I had a very good feeling about the practitioner I was learning about online – the picture, the story, the information fit what I was looking for in a massage therapist.
So I went to my first appointment – and I couldn’t believe my eyes – the person I expected to meet had aged 20 years since I looked at the photo online. I didn’t quite know what to do. I definitely didn’t say anything.
Is it naïve to expect the picture online to look like the person you meet? This wasn’t a dating site. I was looking for a good massage. Before this I didn’t think age was an issue in a massage therapist.
Just for yucks I went back to the website afterwards. The picture I saw did have a few clues that it was an old shot – the hairstyle was out of date ‘80s, the focus was fuzzy, the clothes style much gone by.
Still, I did not know what to do, if anything about the discrepancy. But I felt bad, that as a fellow massage therapist, I had said nothing during the first session.
I went back for another session, and this time I got my scriblets together and decided to bring it up.
“Gee, you do such a great massage. I was surprised that you use such an old picture on your site. Perhaps it is time to update.”
Nothing like jumping right into the lake.
A long, frigid and deafening silence followed my remark.
“Oh you noticed that, did you,” the therapist said.
That went so well. After I drove away I parked at a convenience store to have a little private cringe. Old portrait photos online apparently are in the same category as comb-overs. Never to be noticed or mentioned. All I can say is fellow therapists, don’t let this happen to you.
That was a great read. But i dont think uploading latest photo will have any kind of effect on the massage therapist. Thanks for sharing.
So would you or wouldn’t you get massage therapy from this person? I’ve met a few good people up in Victoria, BC, and I was curious on where your practitioner is from.
Just my opinion, Looks like it may have been shot at 40s or 50s as the hair style suggests.
It was just odd. a massage should be about a massage. the fact that the photo was so old brought up the idea that the therapist had a problem with age…not really what I needed to know….sue