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not capable
Why do therapists,especially ones fresh out of school,list modalities that take more schooling such as Shiatsu.Just because you've touched on a modalitie in school a few times doen't make you certified or capable for that matter!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lisa on
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i guess it depends on how much they touched upon it at school. i would feel adequate enough to list accupressure on my card (though i don't believe in listing modalities), based on my class in school. sure i could go and get more trained in it but i feel what i've learned in school gives me at least the basics to include it in my practice. (although i don't actually use it in my practice).
i would imagine it's like a resume...you always stretch the truth a little in the hopes of getting a job. is massage any different? now if it's something that they actually have NO knowledge of...that's one thing. but my class, for instance, in accupressure was (i think) about 3 weeks. i'd say that gives me some knowledge.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on
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Good points, Lisa! I agree. There has been suggestion of curtailing what therapists say they can do. Do they claim to be certified or just practice it? And what modalities should have to be certified? And how therapists advertise their skills is important for sure. But some schools actually certify students in specific modalities and this is a factor. It's another great dicussion happening across the industry! Thanks, Terryl!
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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on
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When I was in school the instructors told us we could list any modality we touched on in school. Sad but true. We never learned Deep Tissue Massage. We did learn Deep Pressure Massage. There is a big difference between the two. So many claim to do Deep Tissue and have no idea what it even is or how to go about it because they have been taught Deep Pressure and think it is Deep Tissue. Thank you for beginning this discussion.
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Permalink Reply by Laura Allen on
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I am on the Board of Advisors for the Asheville School of Massage & Yoga, a 685 hour school, and their education is extremely heavy on Shiatsu. The owner of that school was my Shiatsu teacher many years ago. Unless you know something about the school they came from, you shouldn't make assumptions that it's only been touched on. Different schools tend to focus on different things.
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Permalink Reply by Terryl Lawson LMT on
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Hello fellow therapists, This site is great place to interact.Sorry to say i've been gone 4 awhile from here but thnx 2 all you whom responded.Great feed back frm everyone.I 've been getting my buisness up & runnin."BESTEVER MASSAGE THERAPIES &SKIINCARE" here in Hyannis Ma..I found the need 2 hire a femal therapist due 2all the male callers looking 4 a female .It's been a little bit of a letdown.The Homophobia is wort here than i thought it would but things will pan out. Thanx again everyone.
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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on
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Terry,
I think and feel I know what you are pertaining too and I have seen it all too often from recent graduates that DID NOT get adequate training in their school.
Many have been shocked when I called them on it, saying but we thought it was ok because we learned a little. I feel some instructors may not be clearly stating they are only getting an intro or taste of a modality, others just think they know it all and that's it.....until they do further their education.
I know I spent enough money on my education it should say M.D. after my name (Massage Doctor), so I do take offense when 'newbies' have only touched upon a modality.
Recently, I saw an ad from a former student listing NMT. I said Oh that's great you went to a Ce class, and they said Nope, just learned some in school. Did I do something wrong?...That's a typical response. They did agree that they wanted to continue and that they saw the point how it might mis-represent the work.
I feel schools need to be clear and concise on what they are saying and teaching. If it is not adequate training to list on a business card, they need to inform students!
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great response Henry this topic has provoked great conversations. Now i believe certain types of modalities touched on in school's fine to put into practice right away.
Henry Hardnock said:as an instructor, i have always been told that teaching the basics was to be only the basics. not sure it was the school's policy or states guide lines.
granted some schools have 500 to 600 plus hours and can put different modalities in the out line. so it does depend on the amount of time spent on said modalities in the basics. But i still believe there needs to be more before advertising what you can do when you just finish school.
when i was in school they did the same thing (at the time 300 hrs). touched on many modalities and you should have seen the cards.
sports massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, polarity therapy, deep tissue, sports medicine, trigger points. these are things that were on the cards from people in my class just after they had finished. something in my mind said dont do this. later i learned that M/Ts can be turned in for false advertisement and correct me if i am wrong the state can fine you.
event though you have had a small bit of info on the subject does not necessarily give you enough knowledge or hands on experience in doing the modality let alone advertise you can do it.
I do agree strongly with Terryl, that M/T is not capable or certified to practice that modalilty.
Ex. tripper point therapy, i see this more on M/Ts cards and i have had about 500 hours in fascial release and trigger point therapy certification. these are ones who are just starting out too. i have to really worry about this because one M/T worked on a chiropractor i know and he told me "She didnt know the difference a bone she was pressing on and a trigger point."
