Articles tagged with 'ethics'

Keep the conversation with your clients on a professional level.

Predatory sexual behavior by any potential or current clients is a serious issue. Let’s review ways in which therapists can advocate for their own safety and for safe working environments.

A new theoretical framework for massage considers how intention before, during, and after a session can profoundly impact the efficacy of your work.

We may not like everyone in the workplace equally, but we should treat all of them as professional colleagues.

When it comes to research, massage therapists should be used for massage therapy studies. Not doing that devalues the profession.

We need to recognize that seeking help is a strength, not a weakness.

We can’t magically heal anyone. But, we can facilitate people feeling better from the work we do.

Our ethical work requires acknowledging effects that extend beyond the table and may require us to act and think in new ways.

Don’t hide behind your empathy. Own it and work with it.

Sometimes, it’s not about the context of a conversation with a client but about how you ask the questions when speaking and listening to clients.

Don’t be envious of others’ success. Focus on creating your own.

Gossiping with or about clients is always unethical. But there are limited scenarios where it is legally OK to violate confidentiality.

When we use the term emotional release, we create an agenda where none should exist.

What does acting and staying within your scope of practice look like, and when is a referral more appropriate?

Clients and therapists alike have the right of refusal. Don't be afraid to use it.

Simply going through the motions with a client rather than providing what they really need and deserve isn't fair to them and isn't effective.

Avoid asking personal questions that aren't relevant to the work you're doing, and avoid answering invasive questions about your personal life by turning the focus back to the client.

Coordinate with emergency officials before heading to a disaster area with the intention to help.

There are major differences between certifications, educational certificates, and CE certificates. It's important to assess which is best for you.

The holistic importance of massage therapy needs to be recognized as a key to relieving a client's pain.

Clients who repeatedly take advantage of you and disrespect your boundaries should be dismissed.

A recent study is a step in the right direction toward quantifying the efficacy of massage therapy.

A shift in perspective as an interviewee could result in a shift in the physical and emotional response you normally have heading into a job interview.

Instead of giving advice to clients about their personal lives, have them actively participate in the session to keep their focus on the work.

Next year, ABMP will advocate for reasonable legacy clauses in states that introduce legislation to enact massage licensure and those that place new requirements in existing laws.

I often pose this question: "If you could have one thing different when you walk out that door, what do you want it to be?"

When we can see the clients as whole people, it makes room for us to bring compassion to the impact of the multiple traumatic experiences they have likely had with other health-care providers.

When the symptoms span a greater area, step back and consider what larger principle could explain it.

No matter where you are in your career, it's of utmost importance to go through the process of identifying what your values are and how those will translate to your business.

Seeking supervision with a professional clinician is wise when working with clients living with mental health conditions.

Legislatures across the country are returning to work in January—here's updated info about legislature focus to stop human trafficking as it's related to massage.

Carelessness can negatively impact your business and your reputation.

The proximity and interaction between client and MT can lead to a different interpretation by each.

Networking with providers outside your field can benefit your client treatment process and add to your repertoire of valuable resources and referrals.

Avoid giving advice on personal problems and issues that may be out of your scope.

Finding a solution doesn't always come from knowledge. Sometimes, practitioners have to go a little deeper to find wisdom.

Don't complain about your obligations. Instead, own your career and show it through your professionalism.

Seek out one of many available solutions when language or communication barriers are an issue.

A truly superior therapist is client-centered and not caught up in their own ego.

The skills of listening, noticing, and wondering help build the foundation of real, flexible, and ethical boundaries that allow us to connect meaningfully with our clients.

When we engage with each other, we have an incredible opportunity to teach and learn. Use language kindly, mindfully, and with a spirit of connection.

When you've gained enough experience as a bodyworker, it's time to turn the tables and help others and be a mentor.

It's important to understand the components and criteria that define what it means to demonstrate professionalism.

What we do and who we are as massage therapists needs to be more accurately reflected in massage therapy research.

Valuing the inherit worth, rights, and dignity of each individual includes other massage therapists.

The nature of the massage therapist and client relationship is different than the relationship between the client and other health-care providers, but that doesn't mean it's less important.

