Chapter 1 - Tappan's Handbook of Massage Therapy: Blending Art with Science, 6th Edition

1 Massage Therapy Profession Learning Outcomes • Define massage therapy • Explain the scope of massage therapy using the Wellness Massage Pyramid • Identify trends related to massage therapy • Summarize the variety of career opportunities for massage therapists • Describe the unique knowledge base of massage therapy • Discuss education standards for massage therapists • Describe the types of credentials available to massage therapists • Distinguish among various kinds of professional organizations • Identify major sources of information about massage therapy • Describe the state of massage therapy research Lecture Outline I. The Journey A. Transformation to a caring and competent massage therapist B. Education as a holistic experience (physical, mental, social, ethical) C. First step is to get the big picture of massage therapy II. Massage Defined A. Intentional and systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body 1. Purpose to enhance health and healing 2. Performed with or without oil and lotion 3. Includes joint movements and stretching 4. Adjunct modalities (hydrotherapy, heat, cold) B. Swedish Massage 1. Developed in Europe and North America 2. Popular form is Swedish massage 3. Based on Western sciences 4. Seven technique categories: effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, friction, vibration, touch without movement, joint movements 5. Main purposes a. To improve overall functioning of the body systems b. To enhance healing c. For relaxation of body and mind C. Other Forms of Bodywork 1. Contemporary massage and bodywork (e.g., myofascial massage, trigger point therapy, lymphatic facilitation, reflexology) 2. Alternative forms of bodywork (e.g., reflexology and polarity therapy) 3. Bodywork from other traditions (e.g., native traditions, Ayurveda from India, traditional Chinese medicine) D. Terms 1. Massage therapy is a general term used to describe all the different systems of soft tissue manipulation 2. Bodywork is a term coined in the late twentieth century to encompass a wide variety of manual therapies 3. Massage and bodywork are often used together to describe the occupational field of massage therapy III. Wellness Profession A. Wellness Massage Pyramid (WMP) [Show Figure 1-1: Wellness Massage Pyramid] 1. Defines the broad scope of massage therapy 2. Goal is high-level wellness (optimal well-being) 3. WMP organization a. Bottom three levels address deficiencies b. Neutral zone is absence of disease c. Top three levels promote growth 4. WMP levels a. Treatment for illness or injury b. Recovery from illness or injury c. Prevention of illness or injury d. Neural zone e. Health maintenance f. Personal growth g. Enjoyment of life 5. Personal wellness goals [Present Critical Thinking exercise, p. 4] B. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) 1. Massage therapy as CAM domain 2. Bottom three levels of WMP C. Massage as a wellness profession 1. Massage includes entire wellness paradigm 2. Broad scope with many career options IV. Trends A. Consumer survey results 1. Increase in massage use overall 2. Increase in massage in spas 3. Increase use as CAM therapy [Show Figure 1-2: Ten most common CAM therapies among adults] B. Reasons people choose massage for CAM therapy [Show Figure 1-3: Top six hospital inpatient and outpatient CAM therapies] V. Typical Work Settings [Show Table 1-1: Typical Work Settings for Massage Therapists] A. Four categories of typical work settings 1. Personal care [Show Figure 1-4: Personal care setting] a. Personal grooming, relaxation, and rejuvenation b. Types of settings 1) Beauty salons and barbershops 2) Day, destination, and specialty spas 2. Sports, fitness, recreation [Show Figure 1-5: Sports, fitness, recreation setting] a. Physical exercise, sports, health and fitness b. Types of settings 1) Community centers 2) Commercial health clubs 3) Sports training facilities 3. Health care [Show Figure 1-6: Health care setting] a. Treatment for illness and injuries b. Types of settings 1) Doctors’ offices, clinics 2) Hospitals, rehabilitation centers 3) Skilled nursing and extended care facilities 4) Hospice 5) Integrative medicine centers 4. Private practice [Show Figure 1-7: Private practice setting] a. Self-employment, small business b. Types of settings 1) Massage therapy office or clinic 2) Storefront 3) Home-based practice 4) On-site practice 5) Home visit practice B. Massage available in your community [Assign Practical Application, p. 9] C. Finding the right place to get massage [Present Case for Study: Sarah and Finding the Right Massage, p. 9] VI. Becoming a Massage Therapy Professional A. Expectation that massage therapists be professional B. Characteristics of a profession [Show Box 1-1: Characteristics of a Profession] C. Massage Therapy Organizations [Show Table 1-2: Guide to Major Massage Therapy Organizations in the U.S.] VII. Body of Knowledge and Skills A. Unique to massage therapy 1. Primacy of touch and soft tissue manipulation 2. Broad scope over the entire wellness spectrum (WMP) 3. Rooted in the natural healing tradition 4. Holistic and wellness perspectives B. Shared with other health professions 1. Basic sciences: anatomy, physiology, pathology 2. Principles of ethical client relationships C. Reflected in various places 1. Textbooks and journals for massage therapists 2. Curriculum standards, core competencies 3. Job analyses and licensing exams VIII. Education A. Entry-level training includes core competencies [Show Figure 1-8: Hands-on class in massage therapy program] 1. U.S. vocational programs approved by state education agencies 2. Accreditation a. Given by nongovernmental organization b. To uphold high educational standards c. Based on program evaluation by educators d. Organizations for massage therapy program accreditation e. USDE-recognized accreditation programs B. Massage program membership organizations [Refer to Table 1-2: Guide to Major Massage Therapy Organizations in the U.S.] C. Continuing education 1. Beyond entry level training 2. Required for certification and licensing renewal IX. Credentials [Show Table 1-3: Guide to Credentials for Massage Therapists] A. Testify to the accomplishments of individuals B. Four types available to massage therapists 1. Diploma or certificate: education completed [Show Figure 1-9: Diploma or certificate for education completed] a. Diploma to hang on wall b. Transcript: classes, grades, attendance 2. Board certification a. Given by a nongovernmental nonprofit organization b. Attests to a person’s competency in a given profession c. Reflects education and/or experience, passing a written examination and/or performance evaluation d. Those certified agree to a code of ethics 3. Specialty certification a. Certification in a specific