Shadowing Practice: How to interview a client - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello massage nurse today I'm going to be doing a video
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Hello massage nurse today I'm going to be doing a video
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on how to interview a client on tips on how to interview a client
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and it was one of my students that asked me
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so this was for you Miguel to me the most important question
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that you ask a client you know
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when you first start interviewing them is have you ever had a massage before
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because that way it'll tell you how much time you're going to need to spend doing a little bit more explanation.
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So once I get that out of the way,
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then I know, okay, so instead of having,
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if they've had a massage before,
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then I only need three minutes to explain things to them.
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But if they've never had a massage before,
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then I'm going to need a little bit of extra time.
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And that's another thing that it differs.
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If you're self-employed, like, you know,
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I've been for 33 years,
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I can usually set, you know,
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half an hour in between my clients 15 minutes to for the interview
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but if you work for a chain or a spa
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or you know you work for somebody else you might not have
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that luxury so make sure
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that your questions are precise it's best not to ask open-ended
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questions like don't say uh does your back hurt once they
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tell you you know uh their backers does your back hurt
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say can you tell me more about where you feel the pain.
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Ask them more elaborate questions where they have to give you an explanation so that way you can find out more.
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And you always want to do some reflective listening.
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Reflective listening is really very important especially for those of you that work for somebody else and I'll explain to you why.
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Because you can always document that you ask your client.
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Let's say somebody comes in and they tell you,
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you know, my shoulder hurts.
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And you go, tell me more about your shoulder hurting.
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You go, well, they tell you,
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well, it hurts when I shampoo my hair.
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And then you reflective listening to them will be,
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oh, so let me understand this.
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If I understand this correctly,
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every time you raise your arm to shampoo or to do anything that extends your arm,
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it hurts and then they agree.
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And then you say, okay,
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would you like for me to spend 10 minutes extra on your shoulder and take away maybe from another area?
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And if they agree and say yes, then you document that
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because I've had students let me know that clients complained
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that they didn't give them a full body massage or
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that they didn't spend enough time you know somewhere else but
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if you reflective listening if you were reflective listening to them
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and giving them back the information where they have to agree with you not
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that they have to agree with you I shouldn't say that
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but you know where they do agree with you then you can document
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that and you you're covering yourself so it's always important to speak clearly you know
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and straight so that way you know exactly what you're going to do
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and you explain to them what you're going to do
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and they're going to agree and
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that way you know you're more clear on what you're going to do during
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that 50 minutes some I know some some spas
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or some chains only work 50 minutes or if it's an hour
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if you're a private you know and you want to go extra,
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make sure you clear all that up before your client gets on the table.
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One of the reasons that I like to start supine is
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because they're face up and you can see their facial expressions and they might want to talk a little bit.
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They might want to interact a little bit more with you.
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And it's better when, you know,
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when they're supine than when they're prone.
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When they're prone, it's difficult to hear what they're saying and it's difficult for them to talk.
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So, like I said, that's one of the reasons why I start supine
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and because I always like to do the neck and shoulders and relax that area first and then go to the,
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you know, to the face before you go to the feet.
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So, another thing
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that you must is ask the client before they lay on the table do you have any questions
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that way you open the door like
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if it's a first-time client you know maybe there's something
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that you didn't answer for them
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and they might need to you know to ask you now and it creates that communication because communication
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and trust is so important, especially with returning clients.
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However, if you work in a spa or in an airport where you're never going to see that client again,
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you know, I've heard that too.
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You know, I have a lady from Jamaica that she says,
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you know, she only sees those clients one time,
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you know, and that's it.
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So find out what they want,
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what they're expecting out of the massage,
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and then explain to them what you believe,
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how the massage is going to help them.
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I always tell my clients realistically,
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you know, I believe like if they have an injury,
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realistically, you know, I believe that you're probably going to need to come back two
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or three times before you start feeling better.
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And, you know, if they're in for a relaxation massage,
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you know, massage should be relaxing.
