News | Education | Announcements | Research
News:
On December 7th the The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education sent a letter to NCBTMB stating our concerns about the newly proposed CE Provider Approval Program.
We question how this proposed new process will actually improve the quality of CE delivery and have concerns regarding the credentials of those evaluating the requested submissions, In addition, we addressed each of the items in their FAQ, stating our specific concerns and when appropriate, offered alternatives.
This proposed program is intended to replace an old system of CE Provider tracking. The Alliance reviewed the proposed program and finds it unacceptable in scope and implementation. The elimination of Massage Organizations is inappropriate and unnecessary. The plan calls for background checks and paperwork requirements that are degrading, insulting, duplicative and wasteful. The ability to complete and submit massive amounts of paperwork does not in any degree determine if an instructor can teach a quality educational program. It is fine to have initial vetting to qualify for Approved Provider Status but it is not acceptable to be required to re-submit the same materials for re-approval and re-evaluation. There should be a verification/affirmation statement that applies to renewals and if there are complaints then the program, instructor, and/or class should be audited for quality and validity of the complaint and the provider approval revoked. Overall, this plan should have come out as a request for comment and feedback in developing the new program. A wide range of issues cause us to doubt the success of the program and the AFMTE cannot support it.
September 16, 2012: Alliance Presents National Massage Teacher Standards for Public Review and Comment
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education has completed the formative work on the Core Competencies for Massage Therapy Teachers, and is pleased to present a final draft of the document to the massage therapy profession for review and comment.
The development of this document represents Phase One of the Alliance’s National Teacher Education Standards Project (TESP). This is beginning of a long-term effort to create a culture of teaching excellence in our field. To that end, the competencies in this draft document are presented in a set of ten standards, each of which describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes which form the basis for effective and successful teaching.
Results from a 2010 national survey by the Alliance showed overwhelming support for this massage project. A common consensus was that improving the quality of massage education should lead to an improvement in the quality of massages performed on the public. Ensuring that teachers are not only content experts, but also trained educators is the main goal of the teacher standards in the Core Competencies.
Over the past two years, the Alliance’s Teacher Standards Committee has worked diligently to research competences as defined in other realms of education – and to delineate standards that are relevant to the unique nature of massage therapy education. These will apply to teachers across the spectrum from entry-level programs to continuing education and advanced training.
Attendees at the Alliance’s 2011 and 2012 Annual Conferences have played an integral role in this process. Through dedicated feedback sessions, massage school directors, teachers, CE providers and representatives of the primary stakeholder organizations in our field provided valuable input on the initial versions of the competencies. We also sent a preliminary draft to our members for comment. This feedback was utilized by the committee in development of the final draft presented here.
Following a public comment period of 60 days, the committee will review all feedback submitted and will make any needed revisions to bring the Core Competencies document to completion.
The Alliance now invites individuals, schools and organizations to review the final draft of the Core Competencies for Massage Therapy Teachers and to provide feedback using this convenient online survey form. The comment period will be open until November 15, 2012.
The members of the Teacher Standards Committee are: Rebecca Blessing (chair), Debra Curties, Stan Dawson (liaison to the Board of Directors), Holly Foster, Sandy Fritz, Sandy Grover Mason, Gloria Lawrence, Mable Sharp, Dawn Saunders, Cherie Sohnen-Moe, and Lucas R. Zarlengo. This group of education professionals has brought a deep well of experience and a diverse range of perspectives to this vitally important process.
The Alliance is also compiling a list of teacher education resources that teachers and administrators can immediately utilize.
June 15, 2012 Alliance Conference in Tucson a 5-Star Success
The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE) Conference focused on creating an atmosphere of collaboration, respect and mutual support. The conference theme was “Deepening Connections in the Massage Education Community.” Keynote Speaker Benny Vaughn’s inspirational opening reminded us that a society is judged by how it educates its young and that massage therapists need to increase their self-esteem. Vaughn says, “In this digital world touch is vital.” He envisions a world where we will be greeted with reverence and shouts, “The touchers are coming! The touchers are coming!”
The Alliance re-elected Pete Whitridge, Iris Burman, Su Bibik, and Cherie Sohnen-Moe to the board as well as elected two new board members Heather Piper and Stephanie Beck. The Alliance held elections for the leadership Development Committee and announced that Debra Curties, Joe Lubow, Susan Beck, Tracy Walton and Tim Herbert were elected.
The Board deemed this meeting an incredible success. It brought together a distinguished group of participants from the US and Canada… read more
From the AFMTE Leadership Development Committee
The group of veteran educators who established the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education have accomplished a tremendous amount in a short period of time. Spring-boarding from the AMTA Council of Schools, where they were members but wished for a more independent voice on behalf of the massage education sector, Iris Burman, Pete Whitridge, Stan Dawson and Rick Rosen initially conceived of this new organization in mid-2009. They began by calling themselves the Leadership Team and Eugenie Newton and Su Bibik joined the group. It included a blend of school faculty/owners and continuing education providers, and represented varied organizational affiliations and diverse geographical locations within the United States. In September 2009, the Leadership Team formally announced the Alliance’s launch to the massage therapy profession – and Rick Rosen was hired to serve as its Executive Director. The Alliance was incorporated as a non-profit organization the following month, and The Coulter Companies was retained to provide day-to-day management in December 2009.
