I’m back, baby! My self-imposed blog exile is over. But is it really a break if no one notices? This week seemed like as good a time as any to get back in the saddle, blog-wise. It’s back-to-school week at the Sweeney Compound, with four Sweeneys starting school (everyone but me)—including my wife, who is starting graduate business school.

Growing up on the East Coast, back to school always meant Labor Day. Alas, school starts earlier in Colorado, so it creeps into summer. I have two boys running high school cross country, so back to school means back to practice for Dad the Massage Therapist. This time of year I get my sports massage work in, working to keep gastrocnemiuses and soleuses (can these words really be plural?) supple and ready for weekly meets.

Back to school means revisiting all those things that make school fun—new faces, familiar faces—and resuming a routine that provides a sense of comfort. As I type this at night, I am also serenaded by the sounds of rutting season­—our friendly neighborhood bull elk is sending out his version of Barry White to all the special lady elk out there. I guess everyone has a seasonal to-do list.

During my blog sabbatical, I had the pleasure of spending time with several of our members in Louisville, Kentucky at the National Conference of State Legislatures. Louisville in July is “moist,” as my son would say, but an interesting city to visit. If you ever have the chance, see the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, and especially the Muhammad Ali Center­—incredibly inspiring. We also continued to make good connections with our state representatives, ably led as always by the fantastic Jean Robinson, ABMP’s Government Relations Director.

It seems the massage therapy profession is also gearing up—lots of new students starting their training, and changes afoot in the education and regulatory environments. More on those soon. For now, back to the autumn ritual. My question for you:

How was your summer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpHxsv7VuJc

Last week I asked, “How do you professionally fire a client?” I received not nearly as many comments as when I asked for your sales pitch. I think that’s a good thing—we’re more focused on getting new clients than getting rid of them. Here’s a short, but sweet one from Darcy:

Thank you for allowing me to serve you. In the future, I will no longer be available to you.

However, if I were that client I would certainly ask, “Why?” Perhaps we can complete Darcy’s phrase by answering that question. “I think I’ve helped you as best I can. I’d be happy to refer you to another therapist.” That should get your message across without being too blunt.

So let’s move forward by looking back. As I write this, we are completing the first half of 2010. What do we have to show for it?

• Comprehensive health care legislation passed (which has been talked about for 40 years, but never successfully scripted), which to date has engendered mistrust and pessimism, even before material impact could be felt, good or bad; its effect, if any, on massage and bodywork is unknown;
• Significant education reform regarding higher education student aid (not saluted by the Career College Association); a boon for consumer and student-protection;
• A colossal and tragic ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that could take decades to clean up;
• The economy has acted like the car that needs the gas tank additive—fits and starts, too much knocking and pinging;
• The LA Lakers won the NBA championship again (groan).

My wife regularly reads her horoscope in the daily paper, and proudly announces if she is having “a five-star day.” She also makes sure to tell me how many stars my day will merit.

What about in your practice? How many stars has your massage and bodywork practice merited in 2010 so far?

Last week, or the week before (my blog weeks are kind of like dog years or minutes waiting on the help line with a bank or airline), I ran a post about the perception that the massage field is “saturated” with therapists.

I specifically gave the following challenge for practitioners to share their elevator speeches, with the promise that the best answer would get a shout-out in this post: I am a potential client, and am open to conversation about massage. Why should I get massage or bodywork, and if so why from you?

I had a few posts here at abmp.com, but our ABMP page on Facebook lit up. Here are a couple comments from the Facebook thread (please note that all comments have been copy-edited by my editor for goodness’ sake) :

Dan O’Clair Les, if your numbers quoted in Massage Today are correct (and I have every reason to believe they are, then the market is far from saturated. “The current estimate is one massage therapist for every 1,036 people.” I don’t know of any therapists who have even close to that many clients! Even if you figure that half of that number are people who will never receive massage, the market is still wide open. Some smaller markets may be saturated, and some niches may be filled, but there is a lot of room for growth in good quality massage, delivered in all markets and at all price points. Yes, many of our schools are not the same intimate institutions we graduated from, but as the profession grows and matures the educational aspect will also go through growing pains. We as a profession (and as individual therapists) must continue to educate the public about what massage is (and isn’t) and provide a massage session that will raise the standard of each individual’s expectation of what a quality massage experience should be.

