Archive for October, 2007
Background Checks for Massage Therapists
31 October 2007My school conducted a background check at the time I signed up to take the classes. I agree whole hardily with this precaution. Some states require an AIDS and STD test before licensure is given, that procedure I do not agree with, it is unnecessary and down right misleading to the Massage Therapist profession.
Kentucky does not require a background check and the Public Safety Committee in Louisville is looking to revise the ordinance. It?s a great idea to avoid complications in the long run.
Following The FSMTB, Hummm?
30 October 2007NCBTMB has announced starting January 1st 2008 testing will be done through Pearson VUE. This is after the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards announced their contract with Pearson VUE to provide the MBLEx. With 21 states in the Federation I think someone might be feeling the heat.
NCBTMB was established in 1992 and many of the states adopted the NCETM / NCETMB exams as a prerequisite to obtaining licensure. Now it is my understanding that any student of Massage wanting to acquire a license in the states approved to accept the MBLEx will have a choice on which Exam they would like to utilize.
The scoring for the NCETM / NCETMB is much different now that is in under the direction of Pearson VUE. From what I understand, instead of having a set of 4 standard tests, Pearson VUE’s system will pull the next question from the NCBTMB Massage question database based upon your previous answer and rate you on a progressive scale. This gives the tester the ability to know more about the exam scores, rather then the old pass or fail, High, Medium and Needs improvement in each category. So if you fail your exam you will know exactly what you missed and what you need to improve on.
There is nothing like good competition to up the game and improve on threatened to be obsolete products.
Intention Into Commitment
29 October 2007I have been in business for eleven months now, almost a year as a Sole Proprietor. Yet I feel I am still in the very early stages of development. My intension from the beginning was to provide amazing proficient professional results and have an educational property that I could give to a client in need.
I think my predicament is that this is my intention, I need to make it a Commitment. Now I just need to look to this commitment with purpose and Action. How you say? I don’t know, but I am thinking this is the first step?
American Medical Massage Association
26 October 2007Ok, so maybe I have heard of this association, but I have never before checked out their website. They have awesome CEU?s available, along with educational books and DVD?s on anything ranging from treatments for certain pathologies to business help. You can even take their National Certification Exam.
Check out their site and see if they have anything you would be interested in.
Massage Awareness
25 October 2007This week is National Massage Awareness. This would be a great week to give out flyers for discounted rates on massage or even get together with others to promote and educate your community.
In Alabama, Florida and Georgia the Boards and Massage Associations put together a fantastic Convention that can bring Massage Therapists in for CEU education it is also used to create interest both for the MT?s and the community with presentation booths for different modalities available from participating Local Therapists.
It?s a win-win situation. People can gather and show their support and Love of the Healing Arts and create a better network of professionals. Lets see if we can work with our state Boards and Massage Associations to participate in this awesome endeavor.
California in Need of Statewide Regulations
24 October 2007Over the past several months I have been hearing many negative things about Massage practice in California. News headlines state “ Will Walnut Creek Vote Against Massage Parlors?” or “Lake Forest Extends Ban on Massage Businesses”. How can the True Massage Therapist survive in a so misconstrued working environment? It sounds like a lot of work, if they were ever to place a much-needed Massage Therapy Board at the head of Statewide regulation, rules and laws.
Australia has found one way to distinguish a Licensed Massage Practice for a Happy ending Massage Parlor. Their phone books now are required by law to separate the two so there is no question. I am not sure what it would take or how long, but if something doesn’t happen soon the individual counties and cities in CA will continue to fight a loosing battle. Leaving the real Massage Therapist to suffer the pains on misconception.
Assume Nothing
23 October 2007Often we assume we know what something is, or what it feels like because we described or felt it before. One size tee shirt does not fit all and one massage therapist cannot fit the needs of every person that walks into their treatment room. Even a request for a “relaxation” massage doesn’t necessarily tell you exactly what a client wants to get out of the massage.
Just because our personal or trained definitions are something we have felt or described does not mean every one is in compliance.
Keep this in mind for your intake interviews, never assume and always be open to what your client has to say. I have a disclaimer: please let me know if at any time during the massage you need something changed, let me know and I will try to accommodate your request.
Masseuse or Massage Therapist
22 October 2007One initial way to clear up misconceptions is to know what you are looking for, a Massage Therapist or a Masseuse (female) / Monsieur (male). For one thing it is very offensive to me to be called a masseuse. I correct and educate anyone who happens to say this word in my presence, I give relaxation and therapeutic massages not happy endings.
It isn’t their fault; I tend to blame it on the uneducated media. This is where I like the FSMTB or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. I am hoping with a federation of all the state Boards, that people will learn and hear the true purpose of both Massage Therapists and Masseurs.
A girl can Dream….
Is Getting A Massage A Risk?
17 October 2007Yes, it can be, if the MT doesn’t know what they are doing. That is why having statewide rules and regulations are important if we are to continue our usefulness and be observed as preventative and therapeutic care. A Massage Therapy Board has strict guidelines for licensure or certification to practice massage, if it is not in your scope, you are subject to fines or get your license revoked.
The reason why I bring this up is from a News article that is circulating the web called
“Massage Could Put You at Risk for Nerve Injury”. One woman went in for a massage and felt pain in her left shoulder during and after the session. Her pain was so bad she had to go to her doctor for an MRI. She had a locally compressed nerve, the determined cause, the massage. I am not sure where this MT went to school, how many hours they received as training, or how long they have been in practice but I can assure you, in my training I learned of what not to do within sites of caution. It may have been that the women had a chronic muscle imbalance and a massage agitated it. My question is what did the woman go in for? Was this her first massage? If it hurt why didn’t she say something? There are two sides to the story and there is no clear-cut and dry conviction from the information provided on the internet story.
This IS why it is important to have adequate training, good SOAP notes and Statewide Massage Boards in place. Oh and don’t forget Liability insurance.
Release My Action Blocks
16 October 2007There is so much I want to do in order to bring useful information to my fellow students of the Healing Arts, that I don’t get anything done some days. I am constantly thinking of things to put on this site and its sister site Massage-Exam.Com that I can’t keep up with my self. I wait for the day when there is enough educational information to satisfy my curiosity. Ah, who am I kidding? That’s not going to happen. There is so much to learn, teach and remember. I do promise you, this is only the beginning for this wee but great foundation of the best Healer resource on the Internet. The surface is not even scratched.
I will practice on focusing and prioritizing for the purpose of releasing my Action Blocks to keep progressing.