When possible, respond quickly and politely to resolve negative online comments.

The massage profession continually deals with issues around sexual misconduct and harassment—from both therapists and clients. The Attention Button, produced by BEC Integrated Solutions, is an alarm system that can be used by therapists and clients to alert the front desk of an uncomfortable or dangerous situation.

Neurodivergence describes a person whose brain functions differently from the majority of people; autism and social anxiety are neurodivergent conditions. There are a lot of undiagnosed and self-diagnosed neurodivergent people.

Being forthcoming about their beliefs and values may help MTs avoid ethical conundrums down the road.

It's important for MTs to remain in scope of practice and not diagnose.

When a person is starved for physical intimacy, they may make an emotional leap in a massage setting, confusing physical intimacy with sexual intimacy. Strong, clear boundaries help create functional professional relationships that last.

Revealing personal information to clients can be useful if it pertains to the client's own issues, but self-disclosure should be used sparingly.

Part two in this series from Ben Benjamin explores ways to communicate with clients and how to avoid violating client boundaries.

If you've ever meandered through your membership package, you've likely seen the ABMP Code of Ethics. Reading through the ABMP Code of Ethics made me think about what I would put in my own code...

As health-care providers, one of the most important ways we can show up in this moment is to work toward ending inequity and racism in massage therapy.

Maintaining your own boundaries is just as important as honoring client boundaries. And avoiding boundary burnout is key.

Grounding, breathwork, presence, intention—these are all tools in the bodyworker's toolkit, practices that often separate the satisfying session from the spectacular.

Massage therapists are often considered members of the health-care workforce, but in reality, we exist on the fringes.

I have always said that in this profession I learn something new every day. Whether that's how to have a tough conversation with clients, how to be compassionate, or how to refrain from giving them advice.

Massage therapists can fit perfectly into the emerging paradigm—community-based, collaborative care is the future we will be working in. This is the future of health care, even if massage therapists do nothing.

For many therapists, The Money Pit movie is a good analogy for our relationship with money in our massage practice.

Every therapist I know sincerely wants to help their clients feel better, whether the treatment is geared toward relaxation or a specific injury or pain. Unfortunately, in my work as an expert witness, I have seen many cases of well-meaning therapists who have injured their clients. Here's how to prevent that.

Ethics is not something meant to be learned once and then relied upon only in the direst of situations. Truth is, ethical knowledge and practices inform massage therapists and bodyworkers everywhere, every day.

How do you know who you are? Are you able to be fully yourself? Have you ever been afraid to be genuinely yourself?

When we consider our communication, it's easy to see that we don't think much about how our assumptions and our culture influence the stories that take shape in our minds or how we hear things shared with us.

Boundaries—defining them, communicating them, and guarding them—can be tricky. All humans have a right to choose their boundaries. Sometimes this is easier said than done.

Those of us who are massage therapists get something we need out of our work . . . human connection and touch. But we can't do our best at helping others when we're not taking care of ourselves.

As massage therapists, we have chosen to be a particular kind of human. The kind who puts the safety and health of the people we serve ahead of our own preferences and politics.

What do you do when a client acts inappropriately? Do you ignore it, throw them out of the office, and/or blast it on social media?

Impostor syndrome can be viewed through a wider lens that includes a pandemic and the systemic, intentional disenfranchisement of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. It's helpful to ask yourself a few questions.

It's always best to respond in a professional manner. When a client is getting to you, take a deep breath before responding. Keep an even tone.

All businesses must comply with Title III of the ADA. There is also an ethical consideration—it is good and right to do everything we can to make massage accessible to everyone, and that includes people with disabilities.

The traditional and accepted processes of conducting and publishing research are deeply flawed. Researchers are dissuaded from being truly curious and are manipulated into publishing their findings in incomplete and misleading ways that don't serve honest inquiry and discovery.

Many troublesome situations with clients, such as late arrivals and last-minute cancellations, can be prevented by letting your clients know upfront what your policies are.

Many times, mistakes on our part, such as sloppy draping, are made due to carelessness, without any conscious intent to do something unprofessional. Clients who don't know us well may not know the difference between carelessness and intention.

