Katya Langmuur

Dear lovely Uranium!

I hope you are all massaging creatively, happily and holistically! And are starting to get to grips with some structure to your strokes (practice, practice, practice - it really does make for perfect)...

Just a little follow up from last time we met, particularly with regard to starting to create a delicious massage environment that is just perfect for you.

You'll find attached some photos of a variety of different current professional spaces from some old students of mine who are now busy working away around the world. This is not to give you a template of what is 'right ' or 'wrong' but to show you that, with care and attention, you can make your environment act as a reflection of who and how and why you are as a practitioner!

Two more examples are in the following websites, also from former students of mine:
* ingoodhandsbristol.com
* physiquebodyworks.co.uk

And, whilst you're looking at websites, checkout these also (again, former students):
* backtotouch.co.uk
* rachelbishop.co.uk
* klbtherapy.com

I include these for you to have a look at a variety of different approaches and styles of holistic massage website so that you can start to think about what sort of professional website YOU might want to think about later down the road. Obviously you're not quite ready for that quite yet - but all these things need sufficient dreaming time so why not start visualising your successful future now!

In response to questions about what sort of table linens to get. If you choose to get yourself a couch cover rather than a sheet, you can get towelling covers via Amazon from as little as about £10. I would suggest though that you might consider upping the budget a little - or ask Father Christmas to bring you something like this! - and consider a company called 'Tavy Covers' (www.tavycovers.com). They make superior couch covers and matching face cradle covers and even matching bolster covers etc in a lot of different colours and in a very good quality. I have Tavy covers that are over 15 years old now and still going strong, which makes their price tag of about £30 pretty good value. Anyway if you're interested, go online and you'll see that by sending them postage they will send you a brochure with fabric swatches to choose from. I'll also bring a swatch card in with me when I next see you after Christmas.

Towels-wise, the New Year sales are a brilliant place to get some lovely fluffy matching towels in whatever colour you decide is a perfect holistic reflection of you. The heavier the towel (generally 500 or 600gsm) the fluffier it is for the most part - although you might choose to go down a thinner hammam sort of vibe. Again up to you. You will probably need at least one set of the following:

* 1 bath sheet (to go down the body, over the legs)
* 1 bath towel (to go across the body, over the torso)
* 1 bath mat (or hand towel) (for your client to step onto at the end of the massage rather than onto a cold floor or with oily feet onto a carpet... see, hygiene conscious and practical too)
* 1 hand towel (to act as an additional support - we will come to the use of this later)

These should all be matching. I also always wrap up my pillow in a towel on top of its cover so that it doesn't get oily marks on it.

If you use a couch cover, you will need to get some 'couch roll', which is the paper that goes along the top and that tucks under either end. You can buy this as an individual roll (again on Amazon) or as a box of 9 if you fancy splitting box between two or three of you. It's not that expensive in any case - and lasts a long time!

So then I hope this gives you some food for thought. Yes, you're only at the start of your journey. But one of the best ways to succeed is to start visualising the destination.

Enjoy!!

love katya x