The Nose Knows… Or Does It?
So this post may ruffle some feathers but hear me out. I am nothing if not the voice of reality today. I went to a home visit today. Regular client; we’ve been seeing each other for about 4 years. She is young, energetic, health conscious, fit and what I would call “put together”. She is always on time, pays me in full for my services and is the kind of person I would be friends with, under different circumstances.
I arrived on time, set up my table and she walked in for her appointment. I can’t be sure but I think I smelled alcohol on her breath. A first for sure. She did not seem intoxicated and showed no signs of being under the influence. “Am I imagining this?” “Is there anything else this smell could be?” “Should I continue with the planned session?” …. just some of the questions that went through my head in 10 seconds.
What to do when a regular, steady, loyal, paying client MIGHT have alcohol in their system? I certainly know that clients should not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol during a session but where is the line? Perhaps she had a drink at lunch. Perhaps she mowed the lawn and sucked down a cold one afterwards. To mention it or not?
Well I chose not to mention it… today. I proceeded with the session. The entire hour went exactly as it usually goes, in terms of her talking/sleeping/commenting on my work. But I am left with the thoughts of next time. If there is a next time, I will address it immediately. In my opinion (and this is just my opinion), everyone deserves a “pass” for some things. Lines are grey.
Bottom line…. she needed the work. I needed the money. My schedule would not have permitted a reschedule for weeks. I may have been wrong about what I percieved. I may have offended her and lost a good client. People are funny sometimes. I was not willing to risk any of it.
There you have it. The voice of reality. You may disagree with the way I handled it but just so you know…. life happens. And there is no rule book.
I think many therapists have been where you where. It was great to see some honesty. I thought Caroline response was helpful and knowledgeable
that is such a hard discussion to make, I’ve a few times was not sure I smelled it but was certain I was; and I too left it alone. other times I knew for sure and had to gently remind them of our agreement they had signed. I also educated on contraindications of MT and massage, I’ve lost a few and others respect my work and knowledge and don’t drink before their massage
Thanks for your post. I’ve had a similar experience and handled it exactly the same way (including internal dialogue
)I also have had several clients from all over Europe. A glass of wine at lunch is considered the norm and arguments have been made as to a glass of wine being great for health so! I trust my judgment in regards to sobriety and just continue to use our mantra “Do no harm” to guide me in these interactions.
Jenn,Under the circumstances, her being a great client for 4 years, you considering her to be a “put together” person (and I know just what you mean by that) and the fact that this has never occurred before, I would say that you handled it perfectly.She was at home, she might of had a friend unexpectedly stop and offered her a glass of wine. Your right, there could be a bunch of different scenerios.To risk losing a great client over something your not even sure of makes no sense to me. If it happens again, I am confident that you will bring it up to her in a caring way, but I agree in giving her a pass this time…I would have done just the same thing. Hope you feel better about your decision : )
The perceived smell of alcohol on the breath could be from several things besides intake of alcohol… a couple I can think of off the top of my head are ketosis from dieting or a high intake of protein (strains the kidneys) and also diabetes. This is one of those things that may be a good “catch” for a therapist in case a person has an undiagnosed problem that might need dealing with. Keep that nose busy! There are a lot of health issues that can be “sniffed out” that way.
Good for you, Jenn, for bringing this up. Way back when I was in massage school (my favorite way to begin a sentence!), it wasn’t unheard of for a person to have a glass of wine and get a massage– it seemed perfectly reasonable. Nowadays we tend to stigmatize this issue, but there’s a big difference between being intoxicated and having had a drink, and you recognized that with your choice. I totally support your intention to keep an eye on this trend, but not to make an issue of it until it becomes a problem. For people who are wondering what kinds of problems I’m talking about, this goes beyond alcohol-induced impropriety– I’ve had practitioners talk about their drunk clients vomiting on the table, or not being sure someone was safe to drive home. Again, there’s a BIG difference between having had a drink and being drunk. If the therapist believes the client is at risk for harm, it is fair to call off the session. Otherwise, it doesn’t seem necessary to get too twisted up about this. I’m looking forward to seeing what other people have to say on this issue!Thanks again, Jenn– well done!~Ruth Werner