Whichever wintry/end-of-year/start-of-new-year festivities you observe or celebrate, I genuinely hope that each and every one of you is able to experience them with joy and blessings.

I am eternally thankful for every client who has stuck with me and supported Warrior Massage through these tough times; every patient who values their massage enough to take the risk; every customer who has been tolerant and cooperative with the changes we've made to mitigate the risk of infection.  And I am equally as thankful for every client who has stayed home to do their part to limit the spread of COVID-19.  I hope that you are all well, and I hope that it will be safe enough for us to see each other again very soon.

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

 With Snohomish County moved into Phase 2 of reopening, Warrior Massage is now open for business and accepting appointments.  However it is not entirely back to "business as usual;" you will notice some changes in operation, including the following things that will involve/affect you when you make an appointment:

COVID-19 Pre-screening:
24 hours before your appointment you will receive a reminder via e-mail as usual, however now it will include a link to a questionnaire that you MUST complete regarding COVID-19 symptoms.  The subject line of the e-mail will indicate that there is a form for you to complete.  If the pre-screening indicates you are displaying symptoms of infection, your appointment will be rescheduled.  If you do not complete the pre-screening before your appointment you will have to complete it when you arrive for your appointment and I'm sure that's time you'd rather spend on the massage table. 
ALSO If, within 2 weeks before your scheduled appointment, you are feeling any symptoms that could possibly be COVID-19, or have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, no need to wait for the pre-screening: please let me know and we will reschedule! 
No cancellation fees will be incurred for rescheduling due to symptoms of communicable disease.

Social Distancing:
To help minimize the chance of crossing paths with other clients, please arrive no sooner than five minutes before your scheduled appointment time.  If you arrive earlier please wait outside/in your car rather than in our waiting room.
In addition, if at all possible please do not bring anyone else with to your appointment.  If someone accompanies you for any reason, please have them wait outside/in your vehicle.  If you have a small child or other individual in your care who you cannot leave alone, they may accompany you and wait in the treatment room for the duration of your massage, not in the waiting room.

Mask/Face Covering:
Until further notice ALL clients and anyone accompanying them MUST wear a mask that covers the face and nose at all times while inside the business.  If you do not have one or forget to bring it, a disposable mask will be provided for you.

Blankets:
Due to increased sanitation standards, in an attempt to reduce the expense of linens/laundry, blankets will now only be provided by request.  For your comfort, privacy, and as required by law a top sheet will still be on the table to be used as a drape.  We will monitor the room temperature to ensure your comfort, and if you are too cold please let me know and we can get you a blanket and/or turn on the table warmer.
I want to emphasize that this is in no way meant to discourage you from asking for a blanket.  If you would like one for your massage, PLEASE DO ask for one.  It's simply to reduce unnecessary laundering for those clients who do not want a blanket or have no preference either way (if the blanket is set out on the table by default, it has to be laundered after each patient regardless of whether they use it).

I realize that these things may be frustrating for some clients, but we are simply doing our best to follow CDC/Dept of Health guidelines and do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19, and I hope that you can bear with us until the pandemic crisis has passed and we can return to a more normal state of operation.

ALSO - as announced here in February, prices will be increasing next month (July 2020).  This was planned since the beginning of the year and unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic; the fact that we have incurred additional costs related to the pandemic is purely coincidental.

A lot of clients, understandably, have had questions about when Warrior Massage will re-open.  The projected date of June 1st was based on earlier predictions that the state would be ready for "Phase 2" of the state's reopening plan by that date.  Our re-opening date will be adjusted as more information becomes available from state and county health officials regarding reopening status.

While it is true that alternative medical practitioners (including massage therapists) are considered essential and allowed to operate during Phase 1, we are only considered essential when performing "medically urgent" massage.  This strict category of cases does not include anyone with a prescription from a doctor - only cases for treatment of recent serious injury.  Unfortunately, it is not economical for us to open operations for the few cases that qualify.

I want to be able to open as soon as safely possible, so I will continue to closely monitor announcements, directives, and guidance from the CDC, WA Department of Health, and my allied health professionals to determine the best practices and standards of care regarding when it is safe to operate.

At this time, to continue to protect the health and safety of my patients and our community, I will be extending the closure time for Warrior Massage.  I expect it will extend further as the crisis continues, but am hopeful that it will abate sooner rather than later.  Once again I am terribly sorry, especially for my patients who are in pain and looking for relief.  Please know that I am thinking of you and agonize over the decision to extend this closure. 

If your appointment has been cancelled due to this closure, I will be calling you once it is lifted to schedule a new appointment.

This post will be updated with new dates if/when it is determined that the closure must last longer.

In consideration of the evolving information regarding the COVID-19 virus, and professional consensus on standards of care, Warrior Massage is halting operations at this time, tentatively to be re-opened after March 31st.  As the epidemiological situation is still evolving, it is possible that we will remain closed longer, depending on Department of Health recommendations and professional standards.