As a mobile massage therapist, you need to make thoughtful decisions about which clients you'll accept. Watching for red flags and following your gut can help keep you from entering a dangerous situation.

Practitioners have to think critically about when and how to share what we know and must resist the temptation to guess.

Massage therapists aren't supposed to diagnose. There is some variety from state to state, but for the most part, we are allowed to "assess" but not to "diagnose."

Many autistic people do not see autism as a condition to be cured, but as an aspect of identity. Integrative health care and massage specifically have shown promising evidence of reducing autistic anx

To achieve repeat bookings, practitioners must (1) understand client goals, (2) deliver value for clients, and (3) design effective treatment plans.

As massage therapists and bodyworkers, it's time to advocate for being more than people who rub.

A frequent complaint from therapists who work as employees is that their employer is not supportive when it comes to maintaining ethical boundaries.

When I think about reopening my massage practice, I worry. I've been in my pajamas for about six months at this point, and now it feels like all I've ever known. I vaguely remember being a massage therapist in the distant past, but it might have been a dream.

The population of pregnant women may be disproportionately impacted by stress. MTs can help.

What can you do when caught with a request—or demand—that requires assistance outside of your work-time parameters?

Have you read the entire Massage Therapy Practice Act. How can you abide by the law when you don't even know what it is?

The term "scope of practice" is starting to come up again.

Working within our scope of practice is not only key to professional practice, it's essential to the health of the profession as we continue to work toward recognition as health-care providers.

Making false claims and inflated promises to clients about our work is unethical, sets the client up for unreasonable expectations, and can come back to haunt us. We'd all like to think we can help every client who comes through the door, but that simply isn't true. Promising a client you can "fix" their issues can backfire on you, in spite of your best intentions.

As clients return to your table, the possibility of emotions rising to the surface as you come into contact with the neuromuscular and fascial structures that hold them is inevitable. How can you support your clients when these emotions arise?

Massage therapy is an admittedly diverse discipline. So many techniques. So many perspectives. But it's also health care, and here's what I mean.

We need to be prepared for how to work with clients during circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. For those therapists who work with prenatal and postpartum clients, this is especially important.

As massage therapists, our product may not be sofas or lamps or fancy lingerie, but we are selling a product. Every time a person comes into our clinic or practice or spa or gym, they are buying a product from us. Simply put, they are buying massage therapy. So while it may seem odd to see us arguing that massage therapists are salespeople, we are. Let's unpack why this is important.

Understanding the laws, etiquette, and considerations regarding these service dogs will prepare you for treating clients who rely on them—while also building their trust in you.

Regardless of the modalities we use, attuned touch allows us to connect with our clients and notice how they are responding to our work at a refined and nuanced level. Learn everything that goes into compassionate touch.

I frequently hear about employers who do not give therapists time to conduct proper intakes or fill out post-session notes, or worse, they do not require them at all. But these practices are the law. Here are some good guidelines to keep in mind.

What does it mean to be "essential"? How can we call ourselves health-care providers if we're not able to provide care in times of obvious suffering?

In the medical world, there are conferences called morbidity and mortality conferences, or M&Ms. I believe we in the bodywork field would do well to recognize that we, too, can and do cause harm. We need our own form of M&Ms. I propose we call ours "Missing the Mark."

Regular use of the knowledge and techniques learned in our continuing education must be applied in real-life practice. But sometimes clients come along that challenge us...

Massage therapists sometimes wind up with clients who are emotionally needy, who may ask for advice, or cry on the table. What to do?

To date, our profession does not offer meaningful, credible, and renewable credentialing to which consumers can look to find safe, clinically effective massage therapy for those with health issues. So, how do we get there?

You are entitled to work in an environment free of sexual abuse. If violations happen, you have the right to make yourself safe, remove yourself from the situation, and make a report. Remember, you are not alone.

The code of ethics of other massage organizations and regulatory boards includes similar statements. Let's discuss our code of ethics for massage therapists.

