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Why Are We Following? America Should Be Leading!!!
A friend of mine here on Massage Professionals wrote a fantastic article about “The Corporate Takeover of Massage" This prompted conversation and me to wonder about earlier conversations with a Canadian therapist. I have done little research regarding Canada’s Massage Laws, but after a BC massage therapist was bemoaning our system and touting his system as so superior, that changed. So, I decided to find out some facts. Canada has 14 different organizations that agree to the 2200 hours and many more that don't.
It does not speak as one voice either. Only those that agree to abide by the Professional Curriculum Standard are allowed to put MT behind their name. After graduation, there is a quality assurance program that must approve what CE's you are allowed to take, to get credit for them.
The United States is light years ahead of Canada. We regulate 81 percent of our country. Canada, only 31 percent. And after they agreed to the 2,200 hour standard, BC raised it again to 3,000. Will they ever stick with a standard?
Sounds to me like Canada is fractured. Would love to hear from therapists that were massaging before the "Professional Curriculum Standards" took over and how it has affected their practices.
According to their website Canada has three regulated provinces. http://www.massage.ca/regulation_and_licensing.html
The US regulates 43 states.
But this BC therapist feels we have similar medical circumstances (state sponsored versus free enterprise healthcare). I’m sure our doctors will agree with him, right? But he says, I am the one who is confused. And he is right. I am confused why he wants to fix America before he fixes Canada, if his system is so great.
All they did was strip therapists, that didn't conform to their hours of their Massage Therapist title and called them Spa Therapists. And then if you go to specific schools you can get the MT behind your name. All we have to do is create an advanced 2200 hour program, come up with another name for this "super educated therapist" and we'll have the same thing. Make the COMTA schools these schools and leave the rest alone. All therapists going through school don't need this level of training. These hours double the highest existing hours we have here. Way overkill!!
Most of America IS regulated. Most of Canada IS NOT regulated. There is no one voice for massage in America! There is no one voice for massage in Canada, except one that is telling us what to do.
So why are we following? |
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Vlad on
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Mike,
You've got it all sorted out, man. We shouldn't listen to those dang educated hockey-loving people in BC - oh hang on, we shouldn't listen to one educated therapist in BC, in fact, we should just ignore every other country in the world and do what America does best - do whatever the hec it wants.
Since you're now President of the the Massage World, we'll all follow you blindly.
If you want to start up a tea-party kinda thing, can I suggest an irish coffee party? Oh, hang on, screw the Irish too.
Here's an idea - just cool it. Please stop using this site as a marketing tool for your festival (as should anyu other person that's advertising their CE classes or marketing expertise or whatever else they're trying to sell). Therapists aren't as stupid as you think, Mike. Thank God for that.
Thanks, ABMP for providing the site - it's an incredible insight into what our profession is like.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on
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And this is what happens when folks speakup. It creates controversy. I am simply responded to a therapist that was saying that Canada has the answers and we need to go to his system. I think massage therapists have the answers. Attacking me outright as a businessman is hardly professional or is calling yourself "Vlad is now Roadkill". We all let our hair down here and should be able to speak the truth as long as we are factual and even give opinion as long as it isn't mean. If there is any part wrong facts in what I wrote. Please tell me. I will be glad to address that issue.
Because you think, I am wrong will not stop me from promoting the profession. I help many people and associations. I work at it many hours. Because you chose not to avail yourself to these opportunities makes them no less needed. I promote the Festival as others promote their chosen businesses. We are in the business of business, right?
If I feel attacked, sorry I attack back. But you don't attack right? Since you're now President of the the Massage World, we'll all follow you blindly.
I am not President of anything. I am expressing my feelings. I do see people expressing how they feel and the counter side expessing themselves. This is good. AMTA makes those with differing views go to their corners and wait for a review team. It is great that in the ABMP intro it says "Celebrating a professional camaraderie online, we invite you to join the network, establish your page, and engage in the conversation. Welcome!"
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No, I wasn't professional. That was wrong of me. I apologize. But you going after some therapist in BC and trying to make him out to be some sort of evil-doer wasn't all that professional either, was it?
You didn't address the fact that you have abused this site from day one to try to promote your business.
This site *could* have actually been used to discuss massage therapy, but instead you and others have exploited it for your own end - to advertise to MTs.
It's sickening.
If you want to educate others on what goes on in another country, you could do it a different way, couldn't you?
But no, but go after a therapist there, Mike.
Camaradari, alright.