This was not an easy decision to come to, as among my patients are people recovering and suffering from physical injury, crippling pain, opioid addiction, terminal illness, and other serious issues.  The harm caused by ceasing treatment at this time, however, must be weighed against the risk of exposure to - and risk of becoming a transmission vector of - the COVID-19 virus.  As my medical expertise does not extend to virology or epidemiology, I rely on a variety of professional institutions, advice from qualified medical professionals, and the Washington state Department of Health, to make those determinations.  While the Department of Health has yet to order manual therapy clinics to close, there is a significant consensus in the profession and among allied health professions, that at this time it is prudent to cease operations.  It is expected that the Department of Health, which is struggling to cope keeping its recommendations current as the situation rapidly evolves, will adjust its directives to reflect this soon.

If you are suffering pain or injury and seeking advice on what you can do to help while in quarantine, please do not hesitate to reach out to me via e-mail at jesse.jones@warriormassage.com, or text me at 202-413-6999 (you can call, but because I'm quarantined with an energetic 2-year-old, I am unlikely to be able to answer or call back immediately).  I am happy to offer advice on specific stretches or self-care you can do at home, or point you to other resources that may be able to help.

Stay well, keep calm, carry on.  Be safe.

The mission of Warrior Massage is one of health and wellness, so I am taking great care to take necessary measures to protect clients' health and help to prevent viral spread.  Rest assured I am staying abreast of CDC & Department of Health/Massage Board recommendations for standards of practice.  Should the time come that the WA Department of Health orders a closure of non-essential healthcare providers, I will follow their recommendation.  Until then, we will be adopting the following protocols to operate as safely as possible:

• We have reviewed and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols for the office, including treatment room, waiting area, and restroom.  Commonly-touched surfaces (such as doorknobs, counters, railings, armrests, and chairs) will be cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.  Treatment tables are already disinfected, and given new linens, after each patient leaves.
  
• Magazines have been removed from the waiting area for the duration of the pandemic.

There are a few things that you, our clients, can do to help us keep everyone safe:

• Wash your hands thoroughly, and often.  Do so before you come to your appointment, and again when you return home.   In fact, it's a good practice - especially during this pandemic - to do so when going to or returning from anywhere when you need to go out.
  
• Social distancing: we ask that, should you arrive early for your appointment, you wait outside the building or in your vehicle until your appointment time, to reduce the possibility of coming into contact with other patients. 
  
• We ask that you please do not have anyone accompany you to your appointment at this time.  Should it be necessary we ask that you have them wait outside the building or in your vehicle for the duration of your treatment.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY: if you OR anyone you have been in close contact with has been diagnosed with COVID-19 OR is experiencing fever, new onset of coughing and/or difficulty breathing, please reschedule your appointment for a future date after you have fully recovered.  For the duration of the pandemic we will be suspending cancellation fees for anyone experiencing symptoms of illness, or who lives with/cares for someone who is experiencing symptoms.  At your therapist's discretion, if you appear to be symptomatic when arriving for an appointment, you will be asked to return at a later date.
  

Warrior Massage will remain open for business at this time.  If that changes it will be noted in an update here. 

At this point you're probably sick of hearing from every business you've ever visited about what they're doing to keep you safe from disease.  But read on if you're concerned.  As a healthcare provider it should go without saying that we always follow universal precautions and clean/sanitize common surfaces such as doorknobs and countertops.  Under current conditions we have increased the frequency with which we do so.  Also be aware that it is a standard practice for massage therapists to wash our hands before and after every massage, and we are quite well-practiced in thorough hand-washing technique.  Whether or not there is a pandemic going on, our clients' health is always on our minds.

We have provided hand sanitizer at the door for all clients' use, and urge everyone to wash their hands before you go anywhere and when you get back - that includes when you come for your massage.

If you are feeling ill or are concerned that you may be asymptomatic but a carrier of coronavirus, please do not hesitate to cancel your appointment and reschedule to a later date.  There is a link at the bottom of your appointment confirmation emails if you want to do so online, otherwise you can call or text 202-413-6999, or e-mail me at jesse.jones@warriormassage.com.

Stay well, keep calm, carry on.

We will be adopting new pricing beginning in July of 2020, new prices will be as follows:

Deep Tissue Massage: $80
Samurai Massage: $68 (%15 discount)
Introductory Massage: $60 ($20 off first visit)

Samurai Memberships purchased between now and July will be pro-rated for the months before the price increase.  So purchasing a membership this month (February) will cost $368, and increase by $8 each month until July, when they will reach the new price of $408.

I strive to keep massage affordable for my clients, however cost of living, rent, laundry, and other overhead costs have increased since I set my prices.  The WA Department of Health has also seen fit to increase massage therapist licensing fees significantly in the last year.  Lastly in doing market research I have found that, compared to other massage therapists in the Everett region, I have been undercharging for some years by quite a wide margin, particularly since service is included and gratuities are not accepted, much less expected as they are at most massage businesses.

The great service and quality you have come to expect from Warrior Massage will only continue to improve.  Thank you for your patronage!

No it is not an April Fools' trick, Warrior Massage will be open 9-3 on Monday, April 1st, and there are still some openings available!
This is just a temporary change and the schedule will return to normal on 4/2.

The servers for ClinicSense, the service used by Warrior Massage for clinic management, are currently down, so appointment scheduling is currently unavailable.  So sorry for the inconvenience!  They should be back up this afternoon and this post will be updated when that occurs.  Please check back later, and thank you for your patience!