Left to Right: Beth McNeill, Linda Rikli, Tiahna Skye, Jen Jhanda, Raquel Rodriguez and Ron Peat. AMTA Schools Summit NHI Panel

Several audience members expressed difficulties trying to place graduates while dealing with often slow state licensing processes.  NHI representative and California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) Board Member Joe Bob Smith explained how this wasn’t a problem in California since programs like NHI could help students apply for certification to work while they were still in school.  Michael McGillicuddy from Florida and Sally Hacking from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) shared their perspectives on the matter and encouraged everyone in attendance to get involved in their local legislation.  It was agreed that many lawmakers still need to be educated about the massage profession and the role of schools.

Some attendees raised the issue of training students with English as a second language.  Cynthia Ribeiro, NHI’s Advanced Curriculum Coordinator and AMTA President-Elect, shared her story of coming to America from Brazil and succeeding as a massage therapist.  Most all schools, like NHI, welcomed the challenge of training a diverse student body.

The purpose of the panel was to encourage all schools to share their best practices as a way of raising the bar for massage therapy education as a whole.  In addition to some of NHI’s wisdom, participants also got to experience a couple of NHI rituals including the chi pat and the infamous “Whoosh!”.  Ron Peat closed the two-hour session with words of wisdom that he often shares with students: 1) the only failure is the failure to participate, and 2) if you can’t be on time, be early.

This annual summit, held this year in San Francisco, gathers massage school owners, directors, and personnel from across the country to discuss their challenges and successes as well as the future of massage therapy education.

Work on the MTBOK began a couple of years ago by a consortium of industry voices.  These entities include the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), the Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF), the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).  The stated purpose of this document is “to develop and adopt across the massage therapy profession a living resource of competencies, standards and values that inform and guide the domains of practice, licensure, certification, education, accreditation and research.”

The FSMTB has undertaken the task of creating the MPA as a template for state legislatures to follow when crafting massage therapy laws.  The FSMTB started five years ago with seven state boards.  It now has thirty-seven and counting.  While it is impractical to assume that all states will adopt the same legislation, this new and strong dialogue among state massage boards will result in further standardization of massage industry regulations.  Conformity of minimum education, continuing education, background checks, enforcement, scope of practice, etc., will create more portability and even reciprocity opportunities for massage therapists while increasing public protection.

These two documents will attempt to define subjects heavily debated by massage professionals for years.  While those debates still may continue, a new industry framework will result in which both supporters and detractors will have to exist.  Agree with this path or not, ignoring the inevitable evolution of the massage profession means forfeiting your say in your own livelihood.   Please join a professional association, volunteer with active organizations, and follow the happenings of your state boards.  The success of each of us relies on the collective wisdom of all of us.

Melissa Wheeler addresses her peers at All-Staff Day.

The American Massage Therapy Association has awarded the 2010 Jerome Perlinski Teacher of the Year Award to Melissa Wheeler, a longtime National Holistic Institute teacher and current teacher trainer.

To the many teachers, staff, and students Melissa has touched in her 19 years at NHI, no one deserves it more.  One of the highlights of this year’s NHI All-Staff Day was Melissa’s address to her peers and receiving of a scrapbook created by co-worker Sharlene Philip, containing numerous memories, congratulations, and accolades.  While Melissa remains as humble as always about this rare honor, here are words of praise from others:

“It has been my pleasure to work with Melissa, whose input always puts the teacher first in the education committee’s roles and initiatives.” – Ruth Werner, author and President of the Massage Therapy Foundation

“Melissa is one of those rare and special educators who help ignite the passion for Massage Therapy in all of those who are fortunate enough to learn from her.” – Rhoni Hirst, Books of Discovery

“Another example would be one particular student that faced numerous challenges, the least of which being a recently paroled ex-convict.  He came to Melissa to seek advice on how to construct a resume, interview skills and generally just how to get past being a large, loud, tattooed gentleman and help him find the therapist within (this being no easy task in itself).  That graduate now has a thriving private practice and a top position in a local massage therapy center.  To say the above mentioned student was a challenge is an understatement.  I should know, I am that student.” – Christopher Sanderson, former student

“From her remarkable work as a Kinesiology teacher, where she presented the information with enthusiasm and passion, to the daily contact we had where she saw me as a unique individual, no just one of several hundred, Melissa’s impact has been profound.” – Bonnie Rodriguez, student