Would there EVER be a time when you might admit you're wrong on something?
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Excuse me America is NOT in the dark ages! And no one should feel that was a slight?
You just proved my point!
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And to you as well Bodhi!
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And when one is not approached respectfully, it is my choice to to stand up to those who try to distort what I am doing. I am getting email and calls telling me to stand my ground. I am who I am. I do not aspire to lead anything. But is Bodhi not seen as a leader in the massage community? I do not have to agree with these people. I am doing this for therapists that have asked me to. I told these same folks there will be people (yes Bodhi and Moyer) that will attack me. I will take it and stand. I will stand. If people see that as leading or not that's up to them. I get the job done. The attacks are making it ugly.
I will not be swayed by those that have reservations. Why would I? Those folks will simply not join. I am creating this for those that asked. It is done. We will have an election. I will go away and they will grow at the pace they decide. It is an exciting time and once the Alliance is created I think most will be happier. Therapists from every avenue and area and modality, all can belong. Many already do!
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Permalink Reply by Lisa on
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It's a shame that those that are telling you to stand your ground, via email and phone calls, don't voice themselves on here and take part in the discussion.
Mike Hinkle said:
And when one is not approached respectfully, it is my choice to to stand up to those who try to distort what I am doing. I am getting email and calls telling me to stand my ground. I am who I am. I do not aspire to lead anything. But is Bodhi not seen as a leader in the massage community? I do not have to agree with these people. I am doing this for therapists that have asked me to. I told these same folks there will be people (yes Bodhi and Moyer) that will attack me. I will take it and stand. I will stand. If people see that as leading or not that's up to them. I get the job done. The attacks are making it ugly.
I will not be swayed by those that have reservations. Why would I? Those folks will simply not join. I am creating this for those that asked. It is done. We will have an election. I will go away and they will grow at the pace they decide. It is an exciting time and once the Alliance is created I think most will be happier. Therapists from every avenue and area and modality, all can belong. Many already do!
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There is no need. They know they want this too and it is going to happen. They know that you can't stop it and that you are just exercising your right to speech. No problem. A few have asked, but I have assured them, it is not needed. This is part of the process.
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Permalink Reply by Susan Chapelle on
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What a fantastic conversation. I am pleased to hear that American therapists are considering getting educated. Instead of regulating your states with a variety of weekend and 500 hour programs. Standardize your education, and we would love to follow you! I believe we are all wanting a higher quality of education based on research and evidence based treatments that are more and more available. Please.. regulate your profession and become leaders. We would love for you guys to catch up and surpass our brilliance... ;-)
Its overdue for our profession to stop treating and educating ourselves with belief systems, and time to enter the world of practice and how bodies work REALLY. Not imagining, wondering, the information is out there, we are lucky we have amazing practitioners who are willing to put their skills to the test and see what works and what does not, then practice that way. There are so many things we are able to measure and see how amazing our treatments are, time to get some anatomy, physiology and most important NEUROLOGY under our belts with proper education.. get on board America. I know you have some amazing and well educated practitioners. Let them lead you, and get that AMTA to standardize your licensing across the board. How can you argue for not having education.
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Susan ~ Thank you. I've been on the fence watching this discussion. It is my opinion, you completely nailed my concerns with reference to a couple of comments on here; and while I signed up for this with a wait-and-see mindset, it will be interesting to see what transpires. Maybe we'll actually get a voice in shaping the future of the profession here in the States.
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Hi Susan,
Are you saying every student that goes to massage school in America should have 2200 hours? Or just the MTs like you have in Canada? I'm trying to see if you want there to be a divide between Spa and MT? Next how many hours does the Spa Therapist go to school?
AMTA has led us to this patchwork system we have. They have been at it how many years? The problem is we have state rights, which means every legislature can mess with every set hours, no matter what we have established. Politicians can't lay their foot down, so how is it ever going to come about? We have been patiently waiting for that and state to state reciprocity.
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Oh yes.. and you are following because we are leaders. We WANT more education, we WANT more research, and we are happy to help you with your regulatory practice. We continue to push for a standardized and national education for therapists. We are entering colleges for a degree course in our amazing and ever expanding profession, and mostly because Bodhi H is willing to put in countless hours of negotiation, not just talk. The AMTA exam I passed still drunk with flying colours walking in off the street with many other professionals. Thats just wrong. Licensing should be hard, working with patients should require an amazing amount of skill and knowledge. Not 500 hours.
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