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Massage Should Not Be Licensed!

How does this subject make you feel?

Your schooling, training and everything is for not. That's what some on this site are touting as a reason to stop the professions progress thus far with the BOK. They continue to try and tie prostitution and massage together as the reason for licensing. It is not because we wish to enter the healthfield.

Read for yourself at http://www.massageprofessionals.com/group/bodyofknowledge/forum/top...

Instead of working with the leaders of this profession they want to create an entire new bureaucracy . It's your profession. How do you feel?

The following stories should give you a clearer picture of our massage landscape and how those resisting licensure are hurting the profession.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2009 at 3:21pm
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 30, 2009 at 3:57pm
Lisa,

In Texas, you are licensed. You do not have to be certified. So you do not have to pay both. You only have to have 6 ceus per year. Texas does not over regulate. They even allow therapists to work out of their homes. They are now at the National average 500 hours and are looking good.

Lisa said:
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2009 at 4:02pm
thanks Mike...i know. i tend to speak for the broader scope than for myself when i talk. i know many MTs that struggle to maintain their CEUs. I know many that took a long time to get licensed because they couldn't afford it. It is a lot to undertake just with school alone. and i absolutely hate it...in life...when money is the reason someone can't do something...especially if they have a natural talent for it.

edit: but let me ask you this. with TX now accepting the NCBTMB exam...doesn't that automatically make it so that you have to become both?

Mike Hinkle said:
Lisa,

In Texas, you are licensed. You do not have to be certified. So you do not have to pay both. You only have to have 6 ceus per year. Texas does not over regulate. They even allow therapists to work out of their homes. They are now at the National average 500 hours and are looking good.

Lisa said:
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 30, 2009 at 4:20pm
No, you do not have to be NCBTMB in Texas. They allow you to take it, voluntarily. Or you can choose the MBLEx test which, ABMP & AMTA recognize as the accepted test, I agree. But you are not mandated to take any NCBTMB test. A lot of therapists do not even recertify with NCBTMB after they take the test.

Lisa said:
thanks Mike...i know. i tend to speak for the broader scope than for myself when i talk. i know many MTs that struggle to maintain their CEUs. I know many that took a long time to get licensed because they couldn't afford it. It is a lot to undertake just with school alone. and i absolutely hate it...in life...when money is the reason someone can't do something...especially if they have a natural talent for it.

edit: but let me ask you this. with TX now accepting the NCBTMB exam...doesn't that automatically make it so that you have to become both?

Mike Hinkle said:
Lisa,

In Texas, you are licensed. You do not have to be certified. So you do not have to pay both. You only have to have 6 ceus per year. Texas does not over regulate. They even allow therapists to work out of their homes. They are now at the National average 500 hours and are looking good.

Lisa said:
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2009 at 5:47pm
see and that i DON'T understand. the AMTA and the ABMP are our insurance providers. i don't see how they should be even involved in the testing process. am i correct in picking up that you are not an advocate of NCBTMB? i would think it's more impressive to be nationally certified than to have passed a test your insurance provider gives you. shouldn't we be helping the NCBTMB be all they SHOULD be instead of steering MTs away from them? just a thought.

Mike Hinkle said:
No, you do not have to be NCBTMB in Texas. They allow you to take it, voluntarily. Or you can choose the MBLEx test which, ABMP & AMTA recognize as the accepted test, I agree. But you are not mandated to take any NCBTMB test. A lot of therapists do not even recertify with NCBTMB after they take the test.

Lisa said:
thanks Mike...i know. i tend to speak for the broader scope than for myself when i talk. i know many MTs that struggle to maintain their CEUs. I know many that took a long time to get licensed because they couldn't afford it. It is a lot to undertake just with school alone. and i absolutely hate it...in life...when money is the reason someone can't do something...especially if they have a natural talent for it.

edit: but let me ask you this. with TX now accepting the NCBTMB exam...doesn't that automatically make it so that you have to become both?

Mike Hinkle said:
Lisa,

In Texas, you are licensed. You do not have to be certified. So you do not have to pay both. You only have to have 6 ceus per year. Texas does not over regulate. They even allow therapists to work out of their homes. They are now at the National average 500 hours and are looking good.

Lisa said:
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Laura Allen on October 30, 2009 at 6:04pm
I teach in Ireland every summer. The therapists there are "certified", but their education requirements are low...I always spend time reviewing a lot of A&P because they're only required to have 50 hours.

Lisa said:
i'm curious...since we have a few overseas MTs...what's it like there? do you have licensing AND certification? one or the other? which is held as the standard for a quality education? is there the same struggle to distinguish ourselves from the "happy ending" ones or is that not as rampant?
Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 30, 2009 at 6:32pm
Hi Lisa,

I'm not against any body.

