What to Expect at Your First Appointment
What to Wear
Please dress comfortably. While most clients choose to remove everything but underpants, you may remove as much or as little clothing as you feel comfortable for treatment. The room is generally kept between 68 and 72 degrees F, but may be slightly warmer or cooler depending on weather.
Directions
Intrinsic Balance is one of several businesses located at:
7902 Big Bend Blvd.
Webster Groves, MO 63119
For Google Maps directions to Intrinsic Balance, click here.
Parking
There is no dedicated parking lot for the building. Parking is available along Big Bend Blvd, with the exception of the NO PARKING between 7:00am and 8:30am weekdays (per city-enforced street signs).
Dale Ave parking is also available (turn at the corner with The Novel Neighbor and A.M. Clark Auto Repair) and park along Dale. Please do not block the driveways to A.M. Clark or park in The Novel Neighbor parking lot.
Entering the Building
Intrinsic Balance is one of several businesses located within the brick house with dark trim. The signage and the part of the building on the left is what faces the street (Big Bend Blvd.)
When facing the building, the entrance to the building will be on your right. Walk to that side of the building and the main entrance, the turquoise door, will be just around the corner.
You will enter into a small waiting area.
Waiting Area
This is a common waiting area with a couple of chairs, and room to stand.
As there are several practitioners in the building, please wait quietly. When it is time for your appointment, Star will come greet you and walk you up to the office.
Bathroom Facilities
There is a unisex bathroom on the main floor, just off the waiting area, if you’d like to use the facilities while you wait. Please note that it is a small bathroom that would not be considered accessible and there are no safety grab bars.
Location Accessibility
Please note that Intrinsic Balance is located on the second floor of a building that does not have an elevator.
Accessing Intrinsic Balance’s office consists of:
3 steps with one handrail, then a small landing to turn, then 8 steps with one handrail, then a small landing to turn, then 3 steps with one handrail, then a short hallway, then two steps up into the office with no handrail.
If you have accessibility needs that require an elevator, we may not be the right provider for you at this time.
Intake Forms
If you declined to fill out the online HIPAA-protected health history forms, you will need to fill out paper forms at your first appointment. This will take approximately 10 minutes prior to receiving massage therapy. For your first appointment, we will add 30 minutes to your overall session time to cover this and to discuss your health history.
Discussing Your Health History
Regardless of whether you fill out your health history online or on paper, about 10 minutes or so of your first appointment will be spent going over your health history, and discussing your current needs and goals for therapeutic massage.
This is to ensure you will be as comfortable as possible, and your treatment will support your physical and emotional well-being.
Receiving Massage Therapy
Your session will only include areas of touch that you consented to when talking with Star at the beginning of the session. If at any point during your session you are no longer comfortable with a certain area being touched, or need a different level of pressure, please speak up. You can always change what you need, as this is about respecting your needs and boundaries. If Star senses you are experiencing tension or discomfort in a certain area, she will stop and check in with you about what you need in the moment.
The only “tools” used are hands, unscented massage oil (a blend of fractionated coconut and apricot oils, or we can do a dry massage session if there are allergy concerns), and some pillows and bolsters. There are no gua sha or other implements, nor any scents or essential oils used.
Sessions generally end with work on either the feet or the head; that can be your clue that the session is winding down. There will be time at the end of your session to dress without being rushed — it is beneficial for you to maintain your body awareness as much as possible for the rest of your day.
It may be possible the session might still be working hours and days after we meet. So we will work with ways for you to let this process unfold and be able to still carry on with your life. You may experience a trauma release during your session (or in the hours or days following your session).
A Trauma Release is defined as the part of the process where your thoughts and body slow down and untangle enough that there is a transformation (renegotiation) from fight, flight, fawn or freeze in the trauma to more ease and space within you. Often right before this there is a gentle pause that feels different from a freeze.
As Star moves around your body while you process through your trauma, you might experience a manifestation of one or several involuntary reactions, such as: shaking, twitching, crying, laughing, feelings like you want to run away, sudden sleepiness, feeling cold or heat radiating from the inside, or other unexpected sensations. These sensations would mean that you are having a Trauma Release. This is why we have set up a safe space, working to slow things down and bring you back to the present. You will be given the awareness and tools to help you listen to your own body and work through them, as you can have a trauma release during a session, or also in the hours or days following a session.
Please make notes about how you are feeling (both physically and mentally) in the hours and days after your session. This is important information to discuss with Star at your next session, and will guide your needs and next steps. Sometimes even pressure may feel wonderful in the moment but after the session it may have been over-stimulating for that person’s nervous system. I love feedback to deepen our work together!
Examples:
“I loved the pressure during the session, but afterwards my leg felt more sore and I was uncomfortable.”
“More pressure would be great this next session.”
“I felt floaty and unfocused for a day or two after the session. Can we make sure we have more time for grounding at the end?”
Payment
Payment is due at your session by cash, check or credit card, including HSA and FSA credit cards. (See Services and Fees page for current options and pricing.)
I charge what I feel is a fair fee, so there is no need to add a tip at my practice. But for other massage therapists who work in other situations, please tip — for many people it is part of their pay.