What to expect on your first visit:
Here are a few details about the process. Most importantly, we are here to help you relax and facilitate your wellness!
We recommend you arrive at least 10-15 minutes early to find parking, locate the clinic and fill out our clinic forms if they were not done previously online.
Your appointment time includes the following:
- Administration
- History Review
- Assessment
- Treatment
- Patient Education
When you arrive:
Someone on our team will welcome you, and you will go into the treatment room to discuss your healthcare history form that you would have filled out online. After booking your initial treatment we will send you the massage, physiotherapy, or acupuncture intake form.
Your therapist will greet you and take you through an intake process to discuss your current medical health, medications, injuries, and places of soreness or tension. In addition, your therapist will ask you what your goals are for the session and your overall wellness.
For those new to massage:
Massage treatment can be daunting to try the first time. For people who haven’t experienced it before, it seems strange to undress and lie on a table and let someone else come in the room and work on you.
Even though you are undressed, you are under the sheets and covered the entire time, with only the area that is being worked on exposed.
For those new to physiotherapy:
Depending on where the issue is, the Physio may ask you to remove some clothing. It is advisable to come with shorts if it is an issue with your lower back, hips or legs and perhaps a singlet/exercise bra if the issue is in your back, shoulders, neck or arms. It’s important that you are comfortable and that the Physio can see the area well.
There is a huge array of treatments that Physiotherapists can do. Below is a list of the most common treatments:
- Soft tissue massage
- Trigger point therapy – direct pressure is applied to the area and held still
- Joint mobilizations – pressure is applied to the joints to increase movement
- Dry needling – very fine needles are placed into the tissue. It can cause a small twitch effect in the area.
- Postural correction and exercise prescription – this can start as simply as some things to remember about your posture on a daily basis, to gentle exercises at home, progressing to gym exercises and return to sport programs.
- Advice and education – This will cover what to do to help yourself and what to avoid.
Your Physiotherapist will decide upon what treatments will be the most effective for your issue. It’s important to remember none of them are compulsory, if you would prefer not to have a particular type of treatment you can always opt out.
For those new to acupuncture:
During the first acupuncture session, the acupuncturist will assess your general health. As each treatment is unique to the individual, this will facilitate the most effective treatment for each.
The investigative process will include questions relating to your current symptoms, past treatments, patient and family medical history, diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and emotional health. Also, the pulse on both wrists will be taken to determine how energies are flowing in the body. As part of the diagnosis, the acupuncturist will assess the structure, colour and coating of your tongue.
During this comprehensive evaluation, the practitioner will observe your emotions, voice and self-presentation. This will further aid in the diagnosis and development of a treatment that will assist in harmonizing your overall energy.
Specific acupuncture points will be chosen and the practitioner begins treatment. Dietary and other recommendations will be discussed at appropriate times throughout the treatment process.
Treatment may consist of any of the following:
- Acupuncture: Acupuncture is the stimulation of Qi (pronounced “chee”) flow throughout the body through the insertion of one time use thin stainless steel needles into specific sites on the body.
- Acupressure: The use of fingers or other device to apply pressure to stimulate acupuncture points.
- Cupping: A vacuum is created within the cup to draw the skin up. This process opens up the skin’s pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of Qi, breaks obstructions and creates a place for toxins in the body to be released.
- Electro Acupuncture: Needles are inserted at specific points along the body. The needles are then attached to a device that generates continuous and gentle electric impulses.
- Gua Sha: Also called “Scraping” involves firmly rubbing a person’s skin with the smooth edge of a ceramic spoon or special gua sha device. The purpose of Gua Sha is to release excesses in the body and stimulate healing.
For those new to clinical counselling:
The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors defines clinical counselling “as the practice of using established mental health principles, values and techniques to aid you in achieving insight into existing challenges, gaining new skills and capacities, and earning emotional freedom from historical issues.” By developing a trusting relationship with a clinical counsellor, clients can develop and enhance further knowledge, confidence, and skills to address their presenting issues. Through the use of research-based methods and approaches, clinical counselling can
assist clients of all ages in understanding their needs and concerns to enhance their own development, their own relationships and their transitions in life to improve their quality of life. Presenting issues that can be covered in counselling include but are not limited to the following:
- Anxiety which can include health anxiety and social anxiety
- Stressful events and life transitions/changes
- Traumatic events (i.e. accidents, injuries, death or loss, abuse, etc.)
- Relationship challenges (i.e. premarital, marital, family dysfunctions,
social relationships) - Mental health issues (i.e. anxiety, depression, trauma, social anxiety,
ADHD, etc.) - Emotional challenges (i.e. anger, sadness, fear, guilt, etc.)
Some therapeutic approaches that are utilized in counselling include the following:
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): The analysis of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that contribute to a presenting issue.
Person-centred Approach: The use of unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuineness to promote self-actualization.
Mindfulness: Promoting the awareness of the present moment to minimize past and future related thoughts and feelings.
Family Systems Approach: Understanding family dynamics and basic system patterns that contribute to a presenting issue.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An approach that combines mindfulness and Cognitive Behavior Therapy to promote acceptance of self and of events.
Gottman Therapy: Understanding the principles of a healthy and positive relationship and practical strategies of addressing and minimizing conflict.
Emotion Focussed Therapy: Is a unique empirically-based approach, based on methods designed to help people accept, express, the first acupuncture session, the acupuncturist will assess your general health. As each treatment is unique to the individual, this will facilitate the most effective treatment for each.
professionalism of our therapists will help guide you through any nervousness and trepidation you might feel!
Deluxe equipment:
To help you relax and enjoy your treatment, we have state of the art heated hydraulic tables, play relaxation music and use scented or unscented massage oils or lotions.
What to expect after the massage, physio or acupuncture treatment:
You may expect to be sore for a couple days. Ice any sore areas during this time.
It’s important to drink lots of water following a treatment, as working the muscles releases lactic acid and other toxins that build up in the body. Water will help flush your system following your treatment.
Please do not hesitate to call the clinic if you have any questions or concerns.
Overall wellness:
As part of your wellness plan, Evolve Therapeutic Massage provides a personalized rehab program with diagrammed photographs of exercise examples. This program, in conjunction with your treatment, is designed to get you back to optimal health. Your therapist will work with you to select and demonstrate the exercises as part of your plan.
Before you depart:
Our receptionist will be able to assist you with your payment and future appointments.
We will look forward to seeing you again!
