What can I expect at my first appointment?
Please arrive on time. We will begin with a brief verbal intake regarding your general health, current concerns, and specific reasons for your visit that day. Please note that this office is fragrance-free. Do not apply perfumes or scented body products prior to your appointment.

Must I remove all my clothes for massage?
Certain styles of bodywork/massage, such as Reiki, CranioSacral and Threshold Energetics, allow you to remain fully clothed, removing only your shoes, eyeglasses and jewelry. Because massage styles such as Hot Stone, Swedish and Deep Tissue include the use of oil on skin, it generally works best to remove all clothing. Your therapist will step out of the room while you undress, get onto the table, and cover yourself with a sheet. If you feel more comfortable leaving undergarments on, please feel free to do so. Whether partially or completely undressed, you will be covered and properly draped at all times during your massage. The room is kept to a comfortable temperature, the table is heated and additional blankets available as needed. In the summertime, we cool with a combination of evaporative cooler and fans.

What if I don’t want certain areas of my body touched?
You can request that work be limited to specific areas only, as in Just Feet or Just Back, Neck, and Shoulders. A full body massage at RiverStone will include neck, shoulders, arms, hands, back, hips, legs and feet. If you would like to add abdominal, face or scalp work, please ask. If there are specific areas of the body that you do not want touched; if certain areas tend to be ticklish or sensitive, please let me know. In compliance with New Mexico State law and professional ethics, genitalia is always kept covered and never worked on directly.

Am I supposed to talk to the therapist during the massage?
Please feel free to speak openly and express your needs directly during the massage. If heat or pressure needs to be different, please say something immediately. It is my experience that deep relaxation and maximum benefit are the result of both therapist and client staying focused in the body and keeping conversation to a minimum. 

Am I supposed to add a tip to the fee?
Adding a tip to the fee, in recognition of a good massage experience is always recommended for spa settings. Because RiverStone is a sole proprietorship, the fee schedule is structured to remove the need for tipping that is customary when your therapist is the contract employee of another entity.

What forms of payment are accepted?
Cash, checks, PayPal, Venmo and Apple Pay are accepted.

Payment is expected at time of service.  Receipts with insurance billing codes are available upon request.

What’s all the fuss about Eco-Friendly fragrance-free, non-toxic and smoke-free?
Did you know that fragrance manufactures are exempt from labeling and are not required to reveal known health hazards associated with use of their products? Some estimates show 20% or more of the human population experiences immediate adverse effects when exposed to common chemicals, synthetic materials, fragrances, smoke and exhaust.
Exposure to airborne chemical fragrance products can trigger severe and even life-threatening reactions in sensitive individuals. Please use Unscented laundry chemicals, and avoid using scented body lotions, cologne, perfume and other strongly perfumed body care products prior to your appointment.