Every fourth Monday of the month, the Alliance hosts free webinars on topics of relevance to our membership (massage educators, school owners and administrators, CE providers, and allied business owners).
Select sessions are worth 2 CEs for those participating in the live session.
Live sessions are free for anyone to attend. Current members of AFMTE also have on-demand access to all prior Think Tank recordings in our members area.
Interested in sponsoring a Think Tank?
Organizations and individuals may support the Alliance’s educational work by sponsoring Think Tank sessions, starting from just $100. Explore sponsorship options here.
Classroom Management & Professional Boundaries
Facilitator: Essie Hicks
Date: May 25, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EDT
About the Session
This session centers on creating a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment rooted in ethical boundaries. Topics include maintaining authority while preserving rapport, responding to disruptive or sensitive student behaviors, establishing consent-based classroom norms, and utilizing trauma-aware practices. Participants will consider how classroom boundaries model professional conduct expected in clinical practice. Practical tools and sample policies will help educators strengthen consistency, uphold standards, and protect both students and faculty within hands-on, emotionally intimate learning contexts.
About Essie Hicks
Essie Hicks is a nationally certified massage therapy educator and Licensed Massage Therapist with over 30 years of experience in clinical practice, curriculum development, and professional mentorship. Her career has been dedicated to advancing the field of therapeutic massage through hands-on excellence, trauma-informed care, and values-driven education.
Essie’s teaching portfolio includes continuing education instruction at Bodymechanics School of Massage, Port Townsend School of Massage, and The Alexandar School of Natural Therapeutics. She has trained hundreds of massage therapists in modalities such as Trigger Point Myofascial therapy, Pregnancy Massage (fundamentals and advanced), Lymphatic Drainage, and Structural Integration principles. Her teaching style blends technical precision with emotional intelligence, empowering students to build practices rooted in both skill and compassion.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Essie has served as a consultant to medical massage clinics, day spas, and destination wellness centers. She specializes in practice development, trauma-informed service design, and team training. Her leadership experience includes serving as Spa Director and executive team member for a luxury wellness property, where she helped launch an integrative care model grounded in client-centered values.
Essie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science and a Master’s in Public Administration, graduating with honors from South Puget Sound Community College, Washington State University, and Seattle University. Her academic background informs her systems-level approach to education, policy, and professional development within the massage therapy field.
Gamification of Massage Curriculum
Facilitator: Christy Miller
Date: June 22, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EDT
About the Session
This workshop explores how game-based learning strategies can increase motivation, deepen retention, and strengthen clinical reasoning. Participants will examine evidence-informed principles of gamification—including challenge scaffolding, reward systems, collaborative competition, and feedback loops—and apply them to anatomy, pathology, technique sequence, ethics, and documentation. Examples and ready-to-adapt classroom activities will demonstrate how to transform routine course content into immersive, engaging learning experiences while maintaining academic rigor and professional standards.
About Christy Miller
With nearly 30 years in massage therapy and over two decades in education, I’ve dedicated my career to elevating the standards of our profession through practical, high-quality instruction. I am board certified, a continuing education provider, and the 2025 recipient of the Massage Educator of the Year award. My background in psychology and instructional technology has helped me bridge sound pedagogy with the hands-on needs of massage students and teachers. My service on the AFMTE Teacher Resource Committee has deepened my appreciation for the work it takes to support massage educators nationwide. I believe in building strong, actionable resources and advocating for educators who are navigating real-world classroom challenges.
Modeling Professionalism for the Modern Student
Facilitator: Renee Johnson
Date: July 27, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EDT
About the Session
This discussion focuses on how educators can embody and transmit professional standards in an evolving massage landscape. Participants will examine contemporary expectations around digital communication, social media presence, attire, consent-based interaction, and inclusive, client-centered behavior. Through reflection and structured role-modeling strategies, educators will explore how professionalism can be demonstrated rather than merely described, reinforcing ethical reasoning, accountability, and workplace readiness.
About Renee Johnson
Renee R. Johnson, LMT, CMBE, CHBMT, CPMT is the Senior Instructor for the Massage Therapy program at Chattanooga State Community College, where she leads and teaches the entire program.
With over 11 years of teaching experience and more than 16 years as a licensed massage therapist, Renee has made significant contributions to the field of massage therapy education. Renee was recognized as the National Technical Honor Society’s Advisor of the Month in August 2021. She holds certifications in Hospital-Based Massage Therapy from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and Pediatric Massage Therapy from Liddle Kidz, led by Tina Allen. She is currently preparing to test for Board Certification through the NCBTMB.
During her tenure, Renee has rewritten Chattanooga State’s Massage Therapy program three times, ensuring its curriculum remains robust and relevant. The program has achieved a 100% job placement rate for the past five years, with graduates maintaining an MBLEx first-time pass rate of 87%-100% over the same period.
In addition to her professional achievements, Renee is certified in equine myomanipulation and works on her horses on the family farm. Her love for animals extends to her Pembroke Welsh Corgis, with whom she participates in agility, rally, and other dog sports. Her partner’s horseback riding lesson program complements her passion for equine care.
Renee’s dedication to excellence in education, her advocacy for high teaching standards, and her multifaceted personal interests highlight her commitment to both professional and personal growth.
