massage and bodywork professionals

a community of practitioners

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Oh, the flap on The View.  I’m sure this will carry on for days and weeks.

 

Here's a YouTube link:  The View - Al Gore's massage and other poorly chosen comments

 

Yea, our profession was ‘wronged.’ 

 

Here’s my advice:  Use it. 

 

I’m sure no one here as ever called a doctor a quack, or an attorney/lawyer an ambulance chaser, or a computer expert a nerd.

 

Sure, most of us are not on national TV, but I've seen a ton of 'foot in mouth disease' from all kinds of industries. 

 

Please note that I’m not defending anything that was said.

 

Here’s my point:

 

What are each and every one of us going to do (other than complain) to improve our own massage business/practice?  Can you take what was said and use it to stoke that internal fire?  Go and find a mirror and take a long hard look at yourself.  Talk to yourself (or others) and figure out how to use this to improve your own business.  Do you have a burning desire to be respected as a professional massage therapist or bodyworker?  Then put this to use! 

 

Is it just me, or can anyone else see an opportunity here?  To break away from the pack?  Leave the weak behind and step up to the plate!

 

What can you use from that TV show to really turn internally and improve upon?  Are we always as professional as we can be with our clients?  How about customer service?  What about all that time and energy wasted in internal dialogue complaining about how we were ‘dissed’ and put it to good use in creating a new massage marketing campaign?

 

Action speaks louder than words.  Lead by example. 

 

Who/what can we change?  Ourselves.

 

What is demanding an apology from The View going to do?  The damage has already been done. 

 

Are we, each and every one of us, doing all that we can?  Being the best that we can be?

 

I know that's what I'm focusing on.

 

Kris

      

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No side of the political spectrum is immune to hypocrisy but that is a whole other topic. :)

Relax & Rejuvenate said:
I suppose I should no longer be shocked by hypocrisy, but it is just mind-numbing that these so-called "open-minded" liberals who are supposed to be concerned with women and the little guy can, without a 2nd thought, completely trash a segment of the economy based on new thinking about health and bodywork that is dominated by women and low to middle income Americans?
Hi Kris,

I liked ABMP's approach. It's not about the free massage, of course. They took "The View" incident, combined it with their "everybody deserves a massage week", and created a very good press release that educates the reader and warns about how the media's irresponsible portrayal of massage "..puts legitimate professionals at unnecessary personal risk, and damages a profession...", etc. ABMP took an unfortunate event, and used it to educate and to get its name out there. And in doing all that, they were being respectable. I think that is great. To be respected (as individuals or as a profession), we must be respectable - we must act as someone that others can respect.

We should all learn from that. Seize the opportunity, while being respectable. If you are a massage therapist, use the View event to your advantage. If you are in the outcall business, send letters to hotels pointing out the importance of proper protocols. If you are a massage school, have your students practice how to get the hell out of a situation like the one the therapist was in. We really can't change anyone by complaining, but we can bring a lot of change by focusing on how we act and behave.

E



Kris Kelley said:
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It seems all the emotional uproar has subsided. What's happening now???

I thought I read somewhere that ABMP offered the staff of The View free massages. Is this true?

Is this our industries response to educate others? Throw free massages at them??

Curious...

Kris
~

Hi Kris,

>>>Hey Emmanuel!


I liked ABMP's approach. It's not about the free massage, of course. They took "The View" incident, combined it with their "everybody deserves a massage week", and created a very good press release that educates the reader and warns about how the media's irresponsible portrayal of massage "..puts legitimate professionals at unnecessary personal risk, and damages a profession...", etc. ABMP took an unfortunate event, and used it to educate and to get its name out there. And in doing all that, they were being respectable. I think that is great. To be respected (as individuals or as a profession), we must be respectable - we must act as someone that others can respect.

>>>Where is this press release? I'm certainly not out looking for ABMP press releases but have also not seen it posted here or anyone refer to it on other social networking mediums.

We should all learn from that. Seize the opportunity, while being respectable. If you are a massage therapist, use the View event to your advantage. If you are in the outcall business, send letters to hotels pointing out the importance of proper protocols. If you are a massage school, have your students practice how to get the hell out of a situation like the one the therapist was in. We really can't change anyone by complaining, but we can bring a lot of change by focusing on how we act and behave.

>>>In complete agreement with you. Refer to the first post I made when I started this topic.

E

K
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You also make another interesting comment that I'll touch on, although it's not related to this topic.

You wrote: "To be respected (as individuals or as a profession), we must be respectable - we must act as someone that others can respect."

Isn't this the truth!

Unfortunately, from what I've seen, many have not acted in this manner. We all have our moments, sure, but let's continue on....

Example: A couple of weeks ago another therapist took some of my words (from a Facebook post) out of context and used it to bash me on her own blog. (I think she was attempting to promote herself and set an example; unfortunately, the bigger picture was missed by her (and all those that replied), as well as the point I was attempting to make with the ENTIRE thread.)) Is this acting respectable??

I replied and also provided my personal E-mail address if anyone cared to take it private. Wow, I got some really interesting replies. I was called all sorts of names, sent hate mail and threats. This is from fellow massage therapists!