I recently attended a reception hosted by the Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) to thank its donors. Many ideas were shared, but one bit really stuck with me—an idea offered by the current MTF president, Doug Nelson.

Ethics education often focuses on clients who sexualize the massage session, but massage therapists are sometimes guilty of the same thing.

I've had massage from plenty of chatty massage therapists. Here are a few reasons I try not to be one, and how to deal with talkative clients on the other end.

Humans are hardwired to want to know more stuff. This applies too to massage therapists. And if this is how you go about things, you're in very good company.

Considering a client's history and symptoms is important, but listening to what a client says is even more important.

Your client has taken a positive step by coming for a massage, so praise them for that decision. Try not to judge, criticize, or make overly exaggerated comments.

Massage professionals are in a gray area when it comes to complying with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Let's review how to keep records private and stay in compliance.

In the case of clients who are not family or friends, invitations to socialize or spontaneous opportunities may happen.

I had a client once who had a very long struggle with gluteal pain, and a struggle with the health-care system.

The Middle Way is a term used in Buddhism that, in its simplest definition, means a balanced approach to life. How do we achieve this balance with clients?

It's important to recognize transference as a natural occurrence and not take it personally—because it isn't about you!

There's an old rule of etiquette about not discussing politics, sex, or religion in social settings. Though, you certainly ought to avoid these topics during a massage session, which is not a social setting.

A dual relationship is one in which the therapist and client have another relationship separate from the therapeutic relationship. Here's why I have made it a policy to avoid dual relationships.

An issue that always sparks discussion is massage therapy and tipping—but the topic isn't black and white.

"Value" varies from person to person and from situation to situation. So, what makes your work valuable to your clients?

From a money standpoint, it's unethical to use the privilege of the therapeutic relationship to profit from a client beyond the usual fee. Why? It could present as an advantage.

ABMP and Massage & Bodywork magazine respond to news reports in November 2017 about sexual assaults in massage sessions.

When I told my father I wanted to go to massage school, his response was disheartening, to say the least. It was then I knew I would encounter many people who misunderstood massage therapy.

While there may be some things we can point to that distinguish a millennial client from others, when it comes to the millennial MT, there may not be as many differences as you think.

Clients should have the expectation of privacy, beginning with your first phone conversation and continuing throughout the entire relationship. Gossiping about clients is simply a violation of confidentiality.

The first time I saw a client over 300 pounds, I had a humbling experience. All my training up to that point had taught me that full hand contact was the most fundamental element to a good massage, but I was unable to do so with this client.

When I enrolled in massage school, I was working at a private psychiatric hospital. I was a single mom who had begun a journey of self-discovery, and through that process, I found reiki.

Practitioners in private practice have right of refusal. They can refuse to work with a prospective client, and they can discontinue working with a client they lack the training or physical capabilities to work with.

One thing many people fail to consider is how social media may affect the perception of massage therapists. You may think you're covering your bases by not having clients on your personal social media pages, but that's not always true for everyone.

We must protect ourselves, our clients, and our profession against instances of sexual abuse. Let's dive into how to maintain professionalism and sexual ethics within a session, and beyond.

Practitioners who exceed scope of practice are a cause of concern for not just themselves, but also their colleagues and the profession.

Having a complaint filed against you is something no massage therapist wants to happen.

Derived from Sufism, I try this approach (and ask this question) to practice a more devotional, heart-led connection with clients.

A good reason for being consistent with boundaries is that you will be more inclined to notice when you alter them. It's a red flag when you step outside your professional boundaries and encourage others to treat you as if you're not a professional.

As the Thai medical profession extends to massage, there are arguably higher ethical standards in traditional Thai massage than the rest of the profession.

Quality of care means more than giving a good massage. Many times, it's the framework—the nuts and bolts of the business—that's equally important.

Adhering to these standards can provide you not only with the foundation and heart-blood of your work, but also the best odds at having a successful, sustainable practice.

It’s important we understand that negativity may affect a client’s health. Equally vital is to know how to decrease these side effects and boost a client’s optimism—the antidote to negativity.

I write to you from a serious client perspective about a vitally important issue in the therapeutic relationship: ethical standards.