Client intake for massage therapists: why the first 15 minutes decide everything

TL;DR: The first 15 minutes of any new client relationship — the consultation before the treatment starts — is where most professional disputes, consent issues, and scope problems are either prevented or created. A consistent intake process means gathering health history, flagging contra-indications, confirming consent, and setting realistic expectations before a single technique is applied. Therapists who run this well retain clients longer, attract fewer complaints, and spend less time on awkward conversations later. This article sets out what a professional intake process covers, what the contra-indication conversation looks like in practice, and how to build a repeatable system that takes 15 minutes, not 45.

A new client books a 60-minute deep tissue massage. They arrive, you exchange a few words, and you begin. If that describes your current intake process, this article is worth reading carefully.