With the basic structure in place, they planned and held the Alliance’s inaugural conference in Park City, Utah in June 2010. The Leadership Team was officially disbanded at this meeting, giving rise to the first formally-elected seven-member Board of Directors, pursuant to the organization’s Bylaws. From the startup group, Su Bibik, Iris Burman, Stan Dawson and Pete Whitridge were elected to the new Board positions. They were joined by Ralph Stephens, Cherie Sohnen-Moe and Mark Beck who were also elected in Park City to complete the seven-member roster.
The seven Board positions formally represented two each from the categories of faculty, school owners/directors, and continuing education providers, with one at-large seat. Board positions were established as two-year terms, but the initial group had three one-year positions so that normal turnover controls could be established. Stan, Mark and Ralph were re-elected for two-year terms in 2011.
Another major evolutionary moment occurred at the end of 2011 when it was decided that the young organization could not sustain the management structure it had put in place. Operating without an ED or management firm, the Board members have handled huge workloads and responsibilities in 2012. It was decided that two additional Board positions were needed, specifically for individuals with talents in marketing and membership recruitment. A marketing position was created mid-year; Stephanie Beck joined and has thrown herself into the marketing area. Stephanie’s mid-year appointment is up for ratification at the upcoming conference in Tucson. Pete, Iris, Cherie and Su indicated their willingness to run for new two-year terms.
All candidates have been interviewed by the Leadership Development Committee (LDC), and all incumbents have been recommended for re-election by their Board peers. The Leadership Development Committee proposes reelection of the four incumbents and ratification of Stephanie Beck for one of the new seats. The LDC conducted an applicant search for the ninth position and is recommending Heather Piper.
AFMTE Responds to the FSMTB MOCC Proposal March 29,2012
The Alliance For Massage Therapy Education intends to be an organization that works collaboratively to bring the major stakeholders together. The current FSMTB and NCBTMB press releases demonstrate that these organizations are shifting and calibrating themselves so that we can be a “full fledged” profession.
We have been asked to comment on the FSMTB MOCC Proposal by some of our members. These comments are intended both for our members and the entire profession. We support Recommendations 1 and 2, but have major concerns about 3.
Here are some of the biggest concerns we’re hearing:
1. CE Providers are saying “the State Boards are going to stop requiring CE hours and that therapists won’t take classes.”
This is a legitimate concern. We think that many therapists would not keep up with contemporary developments in the field, and that this could degrade the overall quality of massage. This could also impact public safety. Read complete response…
Education:
Attention: ACCAHC RWG+ & Council of Colleges/Schools People –
The Consortium of Academic Health Centered for Integrative Medicine (CAHCIM) has generously granted ACCAHC the opportunity to dispense 10 scholarships to the May 15-18 International Research Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health in Portland, Oregon. We are late getting this to you so are on a tight time frame.
Selection Process: Have applicants send short statements (up to 500 words) plus CV/resume and any support materials to jweeks@accahc.org Applicants who made submissions of posters or presentations will have first priority. Decisions will be made by a yet to be determined ACCAHC RWG/Executive Committee team. Applications must be received by March 9, 2012.
Inclusion: We are looking for students in our programs or for graduates of our programs who are actively engaged in advanced education, preferably toward research careers.
The Board of Directors of the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC) voted unanimously at its recent meeting to approve the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education to serve on their on their core council of colleges and schools as the representative of the massage therapy profession.Read More…
Announcements:
Representatives of the seven primary organizations that comprise the massage therapy profession gathered on September 13-14 for a Leadership Summit in St. Louis, Missouri. The purpose of the meeting was twofold: to identify the most significant challenges and limitations that currently exist in this field, and to begin the process of developing and implementing solutions that will enable it to move forward in its evolution.
Moving into the new year, the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education announces two important changes in the organization’s leadership:
It is with the utmost appreciation and gratitude that we bid farewell to our Executive Director, Rick Rosen, MA. LMBT. He is stepping down from this position to bring his full attention to the Body Therapy Institute, the school he founded in 1983. Rick’s vision, skills and commitment have helped to build a solid foundation for the Alliance, as well as a strategic direction that will support the continued success of the organization.
Research:
Massage’s healing touch may have more to do with DNA than with good hands. A new study has revealed for the first time how kneading eases sore muscles—by turning off genes associated with inflammation and turning on genes that help muscles heal.
Read More on Massage’s Mystery Mechanism Unmasked