Gee, what a loving, kind, understanding, respectable, health and wellness industry we're in, eh??

I just laugh a lot and continue on :-)

Kris
We all have our moments indeed, but for some people those moments are permanent.:) I didn't read the blog, but what you describe sounds like mob mentality. You are right to laugh and continue on.


Kris Kelley said:
~

You also make another interesting comment that I'll touch on, although it's not related to this topic.

You wrote: "To be respected (as individuals or as a profession), we must be respectable - we must act as someone that others can respect."

Isn't this the truth!

Unfortunately, from what I've seen, many have not acted in this manner. We all have our moments, sure, but let's continue on....

Example: A couple of weeks ago another therapist took some of my words (from a Facebook post) out of context and used it to bash me on her own blog. (I think she was attempting to promote herself and set an example; unfortunately, the bigger picture was missed by her (and all those that replied), as well as the point I was attempting to make with the ENTIRE thread.)) Is this acting respectable??

I replied and also provided my personal E-mail address if anyone cared to take it private. Wow, I got some really interesting replies. I was called all sorts of names, sent hate mail and threats. This is from fellow massage therapists!

Gee, what a loving, kind, understanding, respectable, health and wellness industry we're in, eh??

I just laugh a lot and continue on :-)

Kris
Where is this press release?

It's the link that Lara posted. Also at http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14259
The link is also posted by Lara on page 4 of this blog. That is where I read it from.

Emmanuel Bistas said:
Where is this press release?

It's the link that Lara posted. Also at http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14259
~

Ah, thank you Emmanuel and Darcy. For one reason or another I missed 'page 4' completely!

Kris
Al Gore is off the hook. Portland police dropped the reopened investigation on the allegation
of sexual assault - the 2nd time. this case didn't even make it to court. yes, experts have not
given it much of a chance - given the law system as of now.

since his divorce and Hagerty's public allegations of Al Gore his public ratings have dropped.
Positive opinion of Gore drops CNN Poll, July 14th
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/14/poll-positive-opini...

and what did THE VIEW do in the case of misrepresenting LMTs ?
~

Hi Cocrea!

Well, I'm more interested in if any massage organizations or associations followed up with The View. Perhaps I should dig around Facebook and see if all those screaming bloody murder ever followed up.

Or do we just issue another press release and throw more free massages at them?

Seems to be our industries reply to everything. I've yet to see heart surgeons who may have been slandered start offering free open heart surgery to make everyone feel better.

Coming from the retail business I certainly find the massage industry interesting ;)

Kris
Well, I'm more interested in if any massage organizations or associations followed up with The View.
how many of them are there in USA?
please find out and report here.

Or do we just issue another press release and throw more free massages at them?
do "they" accept them? if so, you've got a chance to communicate - on your expenses though.

I've yet to see heart surgeons who may have been slandered start offering free open heart surgery to make everyone feel better.
everyone could use a free massage given you trust your massage therapist.
not everyone is in need of a free heart surgery. and not every surgeon owns a hospital.
and doctors - as a class - are still ranking highly on the social ladder.

best, Elf
~

Hi again Cocrea!

I'll preface your comments with >>>

>>>how many of them are there in USA? please find out and report here.

No thanks. I've got my 'hands full' already ;) I was referring to the ABMP and the AMTA (I think) who issued statements.

>>>do "they" accept them? if so, you've got a chance to communicate - on your expenses though.

I communicate right fine without giving away freebies. I'll touch on this more, below.

>>>everyone could use a free massage given you trust your massage therapist.

Sure. Interesting wording you use. "Could use." Ok, but does everyone want and or need a massage? Perhaps. I'm talking running a business and it doesn't hang on who can use a free massage.

>>>not everyone is in need of a free heart surgery. and not every surgeon owns a hospital.
and doctors - as a class - are still ranking highly on the social ladder.

Sorry sorry, love me love me, but imho 'everyone doesn't need a free massage' either.

Let me ask you: Why are doctors still ranking highly on the social ladder? They are viewed as professionals. How many true professionals run around giving away for free their services?

Hey, I'm all for free. I do it - yet there's a method to my maddness. It's done with precision to elicit a specific result. I'm all for donating my time for free massages for a charity event as well. Yet, this isn't the point.

Let me also ask you: What's the first thought that enters your mind when you hear or read the word, FREE? For me, it's something of little value, insignificant. If it's worth something then why is it free? Can you see how this can work against our massage business?

If we spend all our time running around attempting to 'educate the masses' and give away free massages, are we then making a decent living, or, viewed as a professional such as a medical doctor?

Once again, free is used, but very sparingly and very carefully. It's seldom my first option, and I think that's my point here in this post. Why is giving away free massage always the first option???

If so, what's your follow-up? If you're donating time that's cool. I'm talking our day-to-day massage business. Again, those who use free massage as a loss-leader or education tool, what follow-up system do you have in place that puts you on the professional pedestal right along side with the doctors??

Thanks so much for your time, need to get going!

Kris

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