Staying Clear Headed for Optimum Healing

Some givers and receivers of bodywork think that the use of mind-altering substances will enhance the experience of the table or chair massage session. The opposite is, in fact, true. The use of alcohol, hallucinatory drugs or any mind-altering substance should not be used by either the client or the massage therapist during a table or chair massage session. As a certified massage therapist, it is your responsibility to understand the dangers of giving and receiving bodywork while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and to prevent the work from happening under these conditions.

Some reasons why a client should not receive a session while under the influence of alcohol and drugs include:

- may impair client's ability to sense their body's pain threshold
- may impair client's ability to uphold their boundaries
- may impair client's ability to respect the therapist's boundaries
- certain bodywork may be contraindicated, or too intense for a client to handle

Some reasons why a massage therapist should not give a session while under the influence of alcohol and drugs include:

- may impair massage therapist's ability to be sensitive to the client's needs and pain threshold
- may impair massage therapist's ability to uphold their boundaries
- may impair massage therapist's ability to respect the client's boundaries