I am NCBTMB. Have been since I took my NCBTMB (no MBLEx back then) test right out of school. I still meet their extra requirements and pay for the certification. I do this voluntarily. I want to maintain higher standards. I do not put their initials behind my title because that is my choice.

It is the same with AMTA. I am a member. I have been since I was a student. But I picked ABMP as The 2009 Massage Therapy Hall of Fame Association of The Year! Why? Because they earned it! People wrote, pretty upset. So sorry. But, anyone who knows me, will tell you, I tell it like it is and always will.

You said you didn't want to have to take both and I explained no you don't and why.

FYI - NCBTMB was first backed by AMTA. MBLEx is a test created by FSMTB, which was originally funded by ABMP. So they are not association tests. The associations just got these organizations going. This saves, states a lot of money and allows for a more centralized test. Which ABMP & AMTA feel now is MBLEx.
Lisa said:
see and that i DON'T understand. the AMTA and the ABMP are our insurance providers. i don't see how they should be even involved in the testing process. am i correct in picking up that you are not an advocate of NCBTMB? i would think it's more impressive to be nationally certified than to have passed a test your insurance provider gives you. shouldn't we be helping the NCBTMB be all they SHOULD be instead of steering MTs away from them? just a thought.

Mike Hinkle said:
No, you do not have to be NCBTMB in Texas. They allow you to take it, voluntarily. Or you can choose the MBLEx test which, ABMP & AMTA recognize as the accepted test, I agree. But you are not mandated to take any NCBTMB test. A lot of therapists do not even recertify with NCBTMB after they take the test.

Lisa said:
thanks Mike...i know. i tend to speak for the broader scope than for myself when i talk. i know many MTs that struggle to maintain their CEUs. I know many that took a long time to get licensed because they couldn't afford it. It is a lot to undertake just with school alone. and i absolutely hate it...in life...when money is the reason someone can't do something...especially if they have a natural talent for it.

edit: but let me ask you this. with TX now accepting the NCBTMB exam...doesn't that automatically make it so that you have to become both?

Mike Hinkle said:
Lisa,

In Texas, you are licensed. You do not have to be certified. So you do not have to pay both. You only have to have 6 ceus per year. Texas does not over regulate. They even allow therapists to work out of their homes. They are now at the National average 500 hours and are looking good.

Lisa said:
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2009 at 6:44pm
thanks for clearing that up for me Mike. I didn't realize the MBLEx test was part of the new FSMTB. just how long has the FSMTB been in existance? and do they have a website one can check out to see what they are up to?
Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 30, 2009 at 7:01pm
www.fsmtb.org

Lisa said:
thanks for clearing that up for me Mike. I didn't realize the MBLEx test was part of the new FSMTB. just how long has the FSMTB been in existance? and do they have a website one can check out to see what they are up to?
Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on October 30, 2009 at 8:54pm
Lisa, I just learn that the massage school that I attended here in pensacola has doubled their rates in two years since I was a student. One of the new benefits though, is the school now pays for the State License once the NCBTMB certification is passed. They did not do that when I was a student.

Lisa said:
ok let me state for the record (seeing that i'm feeling a little defensive)...

i don't object to qualifing my MT designation with a license OR certificate. what i object to is having to do both. it's hard enough to make ends meet, especially as soon as you leave school. when money becomes the ONLY issue that one can't practice massage in which they've had the quality education for...how does one get on that path? you can't make money if you can't afford to practice. they should at least find a way to make it more affordable. and to have both seems redundant. which ever it is...license OR certification...it should stand for quality education and professionalism. currently neither seem to offer that across the board. i am lucky...i moved to TX with 720 hours at the time that they were moving it to 500 hours. i feel blessed to have the education i have with the school i had it with. i didn't realize just how great out school was until i started posting on here.

i think there is a lot of bureaucracy with this. i even feel it on this forum. (i find myself many times reading things and feeling a need to figure out the "players" on this message board) and that should be something we as MTs are NOT. it goes against everything we stand for. and quite frankly i think Uncle Sam has enough of my money. but i'll pay what i can when i can and hope that i can afford to have a long and prosperous career in this field.

i hope that with all the rules and regulations we don't forget that above all else we are a profession of healers and as such i hope we don't become so taxed financially with fees, and licenses and certifications and all the other things goverment would love to throw upon us to make money off of us...that we don't lose quality people.
Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 30, 2009 at 9:46pm
Darcy...that's a great idea. that way when you're done with school you are truly ready and able to start your career!!!
Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on October 30, 2009 at 9:50pm
Yeah, if I doubled the price, I would pay a couple hundred for their license too.

Lisa said:
Darcy...that's a great idea. that way when you're done with school you are truly ready and able to start your career!!!

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