massage and bodywork system b. Term “certification” reserved for credentials with more extensive education, examinations, continuing education, and renewals c. Term “certificate” more appropriate for completion of a shorter education program d. Use of trademarked name is limited to those with permission, e.g., Rolfing® 4. Occupational licensing [Show Figure 1-10: States that require licensing or certification] a. Permission granted to qualified practitioners to accept compensation for massage in a specific governmental jurisdiction b. Given to individuals who meet licensing requirements c. Main purposes are consumer protection and assurance of minimum competency d. Alternative forms of regulation: certification and registration e. Done at state level in U.S. f. 44 states and Washington D.C. regulate massage therapists g. Different from massage establishment license X. Organizations [Refer to Table 1-2: Guide to Major Massage Therapy Organizations in the U.S.] A. General membership organizations 1. Professional associations a. Nonprofit organizations b. Run by elected leadership c. Mission to promote their profession, to represent their members and the profession in the larger world, and to offer services to members d. Sponsor conventions and conferences for professional growth [Show Figure 1-11: Professional association conventions provide opportunities for networking with other massage therapists] e. Set standards for the profession by developing codes of ethics and standards of practice f. Typically have an IRS designation as 501(c)(6) corporations (i.e., nonprofit professional association) g. Example: American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) 2. Member services organizations a. May be for-profit businesses b. Run by owner and staff c. Mission to provide benefits like professional liability insurance, group health insurance, and publications d. Act to protect the interests of members, for example, related to licensing and legislation e. Example: Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) B. Specialty associations 1. Nonprofit organizations 2. Focus on a particular form of massage and bodywork 3. May offer certification and standards for practice 4. Example: American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) 5. Example: The International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) C. Explore student membership in a professional organization [Assign Practical Application, p. 15] D. Importance of professional organizations and credentials [Review Reality Check, p. 16] XI. Scholarship and Publications A. Growing number of quality textbooks 1. Massage therapy theory and practice 2. Basic sciences for massage therapists (e.g., pathology, medications) B. Growing body of knowledge for massage therapists (e.g., ethics, assessments skills, documentation) C. Variety of journals (e.g., Massage Therapy Journal, Massage & Bodywork, Massage magazine, Massage Today) D. Peer-reviewed research journal The Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies and the free online International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (IJTMB) sponsored by the Massage Therapy Foundation [Refer to Appendix A: Organizations and Publications] XII. Research A. Number of research studies growing annually B. Two obstacles to massage therapy research: lack of academic infrastructure to support it and inadequate funding C. Positive developments 1. Founding of Touch Research Institute in 1992 2. Establishment of Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) in 1990 3. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (IJTMB) sponsored by MTF XIII. Ethical Standards A. Reflected in Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of professional organizations (e.g., NCBTMB) [Refer to Appendix B: Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for Massage Therapists] XIV. Recognition by the Public and Health Professionals A. Recognition by the public confirmed in consumer surveys B. More collaboration with other health professionals (e.g., in integrative health care settings) XV. Professionalism and Image of Massage Therapists A. Lessening negative stereotypes [Present Critical Thinking exercise, p. 18] B. Massage as a positive career choice [Present Case for Study: Huang and Explaining Massage Therapy as a Profession, p. 18] Video Healing Massage: Wellness and Workplaces (MyHealthProfessionsLab.com) Discussion Topics • Present the findings of a recent consumer survey about massage therapy. Analyze the survey to identify who sponsored it, when it was conducted, the number of respondents, and the questions asked. • Ask students if any of them have training or credentials in another profession. If so, have them compare its characteristics with that of massage therapy. How are they similar or different? Was the profession licensed? • Review the approvals and accreditations for the program that the students are currently enrolled in. Discuss what that means to them. • Discuss the impact of negative stereotypes on massage therapists, especially its association with prostitution and quackery. Explain how enforcement of professional standards and ethics can help reduce these stereotypes over time. • Discuss student membership in various professional organizations. Point out to students the benefits they would get from being student members. Learning by Doing • Arrange for the class to visit a spa, health club, clinic, or other facility that offers massage therapy. Include a talk with the manager and/or massage therapist who works there and a walk-through of the facility. Comment on the clientele and any trends for massage related to the setting. Speakers and Panels • Invite three or four massage therapists who work in different settings for a panel discussion in class. Have them describe the setting, their typical clients, and other professionals they work with. Also describe the type of massage therapy they provide and the goals for massage sessions. Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic Aids • Show samples of the diploma and the transcript that students will receive when they graduate. Point out different elements, and explain what each is used for. • Show examples of resumes of massage therapists. Discuss the credentials listed, noting where they come from and what they mean. • Display informational materials from various professional organizations in the classroom, lunchroom, or library. • Give students copies of licensing laws most likely to affect them after graduation. Review the requirements for licensing, if any, in the jurisdictions where students are most likely to work in the future. • Show students “establishment license ordinances” that may affect their practices in the future. Look at what is required to get the establishment license. Discuss how it differs from an occupational license.