11/05/2026
💆♀️ “No pain, no gain”?
When it comes to massage… that’s not always true.
I’ve been a massage therapist for 25 years, and I absolutely love receiving massages regularly myself.
I’ve tried pretty much everything:
✨ classic massage
✨ lymphatic drainage
✨ deep tissue massage
✨ postural techniques
✨ oriental massage techniques
And because of this passion, I’ve spent a large part of my life studying and specializing in as many techniques as possible.
So yes… from professional experience, I can clearly recognize the difference between a good massage and a bad one.
And I’m not talking only about technique.
I’m talking about the therapist’s ability to truly “listen” to the body they are treating.
When I receive a massage, I can immediately feel if the therapist is:
✨ simply repeating a technique they learned mechanically
✨ thinking about something else while massaging
✨ or truly listening to my body, my breathing, my tensions, my sensitive areas and the areas that are more relaxed
Because a good massage therapist doesn’t work only with the hands.
They work with presence, sensitivity, and awareness.
….That said… especially in deep tissue or trigger point massage, it is completely normal that some techniques can feel painful.
There is such a thing as a “good pain”:
👉 the kind that feels intense during the treatment
👉 but then makes you feel freer, lighter, and better in the following days
The problem is that many clients cannot distinguish this kind of pain from pain caused by a poorly performed massage.
And unfortunately, sometimes therapists:
❌ work too deeply for that specific person
❌ haven’t developed enough sensitivity
❌ know the technique only mechanically
❌ or apply deep pressure in completely wrong areas
And the client trusts them because they think:
“They are the professional… they must know what they’re doing.”
But a massage that is too aggressive or not adapted to the person can create even more tension, inflammation, and discomfort lasting for days… or worse.
🌿 Well… let me tell you a little secret.
Do you want to know if a massage was truly beneficial for your body?
It’s much simpler than you think.
After the massage, look at your face in the mirror.
(Even better if you observe your face before and after.)
Despite the deep work…
✨ does your face look more relaxed and softened?
✨ are your eyes more open and brighter?
✨ does your skin look more alive and radiant?
✨ is your expression softer?
✨ is your breathing freer?
✨ does your body feel lighter?
Then the massage was right for you 🤍
But if instead:
❌ your face looks tired and dull
❌ your eyes are half closed like after a sleepless night
❌ your expression looks drained or “shocked”
❌ you feel agitated instead of relaxed
❌ your body feels heavy, inflamed, or exhausted
…then that was not a well-performed therapeutic massage.
And personally, I would never go back to that person 🌿