A treatment plan is what elevates massage therapy from a service to a therapeutic profession. It is the tangible output of our clinical reasoning.
Negotiating can be nerve-racking for many people. These five strategies can help you prepare for your next negotiation or business contract.
To align your practice with your passions, values, and strengths, create your idea of the perfect client who describes your niche.
Leslie DeJesus's Afro-Caribbean background played a role in her becoming a massage therapist.
The number of massage schools and massage school graduates have climbed over the last two years.
Learn how to integrate these systems to help you book clients and track your budget, income, growth, and returning clientele.
Instead of fretting about finding new clients, focus on the ones you already have.
Support groups can not only help you personally, they can also help you grow professionally.
Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of marketing on the planet. Knowing how to make referrals happen consistently—without feeling weird about it—is the key.
Debbie Pennington is an LMT who owns her own practice in West Virginia. Learn about her background and work in our Faces of Bodywork column.
With the digital noise getting louder, direct mail marketing has become a "unique" method to implement alongside digital marketing strategies.
Putting yourself in a better headspace can lead to better focus on your client.
There are both challenges and rewards to transitioning to a full-time massage practice. Taking that step is one that requires a change of mindset, marketing, and mechanics.
These tax tips could help you navigate your taxes as a small business owner for the 2024 tax season.
Kimberly Pettway found her way to massage while she was in the Air Force.
As the boss of your own business, what do you want as your own employee?
Building a connection from the moment you come in contact with a client can lead to a healthy, long-standing business relationship.
Wanting to offer the AIDS community modalities that could make a difference in their lives, Bill brought Reiki into his practice.
Make an effort to notice the days and weeks that feel good to you and when your schedule doesn't feel so great so you can make adjustments to suit your needs
Deep tissue massage changed the course of massage therapist Kei Yumoto's career.
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.
Heather Topoly has worked in a wide range of massage businesses, including chiropractic, PT clinics, corporate, and hospice.
Consider employing new techniques and strategies with clients in order to remain fresh and mentally invigorated.
Artificial intelligence can be used by massage therapists to aid in business communications and marketing, but it should be used wisely and with a sharp eye for editing.
Carelessness can negatively impact your business and your reputation.
Networking might not be the most comfortable thing to do, but it's a great way to grow your small business (and other small businesses) in the community you serve.
Providing accoutrements such as hair ties, feminine hygiene products, breath mints, and hand sanitizer can make a big difference in your client's mind.
Don't complain about your obligations. Instead, own your career and show it through your professionalism.
Adriane Maxwell is passionate about creating inclusive and welcoming spaces where women from all walks of life can come together to learn, heal, and grow.
The care practitioners extend to clients, combined with dedication to their craft and skills, creates a powerful healing force.
All small businesses need to be online to attract new clients and keep current clients informed of updates.
Massage therapists have stress like everyone else; self-care is not selfish.
FSMTB executive director Debra Persigner talks about their mission is to support members in their work of public protection, ensuring that massage therapy is provided to the public safely.
Standard Precautions have changed over the years as agencies have attempted to limit exposure to pathogens.
Proper cleaning before and after sessions creates a safe work environment and lets clients know they are entering a disinfected space, creating peace of mind.
Networking with providers outside your field can benefit your client treatment process and add to your repertoire of valuable resources and referrals.
Even if you are a longtime massage therapist, you can benefit from a communications tune-up.
When done thoughtfully, a rebrand can be beneficial to your business and your future potential.
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.
The work in hospitals focuses on human connection to ease patient suffering, with the emotional highs and lows of working with palliative care patients and supporting other therapists through Healwell.
Having a user-friendly business—from your website organization to your treatment room instructions—will keep clients coming back.
After experiencing trauma, a deeper understanding of massage's healing power emerged, with advice for new practitioners to stay persistent and embrace their unique style despite challenges.
Johnathan Twidell, aka, Shiatsu Guy, doesn't see shiatsu or what I do as work. It's such a part of me that it's just what I do, and I love doing it.
Recognizing what we dislike about our work can help us be more efficient with those tasks and keep our business on track.
Take the time to get organized and be proactive so you don't get caught without your supplies, your session preparation, or, worse, a book of clients.
