Massage Educators

Comment

Comment by Boris Prilutsky on November 4, 2010 at 12:55pm

Dear Lisa.
thanks for explanations.I would purchase your opinion for much more and money and then two cents LOL. To be serious reading your posts one can tell that you are very intelligent woman.thanks again
Boris

Comment by Noel Norwick on November 4, 2010 at 11:56am

It's clear that there is an effort to change current licensing standards from what one's state or local jurisdiction requires to something else. Just look at "The Professional Standards Committee of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is working to carry out one of the organization's key goals: to develop standards that guide and inform the effective teaching of massage therapy. This is being examined in the spectrum from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies." NCBTMB & the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge project.

I suggest that these certification bodies and vocational schools as well as continuing education providers who fail to credibly address the following two things will further damage the reputation and career development prospects of our field:

1. Prove that the certification & required education has and will enable holders to quickly repay it's cost and more rapidly rent housing, buy/lease a car and start/raise a family, all within a "reasonable" amount of time after certification/graduation
2. Define entry level and advanced certification/licensing in terms of what mainstream medically accepted cost-effective healthcare they must be qualified to provide without direct M.D. supervision.

Comment by Jan Schwartz on November 4, 2010 at 11:44am

I went to a school in AZ that was 1000 hours and we were told that we were receiving an entry level education. AZ at the time was not a licensed state (but the city was--at 1000 hours). I was amazed after graduating that most of the CE available was stuff I learned in school. It was very challenging to find something with some depth to it that would add to what I already knew about soft tissue work. I don't think that is as true today.

To keep with the topic, there was a teacher training program at that school; elementary in the early '90s, but it existed and improved over time.

Comment by Stan Dawson on November 4, 2010 at 11:26am

Hey Boris - An entry level training program for massage therapy is whatever level of training is required to meet a certain state's licensing requirements. Most states only require 500 hours of training in massage to be eligible for licensure. So, in those states that require only 500 hours, a 500 hour program is considered an entry level program. Some states, like New York (where Lisa teaches, I think), require more hours. I believe it is 1000 hours in New York state. So, New York's entry level program would be 1000, as long as the curriculum met New York state's specific requirements. Regarding advanced training - Many schools have programs that cover a significant amount of material that is not required by the state they teach in. If a program covers a lot more than the minimum required by the state, the school may consider itself "advanced". There is no formal or legal definition of what constitutes an "advanced" program. In a state that requires 500 hours, a school that teaches 750 hours might consider itself "advanced". In New York, such a school would not even meet the minimum requirements of an entry level program. Regarding "post graduate" training - After completing massage school and getting licensed, most massage therapists have to get continuing education training to maintain their license. Continuing education is "post graduate" training. I hope that answers your questions from 15 hours ago.

Comment by Lisa Mertz on November 4, 2010 at 6:16am

Hi Boris -- 2nd or 3rd career LMT, meaning someone who becomes a Licensed Massage Therapist after having careers in other fields, so she or he might have degrees in areas that are unrelated to massage therapy. "My two cents," yes, "my opinion., for what it's worth."

Comment by Boris Prilutsky on November 3, 2010 at 10:43pm

Thank you Lisa.
I hope I am not annoying you to much. What "2nd/3rd career LMT"stands for?
also I am assuming that" My two cents"means something like" my opinion"as you could understand English is not my first language and I am just guessing on " My two cents".will appreciate if you will explain.real thanks for taking your time.
Best wishes.
Boris

Comment by Lisa Mertz on November 3, 2010 at 9:04pm

Hi Boris,

Of course, ideally, the degree should be related to massage therapy, but sometimes a candidate might have sufficient massage training, practice, and teaching experience with an unrelated degree -- a 2nd/3rd career LMT, for example -- and be considered for a position. An academic degree is required for an academic position.

I'm in NY where the curriculum for entry-level training is specified to an extent within a 1000-hrs. Students get two semesters of clinical practice beyond the classroom training. They get to work with a number of clients, many of whom have serious conditions. So they leave school with emerging clinical thinking skills.

I've been thinking about advanced practice as being intertwined with maturity level as well as refinement of skills rather than simply with accumulated hours of continuing ed. It takes a certain depth of emotional maturity to do oncology massage, for example, or to do competent chronic pain work. Being able to set limits, to practice restraint, sometimes refrain from overworking, to avoid the arrogance of having all the answers -- development of those kinds of qualities bring a practitioner to a more advanced level. My two cents...

Comment by Boris Prilutsky on November 3, 2010 at 7:56pm

Hi Lisa.
in order to teach massage,is it important what PhD studies or bachelor degree major was about?also using the opportunity would like to ask if somebody can define for me entry-level training program as well what the definition of advance post-graduate studies.up front thank you for taking time to reply.
Best wishes.
Boris

Comment by Lisa Mertz on November 1, 2010 at 7:31pm

HI Rick,

I took the survey, but the questions about teacher training requirements don't apply to the community college setting. My college requires at least a bachelor's degree for part-time/adjunct teachers and PhD for tenure track full time faculty. The state of New York requires teachers to be licensed for at least 3 years. We look for at least 2 years of teaching experience. Hours don't really enter into it.

Also, the college offers workshops on pedagogy, conferences on teaching, and mentoring for curriculum development and assessment. They are not specific to massage therapy, but applicable. And as you know, NY does not yet require CEUs.

IMHO, an associates degree should be required for all massage therapists as it is for all physical therapist assistants and RNs. RNs are getting bachelors degrees and PTs are getting doctorates. Our profession is sadly lagging behind and the profession suffers for it.

Comment by Rick Rosen on November 1, 2010 at 2:59pm

ALLIANCE CONDUCTS SURVEY ON EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS

The Professional Standards Committee of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education is working to carry out one of the organization's key goals: to develop standards that guide and inform the effective teaching of massage therapy. This is being examined in the spectrum from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies.

To guide this process, the Alliance is conducing a brief survey that is open to everyone in the massage education community. It's purpose is to gather information on the attitudes or perceptions regarding: 1) formation of standards for teacher education and massage school curricula; and 2) the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge.

Your responses will help identify the concerns you would like the Alliance to address, and will inform the process of developing standards. Note that this is a preliminary survey: no work has begun on the actual development of standards. Such work will be guided by the Alliance, with the input from the field as a whole. This survey should take less than five minutes of your time to complete.

Click here to TAKE THE SURVEY

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