Keeping you informed and reassured

At The Essential Kneads, we strive to give you the best massage experience possible. This section is intended to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions. For more detailed information regarding our policies and procedures please review our Terms of Service.

 

ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL KNEADS

  • The service will only be servicing Berlin for the time being but as the team grows, it will become available in a number of cities across both Germany and the UK.

  • Our massage service operates from 12:00 - 22:00 in the studio on weekdays but vary on weekends and public holidays.

    You can get in touch with us via email - hello@theessentialkneads.com our inbox is monitored from 10:00 - 17:00 seven days a week, so this is a great option to use if your enquiry is non-urgent.

  • We understand that sometimes a massage is just what you need at that particular moment. Last-minute appointments are often available due to cancellations - if you’d like to book a treatment at short notice you can call or text us via Whatsapp on 0304 511 3384.

    We also advertise our daily availability including any cancellations / last-minute appointments on our Instagram Stories - follow along to be the first to see our up-to-date availability.

  • Accepted forms of payment are:

    • Credit/Debit card

    • Apple Pay

  • Absolutely - and we offer discounts when you purchase multiple massages in advance. You can find our packages on our appointment page, when you click through to book.

  • Yes. All are qualified via a widely respected representative body. We also ensure all our therapists have their own liability policies with respected insurers.

  • Yes you can - our pregnancy massage (No.4 on our menu) will meet your needs, whether it’s prenatal or postnatal. Please check out our menu page for more details on what the treatment entails.

    If you are in the first trimester (months 1-3), we would recommend consulting with your doctor before booking with us.

  • It is important you communicate this prior to your treatment as we’ll make the decision on a case-by-case basis. Please contact hello@theessentialkneads.com once you've spoken to your doctor and/or physio about the ongoing medical issue or injury. Prior to your treatment, we will undertake a consultation where you can discuss any injuries/conditions in detail.

  • We are only able to provide treatments to individuals over the age of 18.

  • We are always on the lookout for talented and passionate people to join The Essential Kneads journey.

    Currently, we interested in those who live in London or Berlin. If you're interested in finding out more, send your CV and a short note to on why you think you'd be a good fit to hello@theessentialkneads.com

BEFORE YOUR TREATMENT

  • A booked massage can be canceled by logging into your account on the website, by sending us an email, or by calling/texting directly. We hope you’ll understand, being a small business means that we have to adhere to a pretty stringent cancellation policy.

    If you cancel 24 hours (or more) in advance, we will happily refund you in full, or give you the opportunity to reschedule your appointment free of charge. If you cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours notice, you will be charged 50% of the booking value.

    If you are more than 15 minutes late or haven’t provided at least 3 hours notice that you will not be attending, the booking is automatically canceled and the full price of the scheduled service is charged.

  • If you feel ill, please reschedule or cancel your massage up to 24hrs before the appointment. You will not be charged for this.

  • For studio treatments, we will provide everything and only recommend wearing comfortable and light clothing (you can change at the studio if needed).

    If you have booked a private home visit, please allow 15 minutes for setting up in a clean space/area (200cm x 150cm) and providing you with a short consult to discuss any health issues or specific areas you’d like to focus on (e.g neck, general stress etc) before the massage begins. You will also need a full body towel (a pillow is optional).

    After the massage is complete, we will have time to relax, discuss how you’re feeling and book your next appointment.

  • It is recommended to avoid having a big meal 2 hours prior to the massage appointment.

  • This depends on a number of factors and we can adjust accordingly after the consult; for example if you want to focus more on relaxing and relieving stress, tension, we would be recommend treatment No1.

    However, for further details on the treatments offered, check out the menu. This will allow you to choose the massage that meets your specific needs.

DURING YOUR TREATMENT

  • Please wear comfortable and light bottoms such as shorts or yoga pants/leggings. For upper body work, if you are not comfortable topless (don’t worry - you will be covered), please wear a bra with a thin straps.

    For our corporate massage, you can wear exactly what you are already wearing that day. You might be asked to remove a suit jacket or thick pullover.

  • Just make yourself comfortable, thank yourself for taking the time to take care of yourself: switch off and completely relax, let go of any negative thoughts, and just breathe.

    There are times when we will either move you or adjust your positions, or ask you to adjust your position particular stretches during the Thai yoga massage. Otherwise this is the right time for you to simply just be in the moment and feel your body.

  • It is totally ok if you feel like talking, however, in order to get the most benefits out of the massage, we recommend you stay with your eyes closed, sit back and just relax. It is important to let us know if you do not feel comfortable in a certain position, and there are times when we might ask for feedback to make sure that the pressure is good for you.

  • It is common that during a massage people fall asleep. During a massage clients fall more into a meditative state making this time even more precious. Relaxation and sleep are two of the best healers: your body and mind use this ‘sleep time’ to rebuild, rejuvenate, de-stress and heal.

  • We exclusively use RITUALS® products for all of our treatments, these are premium quality soft scented moisturises which use natural ingredients.

    For treatment No.4, we use an unscented moisturiser.

AFTER YOUR TREATMENT

  • Take your time to fully wake up before getting off the mat. Doing simple movements will allow your body to re-engage. Drinking plenty of water is important to promote healthy muscle tissue and remove waste from your system.

    Please avoid alcohol or caffeine for several hours after the massage, as this will cause your body to dehydrate. Try to keep the blissful sensations left by the massage, calmness and joy, throughout the rest of your day by taking deep, belly-filling breaths.

    It is recommended not to work out after a massage, as it can cause strain to your body or result in your being tired and accidentally causing injury. Wait until the next day before you exercise, in order to give time to your muscles to recover.

  • That entirely depends on what your goal is: physical needs, stress, particular pain, emotional needs, as well as your budget.

    If you are suffering from a lot of stress or a specific pain, such as back, neck or shoulder pain, a massage every week or every 2 weeks would be ideal. For general health and relaxation, we recommend receiving a massage every 4 weeks in order to help your muscles stay loose, prevent injuries, and release stress.

COMMON CONCERNS

  • If this is your preference, then of course it’s totally fine and although this is slightly easier and obviously allows us to work more closely to the gluteus muscles, we take 100% no judgement on what you decide as the priority is what feels right and most comfortable for you.

    However, this is not at all necessary if your treatment does not include the use of oils or balm as all of the massages can be performed fully clothed, with the exception of socks, which must be removed.

  • Absolutely not, but it's definitely helpful for the therapist to know during the consultation as there are areas in the abdomen and lower back that can be affected by your cycle.

  • It’s actually quite normal for the power of touch to have this effect, and is nothing to worry or feel embarrassed about at all - however please do communicate with your therapist and let them know. We always prefer communication rather than not discussing it to avoid any silent awkwardness with you not being able to fully relax.

    However, please note that all of our services are entirely therapeutic and non-sexual, and ANY inappropriate requests will not be tolerated by your practitioner or ourselves and as a result, the massage will end immediately, with the full fee being charged.

  • This is absolutely not a problem at all! Come as you are

  • Of course, your massage will be tailored to you and during the consultation, your therapist will ask you if there are any areas you prefer not to be massaged.