Before You Book
Questions People Ask Before Their First Session
Healing Touch Body Work has been at 838 Greenville Ave in Staunton since 2009. You are draped for the whole session and only the area being worked on is uncovered, every first visit starts with a short health form, and we ask for 24 hours' notice to move an appointment. Call or text (540) 290-3383 with anything else.
4.9 stars from 472 Google reviews 838 Greenville Ave, Staunton, VA 24401 Updated
Your Visit
What happens at a massage appointment?
What should I wear to a massage at Healing Touch?
Wear whatever is comfortable to arrive in. During the session you are always properly draped, and only the area being worked on is uncovered. Reflexology and Thai sessions are done fully clothed, so loose clothes help for those two.
Do I need to tip my massage therapist?
Tipping is appreciated but never required. If you choose to leave a gratuity it is a way to show appreciation for the session; nobody will treat you differently if you don't.
What happens if I arrive late for my appointment?
Your session may be shortened so the next client still starts on time, and the full session fee still applies. If the drive is running long, call or text (540) 290-3383 and we will tell you what is possible.
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. Same-day cancellations and missed appointments may be charged.
Is massage supposed to hurt?
No. Deeper therapeutic work can feel intense, but you should never be in pain on the table. Pressure is a dial you hold — say the word at any point in the session and it lightens immediately.
Are sessions customized, or is everyone given the same massage?
Every session is customized to your comfort level, your preferred pressure and the areas you want worked. That conversation happens in the first few minutes, and you can change your mind partway through.
Where is Healing Touch Body Work located?
838 Greenville Avenue, Staunton, Virginia 24401 — on US-11, Staunton's main south-side commercial corridor. It is two miles from I-81 exit 220, the Woodrow Wilson Parkway, and 2.8 miles from exit 222 if you are coming north on US-250. Single storey, with its own parking lot.
Scope & Safety
Is massage safe if you take blood thinners or had recent surgery?
With your physician's go-ahead, yes. What they tell you shapes the hour — lighter pressure, a region left alone, a different position on the table — and it goes on your intake form so nobody has to be told twice.
The short health form
Every client fills one in before a first service. It takes a couple of minutes, it asks about medication, recent surgery and anything tender, and it is what lets a therapist adjust instead of guess. What a first session looks like walks through the rest of the arrival.
Please talk with your doctor before booking if any of these apply:
- A history of blood clots or DVT
- A recent stroke or heart surgery
- Major surgery within the last three months
- Active cancer treatment
- Severe neuropathy or any loss of sensation
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Blood-thinning medication
Have that conversation first and we will work with whatever comes back.
Massage therapy is a licensed profession in Virginia. The Virginia Board of Nursing issues the Licensed Massage Therapist credential, and § 54.1-3029 of the Code of Virginia requires an applicant to be at least 18 and to have completed a massage therapy program of at least 500 hours, then to pass the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards licensing examination or another the Board accepts. To renew every two years, 18VAC90-50-75 asks a therapist either to hold current NCBTMB certification or to complete 24 hours of continuing education including an hour of professional ethics. Any Virginia licence can be checked, free, on the Department of Health Professions lookup. Ask us who is working on the day you book, and check the licence yourself.
Sessions at Healing Touch Body Work are offered for relaxation and general wellness. They do not diagnose, treat or replace medical care. If you are pregnant, managing a health condition, or dealing with pain that is new, severe or getting worse, talk with your physician first — the two work well together.
Who It Suits
Can everyone book a massage?
Who should talk to a doctor before booking a massage?
Please check with your physician first if any of these apply: a history of blood clots or DVT, a recent stroke or heart surgery, major surgery within the last three months, active cancer treatment, severe neuropathy or any loss of sensation, uncontrolled diabetes, or blood-thinning medication. Once you have their go-ahead we are glad to work with you and will adapt the session to whatever they flag.
Do I have to fill anything in before my first session?
Yes. Every client completes a short health intake form before their first service. It takes a couple of minutes and it is what lets your therapist adjust pressure, positioning and technique to you.
Can I get a massage while I am pregnant?
Prenatal massage is on the menu and uses supportive side-lying positioning with light to moderate pressure, adjusted to how far along you are. Tell us how many weeks when you book, and talk with your OB or midwife first — massage and prenatal care work well together.
Does cupping leave marks?
It can. Cupping uses gentle suction and often leaves round marks that fade over a few days; gua sha can leave temporary redness for the same reason. Both are normal. Tell us before the session if you have an event coming up and we will keep the cups off anywhere that shows.
Is a massage a substitute for medical treatment?
No. Sessions at Healing Touch Body Work are offered for relaxation and general wellness. They do not diagnose or treat medical conditions, and they do not replace care from your own clinician. If pain is new, severe or getting worse, see a physician first and then book — the two work well together.
Still Deciding
What if your question is not here?
Call or text (540) 290-3383, or email healingtouch540@gmail.com. Booking runs through Square at any hour. Every price sits on the service menu, and directions and hours covers both I-81 exits and the towns people drive in from.
Monday–Saturday, 8 or 9 AM to 6:30 PM · Closed Sunday