Spencer Massage

Relaxation Massage - Sports Massage - Therapeutic Massage - Cancer Massage - CranioSacral Therapy

George Allen Spencer, LMT, NCBTMB - 4256 N. Ravenswood, Suite #309, Chicago, Illinois
By Appointment only. - 773.489.4374 - Email:


Relaxation Massage	¤	Sports Massage	¤	Therapeutic Massage	¤	Cancer Massage	¤	CranioSacral Therapy

General Questions

	Where are you located? Do you have a clinic?
	I see private clients in a professional massage office at 4256 North Ravenswood. It's conveniently located in the Ravenswood area and is near the corners of Montrose and Ravenswood - close to CTA bus and train stops. I see clients by appointment only Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00pm to 9:00pm.

	Do you work anywhere else?
	Yes. I also work fulltime at Hands on Therapy in Evanston. It's located at 1909 Central Street which is two doors west of Green Bay Road. I am one of 7 other massage therapists at Hands on Therapy and I see clients there on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

	Do I need to know the type of massage I want?
	No. When you call to make the appointment, we'll discuss what's going on with your body. At the time of your appointment, we'll touch bases again and set the goals for the session.

	How do I make an appointment?
	To make an appointment, please call me at 773.489.4374. This is my cell number. If it goes into voicemail, please leave a detailed message. I will return your call as soon as possible.

	Do you accept new clients for same-day appointments?
	Although I don't have a policy against seeing new clients for same-day appointments, it has historically proven problematic. Technically, I will see you if there is a timeslot available.

	Can a person make an appointment for someone else?
	A parent or guardian may make an appointment for a client. However, if a parent or guardian is making the appointment, I will still need to speak with the client in order to avoid any miscommunications. Otherwise, the person wishing the appointment must make the appointment.

	What forms of payment do you accept?
	For a first-time client, I accept cash and money orders. For returning clients, I accept cash, personal check, or money order. If your check is returned, a $25 fee will be charged. In addition, I do accept payment through this site via PayPal. Pay for a session here.

	Is a gratuity necessary?
	Although a tip is appreciated, it is by no means necessary. The important thing is that you receive the service and help you need. Whether you tip or not will not in any way impact your session.

	Do you ever have discounts?
	Yes. Massage should be an important element in your mix to maintain your health. In order to make massage more affordable for you, I have a number of money-saving options for you. They include purchasing a package of 5 sessions, joining my Wellness Massage Membership, and buying more than one session at a time. How to save money on massage.

	Do you have a cancellation policy?
	Life is not perfect and the unexpected sometimes happen. However, I have set aside your appointment time solely for your use. If I have to cancel your appointment, I will contact you. If this happens, your next appointment will be billed at half the rate. In order to avoid a cancellation fee of 50% of your session rate, please call within 24 hours of your appointment.

Questions About Your First Appointment

Click for more information about your first appointment.

	What should I do before my appointment?
	Hydrate your body by increasing your water intake (plain water is best) 24 hours prior to your appointment. Eat before you arrive but no sooner than 2 hours before. DO NOT consume any alcohol. If you're a female client and you shave your legs, please do not shave the day of your appointment. For male clients, please shave. For both female and male clients, please bathe or shower before your appointment. If you're coming for a therapeutic or clinical massage, please avoid taking any pain medications if you're able. The reason for this is that some pain medications mask your pain and you may be unable to note pain while receiving bodywork. Please check with your physician if necessary.

	When should I arrive for my first appointment?
	I ask new clients to arrive at least 15 minutes early. You'll need to complete a general health form. We will then have an intake interview to determine your needs and desires for the massage and to clarify any questions I may have. We'll also ascertain if there are any contraindications that may preclude you from receiving work. Many of the questions I'll be asking will already have been asked prior to making the appointment. I do this to ensure that nothing has changed from when you made the appointment and the time of your appointment. These preliminary steps do not subtract from your allotted time.

	What kind of massage will I receive?
	Generally, when making the appointment, we will have discussed the type of work you'd like. At the time of the appointment, we'll discuss what is going on with your body (tight spots, soreness, etc.) and agree on session goals, such as areas you want worked (and areas you don't want worked).

