I'm with you sista, we need more Thai massage in the Spa world. You might try offering free sessions to the managment or owners. Thai bodywork is so hard to explain in words, It has to be experianced to be truelly understood. As you have probably noticed by now most people fall in love with Thai massage after thier first experance. It also helps to print up informational brosures on the history and benifits of Thai massage that include pictures. Pictures seem to help alot. There are many of us out there , in the massage world, who are triing to bring Thai massage into the public eye. I've noticed a significant increase of interest in just the past few years. I'm delighted to hear that there's another LMT out there helpimg to bring more awareness to Thai massage. and in Portland no less. Hopefully it will be more requested soon.

Well, first off, unless you're required to stick to a specific routine for Sports massage, you can start incorporating your Thai massage into your Sports massage routine almost immediately. Is it possible to have the receptionist or whomever is the contact person for setting appointments let clients know who are booking with you that you specialize in Thai massage and that you often incorporate Thai techniques in your Sports routine? If they've had a Thai massage from you, then they will have a much better idea of exactly how and why your Thai techniques will make for a great Sports massage. Or, if your spa is like mine and gives you creative freedom to do Sports massage as you see fit, then you can communicate directly to your clients about your particular style of sports massage.

Also, is your Thai massage a floor routine? Any place that is Swedish focused is likely to be freaked out by asking their clients to get down on the floor for a massage. If you don't already know how to do Thai massage using a massage table, then taking the time to figure that out and then giving your manager a Thai massage on a table, where he or she is used to massages taking place, may make Thai massage far more appealing a massage option.

It's sneaky, but it might be beneficial to start having your friends and family members drop by or call the spa to ask about Thai massage so that the fact that people know about it and want it is in the mind of the manager when you give them a Thai massage or next bring up offering Thai massage at the spa. :)

Lastly, do you have time to work elsewhere? Perhaps approaching several yoga studios about the fact that you do a form of yoga massage and seeing if they are willing to let you put up flyers at their front desk and work on clients in their studio?

I also work at a spa where most clients want Swedish or Deep Tissue. Like you, I find the oil massages boring, but less so the Sports massages sessions, where I totally use Tui Na, Shiatsu, and Thai massage techniques. I've done Shiatsu and Thai massage (both of my favorite modalities) on one of the receptionists, who in return knows to promote Shiatsu for me instead of Deep Tissue or an oil based Sports Massage, since the spa already offers table Shiatsu. Through her, all of the receptionists know to tell clients to show up wearing appropriate clothes and pre-warn them that it is not an oil massage. I just got back from Thailand and studying advanced Thai massage so the staff at my spa has been asking when I'll start offering Thai massage there. After reading your post, I think I'm being offered a gift and should eagerly take it.

Good luck finding ways to do Thai massage!