I over heard a very new therapist one day at sporting event telling a person on the table she specialized in trigger point therapy, sports massage, and had many fibromayalgia clients. I thought to myself "wow, i've been doing this for 15 yrs and shes already doing these things. So Im with you Terryl.
I could use the ex. in any other modality, sports massage, an M/t had a brochure on sports massage and it was all about the use of deep tissue work prior to and after an event. what i know and have learned is thats inapropriate in either case, esecially pre event and you dont' want to cause muscle soreness pre the event.
not having the proper classes, theory, hands on training, experience will not fully let you apply the modality for the purposes it was intended for. sooner or later those new M/Ts will be in a law suite for possible injury to client. it has happened.
besides the informed consent that all M/Ts should be aware of is that if we are asked by any client to show proof of schooling of any modality we advertise we have to provide that to them before we put our hands on them. They then have the right to deside if they want to participate in your session based on your assessments or ability to produce proof of schooling.
because of the informed consent stipulation I keep all of my transcripts and certifications and certificates in a binder in my office just in case someone askes.
sorry to be so long winded. thanks for listening.
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ok...but then if sometime's it's ok and sometime's it's not...how DOES a new therapist coming into the field know what they can say from what they can't.
I can only share my own experience...but my schooling was 720 hours. i believe when all was said and done i graduated with the ability to put swedish, cross-tissue, trigger point, energy balancing, accupressure, on-site chair massage, sports and remedial massage. however...what i FEEL i can do and also what i WANT to be doing is swedish, deep tissue, sports, and cross tissue. do i throw a little energy balancing and accupressure throughout when i feel needed? yes. do i specialize in it? no. do i think i can offer chair massage? no. because i don't feel the same confidence i have in the other modalities.
so at what point do we hold the schools accountable versus the therapist? i think we should be throwing this question out to the instructors and not the MTs. Now granted, an intuitive therapist should know based on their confidence level as to what they really should and shouldn't be advertising. but if we're gonna throw out "legalities" then i think that has to fall on the schools.
Terryl Lawson LMT said:great response Henry this topic has provoked great conversations. Now i believe certain types of modalities touched on in school's fine to put into practice right away.
Henry Hardnock said:as an instructor, i have always been told that teaching the basics was to be only the basics. not sure it was the school's policy or states guide lines.
granted some schools have 500 to 600 plus hours and can put different modalities in the out line. so it does depend on the amount of time spent on said modalities in the basics. But i still believe there needs to be more before advertising what you can do when you just finish school.
when i was in school they did the same thing (at the time 300 hrs). touched on many modalities and you should have seen the cards.
sports massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, polarity therapy, deep tissue, sports medicine, trigger points. these are things that were on the cards from people in my class just after they had finished. something in my mind said dont do this. later i learned that M/Ts can be turned in for false advertisement and correct me if i am wrong the state can fine you.
event though you have had a small bit of info on the subject does not necessarily give you enough knowledge or hands on experience in doing the modality let alone advertise you can do it.
I do agree strongly with Terryl, that M/T is not capable or certified to practice that modalilty.
Ex. tripper point therapy, i see this more on M/Ts cards and i have had about 500 hours in fascial release and trigger point therapy certification. these are ones who are just starting out too. i have to really worry about this because one M/T worked on a chiropractor i know and he told me "She didnt know the difference a bone she was pressing on and a trigger point."
I over heard a very new therapist one day at sporting event telling a person on the table she specialized in trigger point therapy, sports massage, and had many fibromayalgia clients. I thought to myself "wow, i've been doing this for 15 yrs and shes already doing these things. So Im with you Terryl.
I could use the ex. in any other modality, sports massage, an M/t had a brochure on sports massage and it was all about the use of deep tissue work prior to and after an event. what i know and have learned is thats inapropriate in either case, esecially pre event and you dont' want to cause muscle soreness pre the event.
not having the proper classes, theory, hands on training, experience will not fully let you apply the modality for the purposes it was intended for. sooner or later those new M/Ts will be in a law suite for possible injury to client. it has happened.
besides the informed consent that all M/Ts should be aware of is that if we are asked by any client to show proof of schooling of any modality we advertise we have to provide that to them before we put our hands on them. They then have the right to deside if they want to participate in your session based on your assessments or ability to produce proof of schooling.
because of the informed consent stipulation I keep all of my transcripts and certifications and certificates in a binder in my office just in case someone askes.
sorry to be so long winded. thanks for listening.