	I will then ask if you're ready to begin. If you are, I'll ask you to disrobe to your comfort level and to lie on the table between the sheets. I will then leave the room and knock on the door approximately five minutes later. If you're ready, we'll begin the session.

	Do I need to remove all of my clothing?
	Your level of undress will largely be dependent upon the type of work you're going to be receiving and your comfort level. Most massage work is applied to bare skin either with or without lotion or creme. For a full-body relaxation massage, most people generally remove all clothing. But again, it is entirely up to you. At all times, you will be covered by a sheet and only those parts of the body on which I'm currently working (with the exclusion of the face) will be undraped (uncovered).

		What parts of my body will you massage?
		If your goal is for relaxation and stress management, the following areas will addressed: head, neck, shoulder, arms, hands, legs, feet, and back; gluteal and abdominal work may be included if you so desire (I recommend work on the glutes be done because a lot of stress is often maintained in the gluteal area, additionally, some lower back and leg pain issues are related to those muscles). If you prefer additional time spent on any body part, just let me know. Likewise, if you want a specific area left alone, please let me know.

	How deep will you work?
	I will always strive to work to your comfort level; and, together, we'll discover what this is. We do this in two ways:

	¤ One of the questions on the health form asked if you prefer light, medium, or deep pressure
	¤ Before the massage begins, I'll ask you to tell me if the pressure is okay and if anything hurts

	It's important that you maintain this communication during the session. My goal is not to create any pain; but should it happen, it means that I may need to work a certain area more slowly so that your body accepts the work properly. Some people believe the myth that when you're receiving deep work, it should hurt (no pain, no gain). This is definitely NOT true.

	Will my massage hurt?
	No. That's the simple answer. However, during the course of the massage and depending upon the techniques used (trigger point therapy for example), you may experience some discomfort. It is important that you communicate to me whenever you feel any discomfort. This may indicate a tightness that needs to be addressed more thoroughly, but overall, massage should not hurt.

	Ok. But will I hurt afterward?
	Well, that depends. One of the benefits of massage is increased localized circulation. Trigger points and tender points develop in muscles partly because of a lack of local circulation. Because massage increases circulation into an area that has had limited circulation, there may be localized discomfort after the massage. If this occurs, you may feel some discomfort the day after the session but this will probably last no longer than 48 hours. Hydrating your body by drinking water prior to and after a massage session will normally reduce the severity and duration of the discomfort. Two other ways to help flush the toxins out of your body is to eat more fiber or take a short walk.

	Is it important to drink water after my massage?
	Yes, you should. In fact, it's advisable to increase your water intake over the next 2 days. Doing so enables your body to flush out as much as possible the metabolic toxins released as a result of the massage.

	What happens after the massage?
	If you're coming to me for a relaxation massage, enjoy the benefits you'll receive and maybe think about scheduling another appointment.

	If your appointment was for either therapeutic or clinical work, follow through with whatever self-care suggestions I may have given you. If any of the self-care exercises create pain, stop doing them.

	Increase your water intake for the next 24-48 hours. Why? Drinking more water helps to flush out whatever metabolic wastes were released as a result of the massage. You will also begin to hydrate your tissues (fascia, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even bones) and improve their health (and your overall general health). When you hydrate your tissues, you decrease the likelihood of recurring pain.

	Additionally, I make follow-up calls 2 days after the appointment to check in to see how you're doing. Don't worry. There is no additional charge for the call, I just want to touch bases with you to see if the work I did with you was effective.

	Depending upon the time of day of your massage, I advise you not to consume any alcohol. This is especially true if you received directed and specific work to the head and neck muscles.

General Massage Questions

	What are the benefits of massage?
	That depends largely upon the type of massage you receive: relaxation, therapeutic, clinical, or sports massage. For example, if you received a relaxation massage, the overall benefits are reduced stress and hypertension, a sense of wellbeing, and a general relief of tight and/or sore muscles.

