Massage Credentials
July 29, 2008 at 3:18 pm (In the News, Massage)
Ran across this article today on WashingtonPost.com:
How well do you know your Massage Therapist?
The article is about the lack of government regulation of some medical professions that fall under the heading of “Complementary and Alternative Medicine,” or “CAM” for short. Examples include acupuncture, naturopathy, massage therapy, and many more.
I’m really glad that people are discussing this issue. I live in Minnesota, a state that does very little to regulate or support alternative therapies, especially massage therapy. The only thing that Minnesota requires of a massage therapist is that they disclose what kind of training they have had, if any, and tell clients where they can file a complaint with the State. The State does not require them to actually have training… or insurance… or a clean work space… or a background check. This means that the letters after a therapist’s name like CMT (Certified Massage Therapist) or LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist) have no meaning in Minnesota. There is no regulatory agency that oversees the use of those credentials.
In other words, the following people can legitimately call themselves a professional Massage Therapist in Minnesota and use LMT or CMT behind their name: sex offenders, pedophiles, rapists, convicted felons, parolees, prostitutes, etc.
Extreme examples, I know. Some municipalities recognize a problem with that kind of laxity. So they have taken it upon themselves to create city regulations. I chose to locate my office in St. Paul because they do require a license and they do background checks and they do site inspections. It’s not cheap (~$300). But I happily pay the fee each year for their seal of approval. Unfortunately, if I want to do a massage at someone’s home in Burnsville, I have to get a Burnsville massage license (~$10). If I want to do chair massage in Minnetonka, I have to get a Minnetonka license (~$1,000). But I can do anything I want in Minneapolis. No requirements there.
There is an active group of massage therapists in Minnesota trying to create statewide regulation. Here is their website:
Alliance for Licensing Massage Therapists (ALMT)
If you are looking for a massage therapist in your area, please make sure they are licensed. In addition, here are some acronyms to look for:
NCTM = “Nationally Certified Therapist of Massage”
NCTMB = “Nationally Certified Therapist of Massage and Bodywork”
website
ABMP = “Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals”
ACMT = “ABMP Certified Massage Therapist”
website
AMTA = “American Massage Therapy Association”
website
In a future post, I will discuss the bias embedded in the words “complementary” and “alternative.”
Sincerely,
Lynn K. Patricia, NCTMB, ACMT
Professional Member of AMTA
G Zachariah White said,
August 1, 2008 at 8:20 am
I can’t wait to read your thoughts on “CAM”. What is your alternative to “alternative”?
It would be nice to have some consistent treatment of bodyworkers across the state. It’s difficult enough having differing license rules across states for professions like psychology. Licensing and regulation is not a panacea, though. As seen in many other professions, one can obtain a license and still not be very good at what they do. There are some that advocate for doing away with licensing and promote, instead, enforced disclosure and truth in advertising.
I have mixed feelings about licensing myself. I see both sides. As a professional, I see it as my role, regardless of licensing, to educate my clients about the profession in general and about my qualifications specifically.
Massage Geek said,
August 1, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Thanks for the comment, Zach.
The words “complementary” and “alternative” imply that western medicine is the primary or valid form of treatment and that the other modalities should be considered a back up if western treatments don’t work.
I propose that the therapies that are now called “alternatives” to medicine, should be considered “medicine.” For example, massage, shiatsu, acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic would fall under “manual therapies”. An MD might be said to practice “chemical therapy.”
The categories could be
Manual Medicine
Pharmaceutical Medicine
Herbal Medicine
Family Medicine
Meridian Medicine,
and the like.
Not “western” and then “everything else.”
This is all just off the top of my head. But hopefully it will inspire someone to take it further.
Indeed, licensing is not the only answer to my complaints. Just one lock in the dam.
In regards to massage therapy, I think there should be at least 3 levels or categories of expertise. A Level I therapist would be licensed to provide full-body relaxation massage. A Level II therapist would be trained in additional modalities such as pregnancy massage, reflexology, etc. A Level III therapist would be qualified to do precise therapies on deep, specific muscles.
“Western” medicine has similar distinctions between an MD, a PA, an RN, and a midwife.
sarah said,
December 1, 2008 at 1:19 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com
Amy said,
October 4, 2009 at 8:46 pm
When I was first getting my liscense through the city of Crystal, as a sole prop/my own employee, I was assured that ‘I was liscensed out of Crystal and could provide massage in other cities in the MN through my Crystal based company’ ie: outcalls , on-site chair massage. But if I wanted to work in another city-I do work in Fridley-that I am required to apply for a liscense there, also.
Massage Geek said,
October 16, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hey, Amy. Thanks for writing.
Unfortunately, you were misled. It is impossible for one city to grant you permission to work in another city, regardless of the what kind of work you are doing or where. Your Crystal City license does not cover you to for outcalls or on-site work in any city in MN, except Crystal.
The risk is that if you are sued by someone you worked on in an office or house in Minnetonka, your liability insurance would not cover you.