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Well don't get me wrong i totally agree w/u. However 4 example if a school teaches Shiatsu 4 say a few weeks that's not even close 2 enough hrs.Most certifications in that modality require another 500 hrs.Can someone incorperate what they've learned ? By allmeans i believe they can but i don't agree that they should tell people different.
Lisa said:ok...but then if sometime's it's ok and sometime's it's not...how DOES a new therapist coming into the field know what they can say from what they can't.
I can only share my own experience...but my schooling was 720 hours. i believe when all was said and done i graduated with the ability to put swedish, cross-tissue, trigger point, energy balancing, accupressure, on-site chair massage, sports and remedial massage. however...what i FEEL i can do and also what i WANT to be doing is swedish, deep tissue, sports, and cross tissue. do i throw a little energy balancing and accupressure throughout when i feel needed? yes. do i specialize in it? no. do i think i can offer chair massage? no. because i don't feel the same confidence i have in the other modalities.
so at what point do we hold the schools accountable versus the therapist? i think we should be throwing this question out to the instructors and not the MTs. Now granted, an intuitive therapist should know based on their confidence level as to what they really should and shouldn't be advertising. but if we're gonna throw out "legalities" then i think that has to fall on the schools.
Terryl Lawson LMT said:great response Henry this topic has provoked great conversations. Now i believe certain types of modalities touched on in school's fine to put into practice right away.
Henry Hardnock said:as an instructor, i have always been told that teaching the basics was to be only the basics. not sure it was the school's policy or states guide lines.
granted some schools have 500 to 600 plus hours and can put different modalities in the out line. so it does depend on the amount of time spent on said modalities in the basics. But i still believe there needs to be more before advertising what you can do when you just finish school.
when i was in school they did the same thing (at the time 300 hrs). touched on many modalities and you should have seen the cards.
sports massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, polarity therapy, deep tissue, sports medicine, trigger points. these are things that were on the cards from people in my class just after they had finished. something in my mind said dont do this. later i learned that M/Ts can be turned in for false advertisement and correct me if i am wrong the state can fine you.
event though you have had a small bit of info on the subject does not necessarily give you enough knowledge or hands on experience in doing the modality let alone advertise you can do it.
I do agree strongly with Terryl, that M/T is not capable or certified to practice that modalilty.
Ex. tripper point therapy, i see this more on M/Ts cards and i have had about 500 hours in fascial release and trigger point therapy certification. these are ones who are just starting out too. i have to really worry about this because one M/T worked on a chiropractor i know and he told me "She didnt know the difference a bone she was pressing on and a trigger point."
I over heard a very new therapist one day at sporting event telling a person on the table she specialized in trigger point therapy, sports massage, and had many fibromayalgia clients. I thought to myself "wow, i've been doing this for 15 yrs and shes already doing these things. So Im with you Terryl.
I could use the ex. in any other modality, sports massage, an M/t had a brochure on sports massage and it was all about the use of deep tissue work prior to and after an event. what i know and have learned is thats inapropriate in either case, esecially pre event and you dont' want to cause muscle soreness pre the event.
not having the proper classes, theory, hands on training, experience will not fully let you apply the modality for the purposes it was intended for. sooner or later those new M/Ts will be in a law suite for possible injury to client. it has happened.
besides the informed consent that all M/Ts should be aware of is that if we are asked by any client to show proof of schooling of any modality we advertise we have to provide that to them before we put our hands on them. They then have the right to deside if they want to participate in your session based on your assessments or ability to produce proof of schooling.
because of the informed consent stipulation I keep all of my transcripts and certifications and certificates in a binder in my office just in case someone askes.
sorry to be so long winded. thanks for listening.
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it depends on the modality
Terryl Lawson LMT said:Well don't get me wrong i totally agree w/u. However 4 example if a school teaches Shiatsu 4 say a few weeks that's not even close 2 enough hrs.Most certifications in that modality require another 500 hrs.Can someone incorperate what they've learned ? By allmeans i believe they can but i don't agree that they should tell people different.
Lisa said:ok...but then if sometime's it's ok and sometime's it's not...how DOES a new therapist coming into the field know what they can say from what they can't.
