Who Pays Your Bills?

  I was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame last month in Las Vegas. It was a very nice affair hosted by massage historian Judi Calvert during the World Massage Festival. I made a couple comments to start my acceptance speech:   1)   I didn’t realize the massage field had run out of interesting people, which my induction must signify; and 2)   I believe I am much too young to be in a Hall of Fame.   All joking aside, I was honored by the recognition, and I made sure to thank my bosses—all of you. I work for the massage and bodywork profession, and in particular 82,000+ members of ABMP. It may sound like a cliché, but I honestly believe that. I will never meet many of our members, and I may have only a single interaction with a good number of the rest. But my livelihood (and my family’s) is directly affected by the members of our organization and their willingness to support ABMP. That support means a great deal to me, and I will never lose sight of that fact.   How about you? Do you know the impact your clients have on your livelihood? Do you know who your number one client is and truly understand what her business means to you? Do you treat her accordingly?   Your rent, mortgage, kids’ tuition, retirement, vacation, car payment, etc., all are dependent upon those people who end up on your table. Your job is to make sure they have every reason to keep supporting you, just as my job is to ensure that ABMP members’ needs are met. Let’s make sure we never forget our priorities.   Again, thank you for your support. It means the world to me.     Prefer to receive more from Les in small doses? Follow him on Twitter — @abmp_les.    
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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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