Morgan M Leavitt LMT

“My mission as a Massage Therapist is to combine my years of clinical training with my personal chronic pain experience in order to help you navigate the healing journey that results from injury or illness, and empower you to live your best life regardless of the obstacles in your path.

For over 15 years, I have worked as a Licensed Clinical Massage Therapist in Chicago. But for nearly 40 years, I have suffered from chronic body pain and Migraine disease. I’ve learned over the years how to manage my condition, and all the highs, lows and curveballs, in order to thrive within the fast paced world around me. So you could say I have a pretty unique perspective influencing my approach to health and wellness.

In every treatment, I utilize various manual therapy techniques to ease pain and improve function. But I also provide body awareness education to sharpen your instincts so you can better interpret the signals your body is sending you. And together we develop self-care tactics that you can incorporate into your daily life in order to maintain good, healthy habits.

My treatment approach is to communicate with the nervous system and ease your pain, create healthy change, and help you stay pain free. Relieve. Retrain. Maintain. 

Pain, whether it’s from injury or illness, can be startling and disruptive. A better understanding of your condition, taking active steps towards healing, and having tools to maintain your well-being, all combine to transform that pain into empowerment. And don’t we all prefer to feel empowered?”

Policies, Procedures, And Things You Should Know...

General - As a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) I follow a Code of Ethics, dictated by the State of Illinois. All information clients provide, both written and verbal, will remain confidential. I treat clients ethically and fairly and establish an atmosphere of trust and respect during each session. I ask the same of my clients in return. I understand and recognize the effects of trauma, and want all my clients to feel physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe. As a LMT my goal is to assist clients in meeting their goals of stress reduction, nervous system regulation, and pain management.

Exclusive clients - Due to the nature of my work and the modalities I am trained in, I exclusively work with people who have acute or chronic pain conditions, illnesses, injuries, or require injury reduction maintenance for performance based activities. Those seeking Massage Therapy that do not identify with these groups but feel like my skills might help, please reach out to set up a consultation call.  But do note that my work is primarily clinical. I do not offer spa or relaxation services.

Scope of practice - As a Licensed Massage Therapist, I utilize manual techniques, and potentially other appropriate supplemental therapies, with the intention of positively affecting the health and well-being of the client. I do not diagnose or prescribe medications for medical conditions. My services are not intended as an alternative for proper medical attention for specific conditions. Clients are advised to consult a medical doctor of their choice for any specific condition which requires medical treatment. 

Trauma aware - As a Trauma aware therapist, I follow the basic principles of a trauma aware practice: communication, collaboration, and choice. I understand that pain and mental health often overlap. I implement trauma awareness throughout my practice to ensure clients are safe and well cared for. I understand that the definitions of "safe" and "comfortable" are different with each client, and all clients define what these words mean to them as an individual. I encourage clients to confidentially share as much as they are comfortable with about treatment preferences, what has worked in the past, and identifying areas of their body that are off limits for treatment during the session. I assist my clients in identifying their strengths to further empower self-efficacy and resiliency and build a capacity for self-care.

Scheduling – Clients may contact me via text or email to inquire about booking an appointment, or an appointment request may be made online. For online appointment requests, choose the treatment type and length you would like to book, preview the calendar for availability, and fill out the request form for the appointment day/time you would like to reserve. Please utilize the “note” section for further explanation of your treatment needs. I may contact you with questions or necessary adjustments. The appointment is not to be considered officially booked until you receive the confirmation email. If you do not see an appointment that works with your schedule, feel free to reach out to me to see if there is any flexibility, or to be placed on a ‘cancellation’ list.

Gift certificates - Gift certificates are available via website by dollar amount so they can be used towards services of the receiver's choice. Gift certificates cannot be redeemed for cash and must be presented at time of payment.  In the event of a no call/no show the gift certificate will be considered redeemed and void. In the event a client is running late, the service may be shortened in order to maintain the schedule, and the client is still responsible for payment in full.