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So I suggest, you know,
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that you kind of tune in and
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take deep breaths and relax
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and you know it's like you want to give feedback to your client about what you
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and how you feel and what you believe in massage can do for them
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because you're planting seeds you know you're re maybe even re-educating you know some beliefs
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that they might have that maybe you can clear up some of those questions for them
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but like I said always at the end
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and make sure that you speak clearly
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and tell them what you're going to do and how you're going to accommodate to better service them.
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And I also want to talk like if you were the client,
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you know, if you are the client or you know your clients,
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you know, this happened 20 years ago to me
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and it was the best thing I've learned from my clients I had a couple
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that just moved in from from Austin to to El Paso and they scheduled
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three massages with three different massage therapists and
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when they came in with me they told me you know we're interviewing massage therapists
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and we want to pick the best one because you're going to be part of our budget.
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You know, we're going to put aside every month to come see you.
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And like I said, it was a couple.
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So it was, you know, it's an expense.
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She says, you know, this is part of our expense for,
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you know, going to the,
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for our budget to go to the dentist or the optometrist or,
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you know, whatever health appointments they may have, chiropractor.
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So to me, it's so important for clients to interview different massage therapists.
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There is nothing
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wrong with that you know clients should be knowing more about you especially
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if it's going to be a long-term relationship they should be able to interview different massage therapists
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and you should go with somebody you feel comfortable with somebody you connect with
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and you know some clients like to talk a lot some clients don't
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and as a as a therapist you must stay you know
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within the comfort level of the client you know don't promote
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any talking once they're you know to the contrary promote them being quiet
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so they can go within so anyway I could go on talking forever about this
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so I just wanted to give you these tips again you
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know first question have you ever had a massage before
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and then do the medical history
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and then do the interview always reiterate you know reflective listen you know
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that you were listening to what their needs are
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and then at the end right before they get on the
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table tell them you know are you okay with me doing x y
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and z
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and ask them have you ever do you have any questions do you have any questions for me
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so i hope this helps till the next time create a great day
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will learn essential techniques for effectively interviewing a client, particularly in a massage therapy context. Through understanding the importance of precise questioning and reflective listening, you will enhance your English speaking skills. This session will help you build confidence in communicating with clients, which is vital for your professional development. By practicing these techniques, you will be able to conduct engaging and informative conversations, ensuring that your clients feel heard and understood.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Interview a client - the process of asking questions to gather information from a client.
- Reflective listening - a technique that involves repeating back what the client says to confirm understanding.
- Precise questions - specific inquiries that facilitate detailed responses from clients.
- Massage experience - refers to whether the client has received a massage before and its impact on the conversation.
- Elaborate questions - questions that encourage clients to provide more detailed explanations.
- Documentation - the act of recording important details to ensure clarity and accountability.
- Client feedback - insights and reactions provided by clients about their experience.
- Time management - the practice of allocating appropriate time for each segment of the client interview.
Practice Tips
To effectively enhance your speaking skills while watching this video, incorporate the shadowing technique. Focus on mimicking the speaker's tone and pace as they provide guidance on client interviews. The speaker’s pace is moderate, allowing you to follow along without feeling rushed. Here are some tips for your practice:
- Start Slow: Begin by shadowing at a slower speed if you're a beginner. Pause the video after each key point to repeat the phrases out loud.
- Focus on Intonation: Pay attention to the changes in voice. Emphasize key phrases, like "tell me more" and "so let me understand," to capture the natural flow of conversation.
- Use Repeat Play: Replay sections where the speaker emphasizes reflective listening. This will give you an opportunity to practice and familiarize yourself with essential phrases.
- Voice Recording: Record yourself using the shadowspeak method. Compare your recordings with the original video to identify areas for improvement.
- Engage with Others: Pair up with a study partner and practice conducting mock interviews. Use the vocabulary you’ve learned to familiarize yourself with terminology relevant to professional settings.
By integrating these strategies into your practice sessions on a shadowing site, you'll significantly improve your conversational skills and confidence while interacting with clients.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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