Brandyn Fox Bio/Business Beat article

LadyBug Massage Therapy, winner of the Health and Wellness Business of the Year for 2007, is expanding.  The clinic welcomes Brandyn Fox who is joining Jessica Westbrook and Elke Van Meer.

Brandyn grew up in Peterborough and after high school she followed her love for the arts by attending college in Haliburton where she received her Certificate in Visual Arts in 2005.

She graduated from the three year Massage Therapy Program at Fleming College in Peterborough in April 2008 and is so excited to be joining the team at LadyBug Massage Therapy.

As a new graduate she has a fresh, enthusiastic approach which compliments the experience and insight offered by the other therapists.  While fully trained as a registered massage therapist she has a particular interest in craniosacral therapy which she hopes to pursue.

Between the three therapists the clinic offers appointments from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday to Friday.  The therapists are trained in therapeutic and relaxation massage, aromatherapy, hot stone massage and reflexology.

With the addition of their new therapist they have increased availability of appointments including same day appointments.

From its professional, modern and highly visible location on Division Street in Cobourg, LadyBug Massage Therapy caters to its clientele with convenient parking and appreciated extras such as the on-site shower and direct billing.

Massage therapists are legislated and mandated by our provincial body, The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (The College). The College provides guidelines in many areas of our daily practice. Recent policy changes have occurred that affect the issuing of receipts.

When a client attends the clinic for a treatment and pays for this service themselves, a receipt will be issued in their name.

As explained in our last newsletter and as posted in the clinic, when the case arises where an appointment is missed or cancelled without 24 hours notice, a client may be charged the full fee. The receipt issued will indicate that the fee paid was for a missed or cancelled appointment.

When products are sold at the clinic, the receipts issued for the sale of such items will indicate which product was sold and its value.

From our experience we know that insurance companies will not pay for missed or cancelled treatments or for the purchase of gift certificates. Some companies may pay for products purchased but that is on a case by case basis. With regards to third party payment and receipts issued for those treatments we can only assume that insurance companies would also not pay for those treatments.

As we all adjust to these new polices that The College has implemented, please keep in mind that they are in place because The College has a responsibility to regulate massage therapists and protect the public's perception of and trust in the profession.

"What type of person do you see most often for massage?"

Just so that we can seem really smart next time someone asks, we decided to take a look at our 'client demographics' and figure it out. We guessed that the higher percentage of our clientele was female, and we were correct - 63% to be exact. We have also noticed that the 37% of our clients who are male, all seem to show up on the same day, making us work extra hard on their hardworking muscles! In terms of age, we currently treat clients who range from 7 to 83 years young, with the average being around 45 years. As far as their career choices go, well we thought that was just getting too specific, but one thing we have learned over the years is that there is no such thing as an easy job, and everybody can use a massage!

Epsom salts are used to help eliminate lactic acid build up in muscles caused from deep tissue massage, heavy exercise and stress. Lactic acid is a natural by-product of the metabolic process (energy consumption) in the muscles, and is commonly blamed for muscular aches and pains. Use 2-3 cups of Epsom salts in a hot bath for at least 20 minutes and drink plenty of water to replenish your fluids. When used after a massage, gardening, sports activities or other intense physical activity you are less likely to experience discomfort. Epsom salts should be used at maximum 3 times per week and preferably not two days in a row.

With the new season of outdoor events coming soon, we are here to help you get ready. Ask us about stretches that you can do to keep you fit, participating for the full season and give you that competitive advantage. For example a specific program can be created for the avid golfer, gardener, or lawn chair warrior.

At LadyBug Massage Therapy, whenever possible we provide a direct billing service for our clients. Generally this means that instead of a client being responsible to pay for their treatment at the time the service is provided, we submit billing directly to their insurance company and payment is then mailed to us.

If a client's insurance company will not send payment to us, we will not be able to provide direct billing. We have unfortunately discovered in some cases where the insurance company sends payment to the client, it can be a complicated and lengthy affair for the clinic to receive payment for services provided.

As well, due to our clinic privacy policy and the new Federal Privacy Act, we are unable to ask for any information from insurance providers about our clients. Please keep this in mind as each client is responsible for knowing:

• how much coverage is available to them
• the maximum value or percentage per treatment
• the yearly schedule that this amount is available in
• whether or not a doctor's prescription is required prior to receiving treatment
• if direct billing is available.

When a client is treated, the receipt will be issued in the name of the person receiving treatment. We are unable to bill one person's treatment under another person's name because to do so would constitute insurance fraud.