Medical history - It is the responsibility of the client to disclose medical history on an intake form prior to the first appointment to ensure that there are no contraindications (a condition or circumstance that indicates that massage is not safe). Clients are asked to include past surgeries, injuries, trauma, and anything they feel is necessary to note. Clients are asked to share any changes in their health, diagnoses, treatments, illness, or conditions. Clients may be asked to provide written permission from a physician, chiropractor, physical therapist, etc., that massage therapy is safe for you to receive.

Payment - Morgan Leavitt, LMT accepts cash, credit card,  HSA/FSA. Payment is due in full at the time of service. Credit cards and HSA/FSA cards will be securely charged via Square. Prices are subject to change at any time, but clients will be provided advanced notice prior to any rate change.

Tipping - When clients view massage therapy as a personal care service and are extremely satisfied with their massage sessions, tipping is appreciated, but not mandatory. However, clinical massage is sometimes considered a complementary therapy to other medical treatments they may be receiving elsewhere, and therefore some clients may prefer to not tip due to the nature of the work and frequency of appointments.

Punctuality - Clients are asked to please arrive for their appointments 5 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time. This allows for time to use the bathroom, assess new treatment goals, and discuss the treatment plan for the session. In the event a client is running late, the service may be shortened in order to maintain the schedule, and the original treatment time will be charged. In the case that the therapist is running late, the client will still receive the full time of their scheduled service.

Cancellations - Morgan Leavitt, LMT understands and respects the hectic schedules of clients, and that sometimes a cancellation might be unavoidable due to a wide variety of reasons. When given sufficient notice, at least 24 hours in advance, appointments may be moved, or accommodations may be made. Please understand that operating hours are limited, and I am often booked in advance, so a late cancellation not only affects my scheduling, but also my expected income for that day. 

Late Cancellation Charge - If a client must cancel with less than 24 hours notice for a non-emergency reason, they may be charged the full amount for the session. An invoice will be sent to the email on file and must be paid before a future appointment can be booked.

Illness - In regards to cases of illness, Morgan Leavitt, LMT asks that clients please reach out If they are feeling ill, or have a fever, as soon as possible, as it is in both of our best interests to reschedule. With some medical conditions massage/bodywork may not be advised. If massage could be potentially harmful to a client, I reserve the right to decline to perform the massage. Likewise, in the rare event I become ill and am unable to work, please understand that I may need to reschedule your appointment for everyone’s health.

Illness Cancellation Charge - If reasonable notice and communication is given regarding developing symptoms, accommodations may be possible. However, insufficient notice and no prior communication will result in a late cancellation charge.

No Call/No Show - In the event that a client fails to show up for their appointment without giving notice, they will be charged the full amount for the session. An invoice will be sent to the contact information on file, and payment is expected as soon as possible. Future appointments cannot be booked until the balance is paid. I reserve the right to refuse future services after a no call/show. Two no call/no shows will result in automatic termination of the client and future appointments will not be available.

Weather - Morgan Leavitt, LMT prioritizes the safety of clients and realizes there are emergency situations caused by inclement weather. Should this occur in the immediate lead up to a client's scheduled appointment, they will be contacted to reschedule, without penalty, for safety. I ask that clients also contact me to reschedule as soon as possible if they are unable to come in due to extreme weather. Please note, during normal seasonal weather inconveniences, the late cancellation policy will apply. 

Inappropriate behavior - Morgan Leavitt, LMT has a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate behavior and comments. In the event that a client displays inappropriate behavior and/or assaults the therapist, and/or makes inappropriate comments, the session will end immediately. The client will be charged the full amount of the session and asked to leave. No future appointments will be accepted. I reserve the right to call the police and file a report. For privacy and comfort, draping is required during the entire massage. If a client feels they are subject to inappropriate behavior, or anything that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable, please speak up so adjustments can be made. Clients reserve the right to end a session at any time.