AI in Massage Education: Balancing Innovation & Ethics (Panel)
Facilitator: Julie Freeman
Date: August 31, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EDT
About the Session
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion on the thoughtful use of artificial intelligence in massage education, facilitated by Julie Freeman. Industry leaders will explore how AI can support teaching, curriculum design, and student engagement—while keeping human connection and professional integrity at the center of learning. This Think Tank invites educators to balance innovation with the ethics of respecting content creators and authors within the massage industry, manage guardrails, and build a future where AI complements the heart of massage learning.
About Julie Freeman
Julie Freeman is a seasoned educator and board-certified massage therapist with over 30 years of experience, primarily in medical settings such as hospitals, cancer centers, and hospice care. She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Health Studies and is a Professor in the Health Education Division at 2 colleges. She is also a Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator through the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education.
Dedicated to advancing the profession, Julie volunteers on the Ethics and Standards Committee of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). She serves on the Illinois Board of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). Additionally, she contributes as an item writer and reviewer for the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) and is a Certified Yoga Therapist accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
As an NCBTMB-approved continuing education provider, Julie is recognized for offering evidence-based, professional development opportunities designed to enhance the skills and expertise of massage therapists.
Elevate Your Lessons with Case Studies
Facilitator: Dr. Susan Salvo
Date: September 28, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EDT
About the Session
Prepare your students for real-world practice by integrating case-based learning into your curriculum. Case studies are situations that pose clinical or ethical dilemmas. They are powerful tools for developing critical thinking, reflective judgment, and proactive professional skills. Let’s face it, students learn best through examples. Join Dr. Susan Salvo to learn how to effectively use case studies and role-model guided discussions. This course provides practical instruction and immediate takeaways, including a selection of case studies you can use in your classroom.
About Susan Salvo
Susan Salvo has a doctorate in educational leadership, a master’s degree in instructional technology, and has been practicing and teaching massage for over 40 years.
Susan authors two widely used textbooks, contributes scholarly articles for peer-reviewed journals, and conducts presentations at professional conferences across the United States and the United Kingdom. She reviews case reports for the Massage Therapy Foundation, and was a task force member for both the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge project and the Council of State Governments Interstate Compact.
Susan’s writing, teaching, and research efforts focus on advancing the fields of massage, complementary and integrative healthcare, and higher education.
Teaching Pathology to Massage Students: Beyond the Textbook
Facilitator: Sandy Grover Mason
Date: October 26, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EDT
About the Session
Many massage school students find pathology to be a daunting subject. This Think Tank will
present simple and practical teaching tools and ways to focus on the subject which will bring it
into practical, everyday use in students’ future clinical practices. Subjects will include resources,
techniques, and soft skills, all provided in a form palatable for the Adult Learner. Webinar
attendees are encouraged to come prepared to share their own stories, paths and pitfalls from
their own classroom experiences.
About Sandy Mason
Sandy Grover Mason is a founding member of AFMTE (2009) and is currently Program Director of the Therapeutic Massage Program at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) in North Carolina, as well as the owner/operator of Body Therapeutic in Winston-Salem. She is an NCBTMB Approved Provider and has presented classes at local, state and national AMTA conventions.
Her passion for elevating educational standards for our profession is evident in her roles in the Alliance’s NTESP project through the National Teacher Trainers Curriculum Development Committee (NTTCDC), the Certification Process Committee (CPC), and the subsequent Certificate of Massage and Bodywork Educator (CMBE) sub-committee of the Education Committee. Sandy served on the AFMTE Board of Directors from 2017-2024.
She has been a textbook reviewer and contributing author, as well as subject matter expert for exam development (NCE, BCTMB exam and currently the MBLEx). Her current accreditations include a Masters in Adult Education (MAEd), Board Certification (BCTMB), a NC license since 2003 (LMBT #4403) and in VA (CMT from 2000-2020), and is among the first to earn the Alliance’s Certificate of Massage and Bodywork Educator (CMBE #05).
She lives on a 20 acre farm in Pinnacle, NC, with her husband and their dog Ziva and their cat Atticus Finch.
Just Because You Can Teach It Doesn’t Mean You Should: Ethics, Power, and Responsibility in Continuing Education
Facilitator: Nathan Nordstrom
Date: December 28, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm EST
About the Session
This session examines the ethical responsibilities of CE providers in selecting content, establishing scope, and honoring student safety and public protection. Through discussion of consent, competence, and power differentials, participants will explore how to determine when personal expertise aligns appropriately with instructional authority. The session offers frameworks for credential transparency, risk assessment, learner empowerment, and maintaining professional integrity in course design.
About Nathan Nordstrom
Nathan Nordstrom is a nationally recognized massage therapy educator and training leader with over 20 years of experience advancing professional standards in education, compliance, and clinical practice.
He has designed and led scalable training systems for higher education institutions, national associations, and multi-unit spa organizations, supporting thousands of therapists across the U.S. and Canada as founder of Educated Touch and former Director of Training & Industry Relations at Hand & Stone Franchise Company.
Nathan specializes in curriculum design, train-the-trainer programs, and aligning education with real-world practice. He is a frequent national and international lecturer.
Interested in facilitating a Think Tank session in the future? Get in touch: [email protected]