Taking Care of Business

ABMP offered its first live-training workshop for professionals just last week. Like many activities we try out, we started close to home, right here in Denver. Forty-two professionals gave up their Saturday to, in essence, look in the mirror. The subject matter was Successful Practice Development, as part of our BizFit program.

Introverts and extroverts—men and women, students and newbies, veterans and the simply curious all joined in. I admit I have a bit of a bias here, but practice development is one class that should never end. Have you ever met a therapist who said, “I’m finished getting clients.” If you did, chances are they’re on their way out, not on their way up. What’s fun and exasperating all at once is that business success—whether you delve in massage and bodywork, software, or cars—does not follow a universally recognized path. There is no secret recipe or one true path to success. Our workshop focuses on building skills and capacity, and exposing therapists to tried and tested development exercises. Building a practice consists of visiting the cafeteria line of ideas, and picking out the ones that suit your specific (or individual) interests and skills. Kristin Coverly, an über-talented and inspiring member of our education team, delivered an outstanding workshop, receiving an average rating of 4.9 (out of 5). Not bad for her first try (we’ll expect perfection next time). And the workshop will only get better from here. At ABMP, we don’t rush into things, so I’m not announcing a slate of 30 workshops coming to your city. We’ll continue to refine the program and make sure we visit towns that will generate good attendance—no point in playing to an empty concert hall. But this workshop, and our BizFit program, is another example of us looking around and saying, “What do our members want? How can we help them be more successful?” We’re glad to be at your service.
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News

Tennessee Increases Minimum Education Hours

On April 16, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 1610 and Senate Bill 1588, increasing the minimum massage curriculum hours that an applicant for massage licensure must complete at an approved school for massage, bodywork, or somatic therapy to be eligible for licensure under the Massage Licensure Act. Find out the new state minimum requirement.

Alaska Massage Board Remains Independent and Autonomous

Executive Order No. 129 sought to dissolve the Alaska Board of Massage Therapists and transfer its functions to the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED). The executive order was successfully overturned.

Gainful Employment Rules Compliance Updates

Over the past two weeks, the US Department of Education issued updates to the new “Gainful Employment” (GE) regulations for vocational programs published last fall. This web post addresses the updates to prepare school owners and educators ahead of the July 1, 2024, new GE rule effective date.

Blog

Avoid Pulling Clients' Hair

Massage therapy students practicing in a classroom.

It’s the finer details that matter in a massage therapy session, and unintentional hair pulling is a detail that carries more weight than you might think.

Faces of Bodywork: Adriane Maxwell

Massage therapist Adriane Maxwell stands in front of a palm tree.

Adriane Maxwell is the owner of One Healing Touch Reiki & Massage for Women in Charleston, South Carolina. Maxwell was featured in the May/June 2024 issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine in “Faces of Bodywork.”

Benefits

Podcast: Cancer, Clots, and COVID—A Complicated Client

A client was recently treated for colon cancer—and it didn’t go well. She had surgical complications, a bout of sepsis, and more. Is massage therapy safe? We discuss on this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner.

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