One clarifying point from our population estimate: there are approximately 225 million people in the United States ages 20 and over. Subtract a couple mil who are in prison, and you still have more than 750 men and women for every massage therapist. So Dan’s on the right track; there are lots of bodies out there who need your work!

Julia echoed my view in a different way:

Julia Morrow The question was: Is the market saturated and do we need to convince people to choose massage? Part of the comments so far veered off into a discussion of: are there too many massage schools? So, to answer the original question: Yes, we need to convince people to choose massage, and NO the market is not saturated. Look at the ABMP and AMTA surveys of the public. Only 26% of the American public has ever tried massage! If you know your stuff, there is enough work for everyone!

Chayo Jones posted here on ABMP.com, stuck more to the script, and offered this:

Massage should not be viewed as just a relaxing experience or something to pamper yourself with. It can be just that, however, that is just one small aspect of the THERAPY massage offers. One of its primary benefits is the lengthening of muscles. You do realize that every time you use your muscles they constrict. Without proper stretching (and let’s face it, most of us barely have time to exercise, let alone stretch) they stay in that state. This is why you can feel sore or as people say “feel knots” in your muscles. Massage therapy will help to stretch those muscles, creating optimum oxygen and blood flow. This type of therapy shouldn’t be an experience. This type of therapy should be a lifestyle. I can help you achieve that lifestyle with mobility, scheduling flexibility, ongoing promotions so that you can earn free massages and a chart so you can see the improvements we have achieved together over a period of time. How’s Tuesday of next week for you?

Chayo gets an A+! How can you resist that?

So big props to Chayo. That’s the talk we need to get more bodies on our tables, more citizens relaxed, loose, and happy, and more therapists with full and healthy practices. Dr. Chayo Jones has prescribed the medicine; time for all of us to take it regularly.

This week’s question:

How do you professionally fire a client?

This space (when used properly) was designed for me to talk to you. And by you, I mean, our ABMP members, members of the massage profession in general, and occasional visitors who wonder what I do all day (that means you, Willie).

Many times things come up in the profession that are news- or comment-worthy (see here to review). But I also feel one of my mandates is to engage my fellow professionals in building up their career muscles. After all, there are only so many bad decisions made in the field that necessitate comment, right? And they only come around every 6-8 weeks or so anyway .

So let’s get back to working on our fitness (BizFitness, if you will). One comment I hear from therapists on occasion is that “the market is saturated” or my recent favorite, “you can’t throw a rock without hitting six massage therapists.” My suggestion: don’t try this at home; whomever you hit, whether in the field or not, won’t appreciate it.

I don’t believe the market is “saturated,” but the fundamental challenge of standing out in a crowd and making yourself desirable exists. But that’s not because there are lots of other massage therapists. That just happens to be the nature of this field; massage is not government-mandated. No one’s required to come to you. Your job is to help develop their interest. In most cases, people choose massage; that means they had a choice. Not between therapists usually, but whether to get massage or bodywork at all.

Here’s today’s exercise: I am a potential client, and am open to conversation about massage. Why should I get massage or bodywork, and if so why from you?

Best answer gets special mention in the next post. Ready, go!

I attended the conference for a number of reasons, with one particular assignment being present for the unveiling of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK). ABMP has been a member of the Steward group of organizations that provided support for the project. ABMP committed significant financial and human resources to support the project. We are proud of the subsequent accomplishments and the hard work of the Task Force.

