Presenting
NCBTMB’s New Executive Director: Mark Smith
Credentialing program veteran will link
board and staff to help shape NCBTMB’s future
 After
an exhaustive search, NCBTMB’s Board of Directors has
selected Mark A. