A Word on Gratuity
You might have noticed that the rates at EWTA are competitively low.
This is not because I do not hold the field of bodywork to a high standard.
EWTA is a specialist practice. According to some peers and elites, this means
I should be charging more for my services, and maybe I should... I devote my practice to
Medical Massage and other informed, alternative, and advanced bodywork modalities,
working with styles I have developed under the watchful eyes of influential teachers and mentors,
that are truly effective and longer lasting for pain and stress management.
There is definitely a potential for higher monetary value in that.
But I'll be honest.
I have lived most of my life struggling to make ends meet under the economic challenges of the working class.
Most of my family and friends are Blue Collar workers.
I have faced many decisions between a rock and a hard place, with limited options.
I am fortunate to have a vision for my practice and the determination
to put everything into that vision according to my calling.
But there have been times I have suffered in pain and not had any spare money to afford care or a day off,
masking my pain and putting on my best face to work on everyone else's needs was my only choice...
Therefore in my practice, my philosophy on rates is that the therapies I provide will not be
so cost prohibitive that someone hardworking, with a tight budget
and a lot on their plate, and in need of care, can not afford it.
Yet, on the other hand...
It might look like a luxury dream job from the outside, but the work we do as Massage Therapists
is extremely physically and energetically demanding.
Facilitating healing is not glamorous, but it is gratifying. It is a challenge, but it is a calling.
Rates need to reflect the practitioner's skill set and output. My peers are not wrong.
This creates a challenge to navigate, and it is not without the scrutiny of colleagues and careful planning on my end
that I can adhere to my philosophy to keep my rates as affordable as possible.
I do not keep rates low as a bargain for clients, or because I undervalue the work I do,
but for the sake of reaching more folks in need.
I believe we are all in this together, and at EWTA, this practice is as much my clients' as my own.
Therefore Gratuity is viewed as a collectivist concept...
THEREFORE, IN THIS PRACTICE, I RELY ON GRATUITY AS A FORM OF SLIDING SCALE.
As the client, you determine the value of what I facilitate in your sessions
based on how it impacts your quality of life.
For everything extra you are able to give, you are helping me keep my rates as affordable as possible
so that others who are less fortunate can also afford to receive the work that improves their quality of life too.
Believe me, anything more you are able to give as gratuity does not go unnoticed...
Thank you for giving more when you can, knowing there are times when others cannot.
This is not because I do not hold the field of bodywork to a high standard.
EWTA is a specialist practice. According to some peers and elites, this means
I should be charging more for my services, and maybe I should... I devote my practice to
Medical Massage and other informed, alternative, and advanced bodywork modalities,
working with styles I have developed under the watchful eyes of influential teachers and mentors,
that are truly effective and longer lasting for pain and stress management.
There is definitely a potential for higher monetary value in that.
But I'll be honest.
I have lived most of my life struggling to make ends meet under the economic challenges of the working class.
Most of my family and friends are Blue Collar workers.
I have faced many decisions between a rock and a hard place, with limited options.
I am fortunate to have a vision for my practice and the determination
to put everything into that vision according to my calling.
But there have been times I have suffered in pain and not had any spare money to afford care or a day off,
masking my pain and putting on my best face to work on everyone else's needs was my only choice...
Therefore in my practice, my philosophy on rates is that the therapies I provide will not be
so cost prohibitive that someone hardworking, with a tight budget
and a lot on their plate, and in need of care, can not afford it.
Yet, on the other hand...
It might look like a luxury dream job from the outside, but the work we do as Massage Therapists
is extremely physically and energetically demanding.
Facilitating healing is not glamorous, but it is gratifying. It is a challenge, but it is a calling.
Rates need to reflect the practitioner's skill set and output. My peers are not wrong.
This creates a challenge to navigate, and it is not without the scrutiny of colleagues and careful planning on my end
that I can adhere to my philosophy to keep my rates as affordable as possible.
I do not keep rates low as a bargain for clients, or because I undervalue the work I do,
but for the sake of reaching more folks in need.
I believe we are all in this together, and at EWTA, this practice is as much my clients' as my own.
Therefore Gratuity is viewed as a collectivist concept...
THEREFORE, IN THIS PRACTICE, I RELY ON GRATUITY AS A FORM OF SLIDING SCALE.
As the client, you determine the value of what I facilitate in your sessions
based on how it impacts your quality of life.
For everything extra you are able to give, you are helping me keep my rates as affordable as possible
so that others who are less fortunate can also afford to receive the work that improves their quality of life too.
Believe me, anything more you are able to give as gratuity does not go unnoticed...
Thank you for giving more when you can, knowing there are times when others cannot.