Not everyone feels the same way; I read a post on Facebook that stated, “Beware the Body of Knowledge.” Just today ABMP received the following email message:

Boy, I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in you, ABMP, for partnering with this. Shame on you!

Here’s a newsflash: I don’t agree with all elements of the Body of Knowledge. And it appears others do not as well. But what’s wrong with developing a body of knowledge? Isn’t that what professions do? The MTBOK represents the work of a highly qualified task force of individuals who volunteered hundreds of hours; their work was vetted by members of the profession, who submitted more than 1,400 comments. The result is not perfect. But the process by which the MTBOK was developed was fair and inclusive, which is probably all we could ask for. And the document will continue to evolve as the profession lives and works with it.

Back to Seattle. The impressive work being conducted to better define the efficacy of massage therapy is inspiring. And the individuals doing this work are very impressive—people like Michael Hamm, who five years ago was the winner of the Student Case Report Contest, and now as an instructor is leading his students’ work in research.

I have not always been beating the drum re: research in the massage field; I think that research is critical to the continued growth of the field, but I don’t believe it’s for everyone. Literate? Absolutely. Aware of what’s happening in your field? Prudent. However, just because you are a massage therapist does not mean you need to be a researcher. In my view, that has been oversold at times. I also do not believe that just because you’re a massage therapist you MUST follow the MTBOK to the letter.

These activities are growth opportunities for the field; they aren’t (and should not be) a mandate for practice. Massage therapy is a big tent; there’s room for all types. My organization and I will defend that to the mat. But we should not be afraid to recognize that progress is being made, and salute those who are doing the work.

Our School Issues Forum is a great opportunity to re-connect with what are now old friends (you know who you are) in the massage education community, as well as meet some of the new and future leaders of the field. The three-day meeting is a guaranteed battery-charger, and I always leave the meeting with that tired exhaustion that comes from stimulating interaction.

In one of my discussions, I told the group of attendees that I consider them the “fretters” in the profession. By this I mean that those who attend are some of the field’s leaders, and by definition those leaders are the ones who seek to change the status quo, and “fret” over the field’s progress. This tendency is a very good thing; any profession has those who like to challenge the rest of us to think and improve the status quo. Interestingly, one comment that wasn’t new, but echoed again this year was the lament that (and I’m paraphrasing here) “massage therapy and massage therapists aren’t taken seriously” by the larger healthcare community. In this instance, one of the causes identified for this situation was our relatively low entry-level education standards (as compared to other healthcare professions).

I will admit freely that this concern does not keep me up at night. Will increasing the educational entry requirements to the field result in greater professional recognition? Will it result in higher payment for massage and bodywork services? I believe the answer to these questions is “It could.” But, at what cost? I’m a market economics, big-picture type of guy. I want to understand how any increase in inputs (additional hours of education, at additional cost to the student) would have some corresponding degree of output (greater income potential and professional opportunities). While some might make that claim, I don’t think we have any research that gives us any guarantees.  In fact, a quick look at training requirements v. earnings tells us that doesn’t happen in those states (and countries) with higher hour standards.

Several very good comments were made at the meeting to illustrate how massage therapists and bodywork professionals can locally grow the esteem factor for our field through networking and educating those in “more established” healthcare professions.

So how do we become more recognized as a profession? I think it’s actually quite simple—act like it. I would argue that, while there is always room for improvement, we’re already there. We support research. We have a majority of training programs that are accredited. We hold conferences. All those attributes are trappings of a profession. But ultimately the way we prove we’re professionals is by providing one superb session at a time to our clients. We provide excellent service, compassionate care and touch, and thoughtful follow-up. We conduct ourselves as professionals, with our clients, employers, and colleagues. We treat the client the way we like to be treated. We respect boundaries, wishes, and beliefs. We hold ourselves accountable. We have fun and enjoy ourselves, and celebrate the good work that we do. And we deliver on what we promise. If we do all that, no one can deny our professionalism.