	If your appointment was for therapeutic, clinical, or sports massage, two major benefits are the increased overall circulation of blood and oxygen into problem areas and the removal of toxins that have built up within the body. These types of massage also break up adhesions that have formed in muscles and fascia thereby allowing increased range of motion with decreased pain.

	For a more detailed description, read this.

	How often should I receive a massage?
	If your main goal is overall increased health and stress management, anything from weekly to monthly sessions will help you achieve improved vitality.

	If you are coming for therapeutic or clinical work, the number and frequency of sessions will be dictated by your condition and your progress. In most cases, the condition did not develop overnight and it may take one or more sessions to see an appreciable difference. Once the problem has been relieved, you may also want to consider scheduling once or twice a month as a proactive measure.

	If you're coming for sports massage, depending upon your overall physical condition and what is going to be required to participate in your sport, you might want to start with a session once every two weeks for a month or so. Thereafter, you might want to schedule regular appointments to meet your sports routine and requirements.

	Can massage relieve my pain from an injury or medical condition?

	If the injury is from a strain or sprain, massage can definitely reduce and eliminate the pain.

	If the condition's pain is muscular in nature, massage can definitely help to relieve or eliminate the cause of the pain. For example, headaches are often caused by tight muscles in the neck and head. TMJ pain can sometimes be a result of overworked head, jaw, and neck muscles. Conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, performs syndrome (sciatic-like pain), and thoracic outlet syndrome can often be the result of a nerve being bound by matted muscles.

	If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition, you will need to get your doctor's approval before I will be able to work with you. Please read the contraindications page for more information.

General Questions About Spencer Massage

	What qualifications do you have?
	I am a graduate of Chicago School of Massage Therapy, having completed 710 hours of hands-on education. In addition, I volunteered 90 hours of massage therapy while in school (the required being 30 hours). I have also completed extra hands-on instruction for myofascial release techniques and CranioSacral Therapy.

	I am an Illinois-licensed, nationally-certified massage therapist and bodyworker, and a member of the National Association of Massage Therapists.

	Perhaps my greatest qualification is my experience. Since becoming licensed, I have worked fulltime, successfully working with new and recurring clients with varying muscular issues, offering client- specific work to help relieve those and associated issues. My goal is to safely bring back your life as much as possible.

	Do you perform the same massage for everyone?
	No. Absolutely not. Every body is different and requires different types of massage techniques. Regardless of the type of massage for which you're scheduled, I tailor your session to match your needs and preferences. And, because your body is always changing, your massage needs will change as well.

	What types of massage do you offer?
	I am trained in and have experience performing relaxation, therapeutic, clinical, and sports massage. The techniques I use include (in no particular order): Swedish, stretching and body mobilization, myofascial release, deep tissue, and trigger point therapy. My general approach to therapeutic, clinical, and sports massage is to work at a pace at which your body safely accepts the work being performed. For CranioSacral Therapy, I perform the 10-step protocol as developed by The Upledger Institute.

	Do you charge per technique used?
	No. My rates are solely based on the duration of the session (30, 60, or 90 minutes). I use whatever techniques I have at my disposal to meet the goals of your session.

	How long will my massage last?
	For new clients, add 15-20 minutes to your appointment. Regardless of whether you're a new client or returning client, when you book a half-hour session, you receive 30 minutes of work; an hour, you receive 60 minutes; when you schedule a 90-minute session, you receive 90 minutes. The additional time used for new clients DOES NOT impact your time. Although we're technically on a 'clock', I may extend the length of your appointment in order to finish up something. If you are on a tight schedule, please let me know upon your arrival.

	What are session notes and do you take them?
	As you might imagine, session notes are notes taken after a session to record the particulars of your session: duration, reason for the session, overall health and state of tissues (pre- and post-session) what techniques were used, and your body's response to the work. Regardless of the type of massage you receive, session notes will be taken. By doing this, I am better able to provide the service you and your body needs. As always, all personal information is maintained in the strictest of confidences.

	Do you have any policies?
	Yes. While I don't have a lot of policies (I want to keep everything as simple as possible) you may read them here.