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.
While treatment planning still involves asking your client about their needs, it calls for establishing long-term goals that can potentially create a dramatic change in their quality of life.
Disability insurance is important for MTs to understand because our incomes depend on bodies that can do the work. And if we ever unable to massage, our financial security is in jeopardy.
Valuing the inherit worth, rights, and dignity of each individual includes other massage therapists.
"I enjoy my connection with people."—Lee Hodges
Be consistent in funding yourself through savings accounts and the future you will thank you.
When you've gained enough experience as a bodyworker, it's time to turn the tables and help others and be a mentor.
"Each of us has one body that presents us with all the experiences we will ever have in this form; your body is precious and should be cared for with respect and reverence."
When you pay yourself with intention, you can make better decisions about the direction of your business and your personal budget.
When possible, respond quickly and politely to resolve negative online comments.
4 Nineteen Education & Training was founded to support professional growth in massage therapy, while the Black Massage Therapists Facebook group and Conference were created to build community and address challenges faced by Black therapists.
If you start to think of your business as an asset you manage, and not an inseparable part of your identity, you will focus on ways to make it more valuable.
Volunteering and other civic involvement within the community you live and work not only brings personal satisfaction, but can also help build your massage business.
Massage therapists have a responsibility to have a plan about the logistics of their business in the event of their death or disability.
Like many arrangements, there can also be downsides to partnerships. Let's review some pros, cons, and considerations of running a massage business together.
A frequent complaint from therapists who work as employees is that their employer is not supportive when it comes to maintaining ethical boundaries.
Here are 10 ways to keep your practice safe.
At some point in your massage career, you'll probably be looking for office space to rent, which can be an overwhelming experience if you're not prepared for it.
Whether you already use social media and whether you are a fast learner, learn these simple and effective strategies to leverage Instagram to attract and retain clients.
These sexual assault prevention guidelines provide a road map to maximize the safety of both clients and therapists for massage clinics, day spas, franchisors, franchisees, or those looking to expand their solo practice.
Avoid falling into the sunk cost trap, which describes our tendency to irrationally follow through on an activity that is not meeting our expectations.
The concept of a marketing funnel is pretty simple and can be effective for a massage practice in certain cases.
Attentive listening means being fully present, using all five senses, and coming from a place of wanting to authentically understand someone else. When a client feels heard, they feel more at ease.
Massage practices generally fall into one of three types of business entities, and each type comes with differing tax savings and liabilities.
Though it may feel uncomfortable at first to receive feedback from a client, it is important to teach them that it's not only OK, but encouraged to ensure they get the massage experience they're seeking.
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.
One of the challenges facing the profession today is how to appropriately credential practitioners for personal-care service and health-care service.
She has been called the "godmother of wellness," the "mother of the modern spa," and a "pioneer in the mind/body/spirit movement." Meet Deborah Szekely, mother of the modern spa.
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.
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...
Charting involves keeping a clinical record of the important details and facts about a client session, specifically a problem-focused session. Here we'll review the what, the why, and the how of SOAPs.
ABMP's Government Relations department advocates on behalf of our members in all 50 states. In this article, we'll answer some of your most frequently asked questions.
Massage and bodywork are heart-based, caregiving professions. In this article we consider the less tangible aspects of practitioner-client relationships.
For many therapists, The Money Pit movie is a good analogy for our relationship with money in our massage practice.
We're all familiar with the shortages of oil, gas, computer chips, lumber, and, most recently, baby formula. But back in April 2020, at the height of COVID-19 uncertainties, massage and bodywork product wholesalers were predicting supply chain woes.
Competition can conjure a sense of uneasiness, but looking at it in a different way can help you come out of the situation with a renewed sense of self and motivation to grow.
Getting to the why behind your to-do list is key, as that can be the extra motivation you need to move forward on bigger tasks.
To achieve repeat bookings, practitioners must (1) understand client goals, (2) deliver value for clients, and (3) design effective treatment plans.
Shifting the way you talk to yourself (especially in challenging situations) precedes successful communication with others.
In March 2021, ABMP conducted a survey of US massage therapists and bodyworkers. Nearly 3,000 professionals were generous with their time and participation. Following is an overview of highlights from
