Policies
Using our services requires acceptance of the following policies. Please read thoroughly.
Appointment Scheduling
Appointments must be scheduled in advance by calling River North Massage Therapy Center or through the online scheduling system. We can accommodate appointments with short-notice but cannot accommodate walk-ins.
All treatment sessions must start and end on time. Please arrive five to ten minutes before your scheduled appointment time to complete the necessary paperwork and prepare for the session. If you are going to be late, please call so that we hold your time slot. We cannot extend sessions beyond the scheduled end time for late arrivals.
Professional Appointments: These are customized sessions performed by licensed massage therapists. They can be 30, 60, 75, 90, or 120 minutes long, as requested and scheduled in advance. No partial or extended treatments are available.
Student intern appointments: These sessions are performed by students of The New School for Massage under the supervision of an instructor. Sessions are 55 minutes long. Student treatments consist, at a minimum, of a relaxation massage. Depending on their level of training at the time of the appointment, student therapists may also have the skills to perform condition-specific work but we cannot guarantee that as appointments are randomly assigned to students at the beginning of their shift. Out of fairness to the students, The New School for Massage cannot honor requests for male or female, specific therapists, or specific types of bodywork in the student clinic. If you have requests for a specific therapist, gender, conditions to be addressed, or specific bodywork modality, a massage treatment by a professional therapist is recommended.
Late Cancellation policy, Rescheduling, and No-Shows
When an appointment or class is scheduled, we reserve a room and our staff's time for that appointment or class. Late cancellations and no-shows present lost income situations as our staff's time and resources allocated to the scheduled sessions cannot be recovered. We have implemented a fair cancellation policy to protect our business, our staff, and our customers.
Massage appointments: we must receive notice of cancellation, or rescheduling, at least 12 hours before the scheduled appointment time. If such notice is not received, a cancellation fee will be charged as follows, regardless of the reason and regardless of whether the cancelled appointment gets re-booked: Student clinic appointments and sessions less than 60 minutes: $20; 60-minute appointments: $30; 75-minute appointments: $45, 90-minute appointments or longer: $60.
Massage Workshops: we must receive notice of cancellation, or rescheduling, at least 24 hours before the scheduled workshop time. If such notice is not received, a $20 cancellation fee will be charged regardless of the cancellation reason.
The cancellation policy also applies to appointments that are cancelled for the purpose of being rescheduled.
No shows get charged the full service price.
Payment
All sessions must be paid at the time of service. Valid forms of payment are: cash, credit cards, account, Spafinder, and gift certificates. In addition to Center gift certificates, we honor gift certificates sold by The New School for Massage. Please present gift certificates and deals at the time of check-in.
No returns or refunds.
Center does not bill insurance, however, Client will be provided with a receipt to submit to client’s insurance for reimbursement.
Tipping
Professional appointments: Standard tipping for professional massage services is 15-20% of the regular service price. You may tip more or less depending on your level of satisfaction. You have the option of adding the tip on your credit card, however, cash tips are always appreciated. Tip envelopes are available at the front desk.
Student Appointments: Per the Illinois Massage Licensing Act, student massage therapists cannot receive compensation, including tips. If you wish to express your appreciation for your student therapist by leaving a tip, please know that student tips are pooled into a fund that is managed by the students, and which pays for students’ licensing fees and education-related activities. For transparency and reporting purposes, only credit card tips are accepted for student appointments.
Right to Refuse Service
Center reserves the right to refuse appointments or terminate treatment sessions for the following reasons: conditions or pathology are present for which massage is contraindicated, conditions or pathology outside of the therapist’s scope of work or skillset, poor hygiene, improper or lewd conduct, sexualizing the session, intoxication, or for any other reasons that compromise the integrity and safety of the center, clients, and therapists/staff.
Informed Consent
The therapist will present client with a treatment plan so that Client can make an informed decision about the session. Client has the right to terminate your session at any time and for any reason.
Confidentiality and Records
Center is committed to protecting Client privacy and confidentiality. No information is shared with the third parties without your expressed permission, unless when required by law.
Center will maintain your intake form and subsequent intake forms for a maximum of 3 months following your last clinic visit, and that if you need these records for insurance claim, it is your responsibility to request the records before they are shredded.
No substitute for medical care
Massage therapy has emerged as a healthcare modality in recent years. Several studies have shown massage therapy to produce therapeutic effects for stress reduction, pain relief, and many ailments. That being said, massage therapy is not a substitute for medical treatment.
Liability Waiver
When scheduling a massage appointment, class, or workshop, your massage therapist or instructor must be aware of your known medical conditions and physical limitations. When booking a treatment you agree that neither you, your heirs, assigns or legal representatives will sue or make any other claims of any kind whatsoever against River North Massage Therapy Center, The New School for Massage, or its members for any personal injury, property damage/loss, or wrongful death, whether caused by negligence or otherwise.
