Most small business reputation advice assumes you can respond freely, reference the customer's experience, and publicly defend your service. For massage therapists, that approach creates real legal exposure.
Massage therapy sits at the intersection of healthcare and personal service. In many states, licensed massage therapists are considered healthcare providers under HIPAA, which means the fact that someone is your client — and the nature of their session — can qualify as protected health information (PHI). Confirming in a public response that someone visited your practice, what they were treated for, or any clinical detail is a potential HIPAA violation.
This is educational content, not legal advice. Verify your specific obligations with a healthcare compliance attorney or your state massage therapy licensing board.
Beyond HIPAA, massage therapists face reputation challenges that other service businesses don't:
- Inappropriate or fabricated reviews — Because of the personal nature of massage, some practitioners receive reviews that make false or suggestive claims. Knowing how to report and escalate these without engaging publicly is a critical skill.
- Sensitive client situations — A client who felt physically uncomfortable mid-session may leave a vague but damaging review. Responding without revealing clinical context requires careful phrasing.
- Review gate temptation — Asking only happy clients to leave reviews (and redirecting unhappy ones privately) violates Google's policies and the FTC's endorsement guidelines.
The good news: the constraints that make review management harder also thin out the competition. Most massage practices handle reviews poorly, which means a disciplined, HIPAA-aware approach stands out quickly in local search results.