A Guide to Tactile ASMR Sessions with Eve Hockman of Apple and Eve Esthetics
Phase I | Client Consultation
Upon arrival, Eve will greet her client and introduce the service and what that will entail. Eve will ask a series of questions to determine what will make for the best experience on a case by case basis. Some of those questions include but are not limited to:
Are there any areas of your body that are off limits for any reason?
Are you comfortable laying face down for x amount of time?
Are there any areas you would like to focus on most?
Do you have a music preference?
Would you like a silent appointment?
Eve will also disclose that if at any point a change needs to be made to better improve her client’s experience, then that change can very well be made. Body positioning, headrest adjustments, body temperature, and other variables are crucial in making or breaking the client’s experience. Once her client is comfortable, Eve will then explain what the session will entail.
In preparation for the session, Eve will briefly state the following:
”I will start you out laying face down, and from there we will go over the back, arms, legs, hands, and feet with light touch. I will also give the scalp lots of love using my hands and the scalp stimulator. We will continue doing that for half of the session.
When I’m ready to have you flip to9 your other side, I will let you know. Then, we’ll do the same thing on the front. We’ll also incorporate hot towels throughout and a small massage portion towards the end of your session. Do you have any questions before we get started?”
At this point, Eve will answer any and all questions her client may have.
Before having her client get comfortable on the treatment table, Eve will ask them which of two options he or she prefers in terms of disrobing:
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Eve’s client may change into a robe for personal comfort and modesty.
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Eve’s client may remove articles of clothing down to their undergarments and forego the optional robe.
Once her client has comfortably disrobed and is laying on the treatment table, she will offer the table remote to adjust the elevation of their head to their liking if need be. Then, Eve will do a series of “test runs” to see what type of light touch her client enjoys most—whether that be nails, finger-pads, facial brushes, feathers, sensory brushes, or a combination of all.
When the type of touch that her client enjoys most is determined, Eve will state aloud that this is their time to relax, and not to feel compelled to carry a conversation if that is not desired. Eve states this aloud whether or not her client opts for a silent appointment on their intake form.
From there, the session will officially commence.
Phase II | Tactile ASMR Session
The client will begin face down as Eve uses her hands, and sometimes brushes or other tools, to lightly caress areas of the body including the back, arms, hands, legs, and feet. This will continue for the 25+ minute duration with the client laying face down on the treatment table.
During these 25+ minutes spent with the client laying face down, Eve will move strategically around the body, sometimes rhythmically to the beat of whatever preferred music is playing. Eve will spend 5-10 minutes at a time on one general area of the body often using her finger pads, nails, or facial brushes.
For example, she will spend 5-10 minutes lightly caressing the back, arms, and head area before moving to the lower regions of the body where the legs and feet are located. Eve does this to ensure clients do not experience desensitization or overstimulation by remaining in one area for too long.
Prior to instructing her client to flip to their other side, Eve will place a hot towel on their back, making sure that the temperature is not too hot for her client. Using gentle but firm pressure, she will press on each area of the hot towel until just before the towel is cooled down. Immediately after removing the hot towel, Eve will cover her client with the blanket, and again using gentle but firm pressure she will glide her hands over the client’s back and arms that are draped by the blanket and sheets.
Once Eve deems it is time for her client to flip to their other side, she will assist them with their hair if necessary and simultaneously swap out the face pillow for the head pillow of her table. When her client is situated and comfortable, Eve will then ask how everything is thus far. At this point in time, Eve will make note of or change anything necessary to improve the client’s experience.
For the remaining duration of the session, Eve will continue to lightly caress areas of the body using her hands and other tools like brushes, feathers, and the scalp stimulator. Eve will start the beginning of the second half of the session by using facial brushes to lightly caress the face, décolleté, neck, and ears before reaching for a hair brush to provide a new sensory scalp experience for the client by combing their hair. Eve will continue to move from areas of the upper body to areas of the lower body to avoid desensitization or overstimulation. Every time she moves from the upper to lower region of the body, or vice versa, Eve will drape the region with the blanket and provide gentle but firm pressure on the body overtop the blanket using her hands.
During her last pass of the lower body region, Eve will reach for a hot towel to place on the feet of her client. It is important to note that, throughout this process, Eve hardly ever breaks contact with her client’s skin and/or body. Every single minute of a Tactile ASMR Session is of the utmost importance.
Eve will continue to move rhythmically and strategically throughout the duration of the second half of the session until she moves into a small portion of upper body and décolleté massage using effleurage, a technique she learned during her time in esthetician school. She will perform this for the last 5-10 minutes of the session using her hands as well as lymphatic drainage tools.
Eve will incorporate the remainder of the hot towels in her caddy by placing them on the client’s chest, arms, and face—again, utilizing gentle but firm pressure. Once the towels are removed, Eve will provide one last pass of light touch using her finger-pads and nails on the arms and décolleté. She will bring everything to a close by using the scalp stimulator one last time and gently massaging her client’s temples. To indicate the finality of the session, Eve will ask “how do you feel?” to the client she is with.
Phase III | Conclusion
Bringing the session to a close, Eve will incorporate facial massage and use the remaining hot towels on her client’s arms and chest. After placing the hot towels on her client, Eve will apply gentle but firm pressure. She will also use the scalp stimulator while the hot towels are beginning to cool down. To top everything off, Eve finalizes the session by massaging the temples after one last scalp massage. She will then ask, “how do you feel?” to indicate the ending of the session.
Before the client rises, she will ask what they liked most about their session, especially so that whatever response is given can then be noted for future sessions.
Eve will then allot time for the client to change and use the bathroom before checking them out and sending them on their way.