I can only share my own experience...but my schooling was 720 hours. i believe when all was said and done i graduated with the ability to put swedish, cross-tissue, trigger point, energy balancing, accupressure, on-site chair massage, sports and remedial massage. however...what i FEEL i can do and also what i WANT to be doing is swedish, deep tissue, sports, and cross tissue. do i throw a little energy balancing and accupressure throughout when i feel needed? yes. do i specialize in it? no. do i think i can offer chair massage? no. because i don't feel the same confidence i have in the other modalities.
so at what point do we hold the schools accountable versus the therapist? i think we should be throwing this question out to the instructors and not the MTs. Now granted, an intuitive therapist should know based on their confidence level as to what they really should and shouldn't be advertising. but if we're gonna throw out "legalities" then i think that has to fall on the schools.
Terryl Lawson LMT said:great response Henry this topic has provoked great conversations. Now i believe certain types of modalities touched on in school's fine to put into practice right away.
Henry Hardnock said:as an instructor, i have always been told that teaching the basics was to be only the basics. not sure it was the school's policy or states guide lines.
granted some schools have 500 to 600 plus hours and can put different modalities in the out line. so it does depend on the amount of time spent on said modalities in the basics. But i still believe there needs to be more before advertising what you can do when you just finish school.
when i was in school they did the same thing (at the time 300 hrs). touched on many modalities and you should have seen the cards.
sports massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, polarity therapy, deep tissue, sports medicine, trigger points. these are things that were on the cards from people in my class just after they had finished. something in my mind said dont do this. later i learned that M/Ts can be turned in for false advertisement and correct me if i am wrong the state can fine you.
event though you have had a small bit of info on the subject does not necessarily give you enough knowledge or hands on experience in doing the modality let alone advertise you can do it.
I do agree strongly with Terryl, that M/T is not capable or certified to practice that modalilty.
Ex. tripper point therapy, i see this more on M/Ts cards and i have had about 500 hours in fascial release and trigger point therapy certification. these are ones who are just starting out too. i have to really worry about this because one M/T worked on a chiropractor i know and he told me "She didnt know the difference a bone she was pressing on and a trigger point."
I over heard a very new therapist one day at sporting event telling a person on the table she specialized in trigger point therapy, sports massage, and had many fibromayalgia clients. I thought to myself "wow, i've been doing this for 15 yrs and shes already doing these things. So Im with you Terryl.
I could use the ex. in any other modality, sports massage, an M/t had a brochure on sports massage and it was all about the use of deep tissue work prior to and after an event. what i know and have learned is thats inapropriate in either case, esecially pre event and you dont' want to cause muscle soreness pre the event.
not having the proper classes, theory, hands on training, experience will not fully let you apply the modality for the purposes it was intended for. sooner or later those new M/Ts will be in a law suite for possible injury to client. it has happened.
besides the informed consent that all M/Ts should be aware of is that if we are asked by any client to show proof of schooling of any modality we advertise we have to provide that to them before we put our hands on them. They then have the right to deside if they want to participate in your session based on your assessments or ability to produce proof of schooling.
because of the informed consent stipulation I keep all of my transcripts and certifications and certificates in a binder in my office just in case someone askes.
sorry to be so long winded. thanks for listening.
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Permalink Reply by Jackie Winkler on
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I am a student graduating in December with an Associates degree in Massage Modalities and Chiropractic Assisting. I am now interning at a chiropractors office and studying for the N.C.E. We studied many, many modalities. So, I'm wondering if there are some modalities that require additional certification? This topic was not covered at school, and quite frankly, I never thought about it. When I'm asked what type of massage I do, I respond with what I have been practicing and with what I feel confident in performing. I only put these on my resume' which I am just now beginning to prepare. I agree that just because you touched on it in school doesn't mean you should perform it on clients/patients. I would love some feedback and advice on this matter.
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Hy Javkie conrats on tour degree.If you have an questions i would suggest looking into the hours required for the modality.Alot of them don't require a certificate but i believe Shiatsu as well can be practiced but i wouldn't recieve it uness i knew the therapist did recieve the hours it takes.The ceu's one would take for other modalities can be aquired through online or video courses so it's a hard question that's why i think it's sparked good conversation.
Jackie Winkler said:I am a student graduating in December with an Associates degree in Massage Modalities and Chiropractic Assisting. I am now interning at a chiropractors office and studying for the N.C.E. We studied many, many modalities. So, I'm wondering if there are some modalities that require additional certification? This topic was not covered at school, and quite frankly, I never thought about it. When I'm asked what type of massage I do, I respond with what I have been practicing and with what I feel confident in performing. I only put these on my resume' which I am just now beginning to prepare. I agree that just because you touched on it in school doesn't mean you should perform it on clients/patients. I would love some feedback and advice on this matter.
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