Economists and pundits are starting to speak of a moderate recovery in the U.S. economy, although the official keeper of recessions, The Business Cycle Dating Committee, has not formally stated the recession has ended. The Times article interviews Americans whose circumstances don’t quite match up with the sentiment of economists.

Unemployment has essentially remained steady in the past few months, and consumer spending has begun to tick up slightly. But most of us measure our economic health by our own jobs and prospects. So has the recession ended for you? How healthy is your appointment calendar?

While I was on hiatus, a neat thing happened—Massageprofesionals.com kept growing, and surpassed 5,000 members (as I type this, the total is 5,251). This online community started last July, and in 9 months has become a valuable community for massage and bodywork professionals with a vibrant life of its own.

For the uninitiated, here’s a sampling of the types of activity shared on Massageprofessionals.com recently:

Forum Discussions: The Value of Social Media, Massage and Cancer, Chair Massage Choices, Book Recommendations

Blog postings: Where Does Energy Work Belong?, Massage Franchises: Taking the Discussion Further, Massage Practice Building

Groups: Lisa’s Rowdy Group of MT’s, Massage Therapy Instructors, Essential Oils We Use in Our Practices, Orthopedic Massage, LMTs Who have Chronic Pain Issues

I’ve had the opportunity to interact with and occasionally speak before gatherings of massage therapists; it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of my job. I equate Massageprofessionals.com as a virtual version of these meetings.

We didn’t really have a crystal ball when we launched Massageprofessionals.com; our hope was that perhaps several hundred to a thousand professionals would find value in the idea of community. So we’ve been pleasantly surprised. Now that we’re here, my hope is to aim higher—how can we make Massageprofessionals.com a more useful place for you and your colleagues? Should we take the party offline? We have participants from all 50 states and 45 countries—perhaps the next step is to organize meet-ups and generate more personal interaction in addition to our virtual interaction. I’d love to hear your ideas about where we go from here.

As I said when we launched Massageprofessionals.com—it’s your party; we just rented the hall.

If you do, you are a soothsayer; while there are many hopes of how a completed body of knowledge will affect the profession, only the future will tell us how it is utilized.

The MTBOK task force has been diligently working on assembling and crafting the MTBOK since it convened last July; a first draft was released in the fall, and received just more than 600 comments. The second draft of the MTBOK was released January 29, and comments are being solicited until March 8, 2010. To date, more than 400 comments have been received. This from a profession of 280,000+ professionals.

There are few guarantees in life—death, taxes, and differences of opinion are three. Any time some definitive statement is made, like an establishment of a body of knowledge, invariably there will be dissenters. There should be; massage and bodywork is a wonderfully diverse profession, full of wonderfully diverse people.

A profession, whether overtly or not, owns its body of knowledge; in the case of the MTBOK, several organizations joined together to help support the effort to catalog that body of knowledge. Any time individuals are tasked to produce content of this nature, opinions and judgments are included. There is no vacuum through which a body of knowledge can be derived; people are involved, and therefore subjectivity exists. I’ve had the privilege of serving on behalf of ABMP as a steward for the MTBOK project; I am fully supportive of the effort made, and in particular deeply grateful for the dedication and work provided by the volunteers who comprise the MTBOK Task Force.

I believe card-carrying members of this profession owe it to themselves and to all their brethren and sistren in the field to, at a minimum, read the draft of the MTBOK. Guess what? It’s not a quick, easy read; it’s 56 pages long. But as the draft states:

“We hope to achieve a living, learning ”document” – that is, one that grows with, and in some cases ahead of, our community. It will become living if you, the community, embrace it, become involved with it over time, and continue to keep it relevant, responsive, growing, and strong.”

The group of stewards, representing many of the larger organizations in the field, felt strongly that this effort deserved appropriate attention and resources. But the profession owns it.

You’re a part of the profession—speak up. Even if it is only to validate what has already been developed. Your voice is important.