What's Up in D.C.?
Several significant policy changes at the federal level have had a huge impact on massage therapy schools, professionals, and businesses.
ABMP—Then and Now
A Look Back at How Much Has Changed
As part of ABMP’s 40th anniversary, we did a little digging through the files and found the results from ABMP’s first member survey in 1988. Let’s see what those inaugural ABMP members had to report about their work and the profession.
1/3
The portion of survey respondents in 1988 who reported not reviewing their new clients’ health histories before sessions.
( . . . So ABMP snail mailed everyone an intake form!)
In 1988 . . .
90%
were self-employed.
Spas and resorts were the largest employers in this era; massage franchises had not yet been born.
In 2026 . . .
Technique remains the
No. 1
most requested content.
97% of survey respondents wanted to learn additional modalities in 1988.
Find the best content at:
Session length & pricing . . .
ABMP’s logos over the past 40 years . . .
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