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Margaret Alfieri, Atlanta School of Massage Program Director and other leaders from ASM attended the American Massage Therapy Association, (AMTA) chapter meeting in Sandy Springs on Tuesday, November 19, 2014. They discussed the proposed amendment by the The Georgia Massage Licensing Board to limit the acceptance of certain energy and bodywork techniques as valid massage therapy modalities. If adopted, the Board would no longer accept continuing education in the modalities of structural integration, reflexology, movement practices, and energy practices. This includes limiting the ability to accept CEU’s for these modalities that they consider outside the scope of practice for massage therapists. “I feel that the future graduates will be limited in their desire to broaden their educational horizons by keeping the continuing education scope very minimal and clinical.” commented Margaret Alfieri.
Energy Practice Modalities include:
Bodywork techniques included:
We feel that this would be a detriment to the massage industry by limiting the scope of practice for therapists, decreasing professional growth and learning opportunities and diminishing the ability for graduates to experience many of the most effective modalities which enable them to effectively serve the public.
Please join us in appealing to The Georgia Massage Licensing Board and your local representatives by writing letters offering your perspectives on how this decision will impact the massage therapy industry, massage professionals, and those who benefit from the broad array of modalities that they are threatening to take away.
The AMTA has enlisted the assistance of lobbyist’s to represent the interests of the massage therapy industry. You can support these lobbyist’s by faxing your letters to The Georgia Massage Licensing Board at attention to Lisa W. Durden at (866) 888-1308. Please enlist the help of other professionals in the field to do the same. These letters must be submitted by November 25, 2014. You can locate your local representative at legis.ga.gov.
You are also encouraged to join the Atlanta School of Massage community by attending the board meeting when this amendment will be considered at 10:00am on December 5, 2014 at the Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division, 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, Georgia 31217. Your support and representation at this meeting is crucial in voicing your concerns and demonstrating the impact that this decision will have on the massage profession.
A number of other states are considering adopting this rule. We have the opportunity to be at the forefront of this movement by creating a ripple in the water lending support to other states as they rally together in efforts to bring an end to this domino effect across the nation.
Let’s ban together to let our voices be heard in order to protect the continuity of care for clients, our rights as professionals, and the future of the massage field as a whole. Contact Atlanta School of Massage Program Director, Margaret Alfieri for information about attending the meeting: Margaretalfieri@atlantaschoolofmassage.edu.
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