to "deserve" something? It means you've done something to justify, or be worthy of, a reward. Because of your actions, qualities, or situation, you are qualified for, or merit, this thing. In this situation, that thing is a massage. Why? Why do you need to do "deserve" something as necessary as a massage?

Massage, and touch in general, is a basic human necessity. For example, studies have shown that babies who lack human touch fail to thrive. So why as adults do we feel we need to be deserving of something so basic? In my opinion, that's wrong. We shouldn't feel like we need to "reward" ourselves in this way, as if we don't deserve it unless we've done something to make ourselves worthy. It really should be a regular part of our routine, something we think of the same way we think of exercise or basic self care. I know I have said a million times over the years that you deserve a massage or you should reward yourself. But really, it needs to be more than that. Try making massage a regular part of your routine instead of just a reward. See how your body and psyche responds. Notice how your emotional state changes, as well as your outlook. Massage affects every part of us, not just physically. Something to think about.

A Couple Pricing Changes (Lash Extensions)...

First off, I want to say how much I LOVE my clients. You guys make my world turn. I love hearing your stories, your highs and lows, sharing your successes and failures. The friendships I've formed over the past year are priceless.

I've learned a lot in the past year about what people like, what they want, and what they need. I've also learned about what I need as a business owner, and how to ensure everyone's needs are met. It's a difficult balance sometimes, especially if you're a people pleaser like I am! For the past year, I've toyed with pricing a couple times (not often, to avoid confusion) and learned what pricing works best. For example, when I first opened my doors a year ago, I offered discounts to clients driving all the way from Beaverton to my old location over in Clackamas. There were two reasons for this, one, I was new and still honing my craft. Two, I wanted to give an incentive to those making the drive, since I appreciate so much the ones that make such an effort!

In the past year, I haven't raised my rates on the 3 and 4 week fills. I've kept both the same, at $50. While this price is far, far below what is common in the local lash industry, it's not beneficial to the client or my business. For example, at 4 weeks, most lashes have fallen off due to natural shedding and retention loss. For clients waiting til 4+ weeks to get a fill, it's actually more like a full set. They're having to take much more time out of their day to fill in all the empty lashes, and the price hasn't covered the extra time and product. So in order to encourage everyone to get more regular fills, I determined that a price change was in order. The new rates will be as follows:

3 weeks: $55 (currently $50)

4 weeks: $90 (currently $50)

The rate for a 2 week fill is staying the same, at $35! This is good news, as regular fills will take much less time out of your day, since less lashes will need to be replaced. Also, it will keep those lashes looking as full and long as possible! It's a better option all around.
 

I sincerely hope to see you all more often, as I enjoy our time together! Questions? Comments? Please call or text me, 503.679.5327.