APPOINTMENT POLICIES

  • Masks are not required for all appointments, but will be utilized upon the request of the client. For transparency, I wear a KN95 mask in all public spaces and have moderate COVID practices.
  • Sessions are performed fully clothed unless integrative bodywork, gua sha, and/or cupping are requested. Please bring stretchy, comfy clothes.
  • Clients may arrive up to 5 minutes early to use the washroom and get settled in the space.
  • Each session begins with a 5-10 minute verbal intake during which the practitioner will assess the client’s current needs and formulate a shared goal for the session. For first-time appointments, a longer intake, up to 15 minutes, may be required.
  • If a client is late for their session, the difference in time will come out of their allotted timeslot.
  • Clients who cancel within 48 hours of their scheduled appointment are responsible for 50% of the session, and within 24 hours, the full cost. Exceptions are made in the case of emergencies or illness.

CLIENT RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Agency and consent are core values in this space. The client has the right to direct their treatment plan and to determine what they would like to happen or not happen in each session. The client may opt in or out of any therapeutic practices at any time.
  • The client is responsible for letting the practitioner know when anything happening during the session does not feel supportive, so that the practitioner can adjust appropriately. The practitioner will regularly seek both verbal and embodied consent from the client.
  • The client is responsible for completing an intake form prior to the first session.
  • The client has the right to choose which intake questions to answer, except for the ones that are required for the practitioner to offer safe and ethically sound care.
  • The client has the right to choose whether to talk, ask questions, or remain quiet during the session. The practitioner will follow the client’s lead.
  • The client is responsible for respecting the boundaries of the practitioner’s ethical code and scope of practice. The practitioner has the right to refuse requests that fall outside of their ability or professional scope.
  • Clients of all bodies, identities, and conditions, including BIPOC, disabled people, people in larger bodies, members of the LGBTQIAP2S+ community, and people in other marginalized groups, have the right to feel safe, welcomed, and respected in this space.
  • The client has the right to terminate the session or the therapeutic relationship at any time.

Practitioner rights & responsibilities

  • The practitioner is responsible for staying within the bounds of their scope of practice. If the practitioner discerns that the client needs support that exceeds the practitioner’s scope, the practitioner will offer an appropriate referral.
  • The practitioner is responsible for treating each client with respect and dignity. This includes using people’s correct pronouns and preferred names.
  • The practitioner will thoroughly explain all techniques, treatment modalities, and therapeutic practices included in the treatment, so that the client may give informed consent to receive these services. This includes any and all techniques related to bodywork, shiatsu, massage, Chinese Medicine, cupping, gua sha, moxa, craniosacral therapy, etc.
  • The practitioner is responsible for checking in with the client regularly to ask whether the client is still comfortable, and what can be altered to further support their sense of safety and ease.
  • The practitioner is responsible for doing their own personal work around anti-racism, anti-oppression, and community-centered care, so that they may hold the safest possible space for clients with marginalized identities.
  • The practitioner is responsible for providing appropriate referrals if their identity or life experience is not conducive to the client’s needs around empathy and safety.
  •  The practitioner must respect the client’s verbal and embodied consent, and must adjust their treatment technique appropriately.
  • The practitioner will seek consent before applying any topical liniments, oils, or salves to the client’s body. The practitioner is responsible for keeping accurate records and reviewing charts before each session.
  •  The practitioner has the right to refrain from working on a client who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  •  The practitioner has the right to terminate the session or the therapeutic relationship at any time.
  •  The practitioner also has the responsibility, in the case of treatment termination, to provide appropriate referrals. 
  • Bodyworkers ascribe to a code of ethical behavior, which can be found here. Practitioners follow all of the statements in this code, and firmly believe that the values of professionalism, boundaries, and clear expectations support a therapeutic relationship where both clients and practitioners can access safety and trust.
  • Personal and professional boundaries are honored and centered at all times. Based on these professional ethics, practitioners do not engage in friendships or other intimate relationships with clients.
  • Sexual harassment is not tolerated. If the client’s or the practitioner’s safety feels compromised, the session is stopped immediately.
  • Client privacy and confidentiality is maintained at all times.

PROFESSIONALISM & ETHICS