AMTA presents an award each year to an instructor in a member school who demonstrates exceptional teaching abilities and commitment to high standards of education in massage therapy. This award honors the memory of Jerome Perlinski, an extraordinary educator and much loved leader. Jerome Perlinski is remembered for his recognition of the gifts and talents of others and his ability to bring out their best. A consumer and advocate of massage therapy who was not a practitioner, Jerome held a doctorate in the history of ideas from St. Louis University. He was a widely experienced teacher and lecturer whose committed work helped raise training standards, improve teaching methods and educate massage practitioners about the importance of ethical, professional behaviors. He also played an instrumental role in the early development of the Council of Schools. When colleagues remember Jerome, they use words like inspired, passionate, motivating, principled, and exceptional.

We’ll be cheering Melissa on as she accepts the award and presents at the AMTA National Convention in Minneapolis this September.  We also look forward to many more years of inspiration from her!

NHI owner Mason Myers, Teacher Trainer Melissa Wheeler, and Advanced Program Manager Al Carbonetti share a laugh at the All-Staff Day bowling party.

MTF President-Elect Ruth Werner & NHI San Jose Campus Manager Beth McNeill

It was an honor for National Holistic Institute to be recognized by the Massage Therapy Foundation at this year’s American Massage Therapy Association National Convention in Orlando.

Only a short year ago at the Phoenix convention, I attended the MTF’s reception for the first time.  Watching so many people within the massage community support the MTF inspired me to do something.  I brought that inspiration back to the Encino campus teachers, which resulted in a “faculty clinic” that raised both awareness and money for the MTF.

During this year’s reception, I presented the money our teachers had raised to Ruth Werner, MTF President-Elect.  Much to my embarrassment (yes, I can be shy), she announced NHI’s donation and the story of how it came about to the capacity crowd.  She also challenged other schools in attendance to find similar ways to contribute.  By publicly acknowledging our efforts, another layer was added to the awareness and money we had already raised.  Perhaps our actions will encourage even more people to participate next year just as I was so inspired last year.

And next year, we will be back – hopefully with even more money as well as some student case studies!

Click Here for the previous blog of our fundraiser and why we support the Massage Therapy Foundation.

The faculty of the National Holistic Institute Encino Campus recently donated 18 1-hour professional massage sessions to raise money and awareness for the Massage Therapy Foundation.

Students, graduates, and clinic clients alike enjoyed a “professional” version of our regular student-run teaching clinic.  Clients for the evening had the option of buying a limited number of massages outright, winning massages through a raffle, or correctly answering a quiz about the Massage Therapy Foundation.  The faculty and students teamed together to raise $500.

WHY Support the Massage Therapy Foundation?  Research funded by the MTF…

• Provides therapists and clients with statistical evidence as to the benefits of massage therapy.
• Improves the quality and focus of massage therapy education for students.
• Raises the credibility of the massage therapy profession among the medical and insurance communities as well as the general public.

NHI also looks forward to supporting the Massage Therapy Foundation through the participation of some of our students in their Student Case Report Contest.

Since it may be a while until another faculty massage fundraiser occurs, please feel free to book online for our student massage clinic anytime by CLICKING HERE.

Joe Bob Smith (Encino Campus Manager), Alicia Ramos (San Jose Campus Manager) and I all met up at the AMTA National Convention in Phoenix on behalf of National Holistic Institute.  NHI chooses to participate in such conferences both to learn what’s current in the larger massage community and to give our students and alumni a voice in those happenings.  This one was so big it required three of us to go!

Author Ruth Werner, NHI Grad John Lambert, & Melissa

In addition to taking classes like Integral Anatomy, Balancing the Art & Science in Massage, and Massage Therapy on Trial, we met up with teachers, NHI graduates, textbook authors, and massage therapists from all over the country.  It was so inspiring!

Just to show the variety of our experiences, I met 2 Japanese publishers who promised to send me a Japanese-language copy of the textbook we use, Trail Guide to the Body! 

Books of Discovery reception

Joe Bob found the red, white & blue table he’d always wanted from Oakworks.

Alicia won a basket full of creams and massage lotions at the Massage Envy gathering.

Massage Envy reception

We all had a wonderful time at the Massage Therapy Foundation reception, hanging out with the Trail Guide publishers and Ruth Werner who is not only the author of the beloved book Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, but the leader of the MTF’s Education Committee.  What does all that mean?  Read about the MTF and their brand new e-journal that they have just launched online – propelling our industry forward.  This massage research is available free to all at the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.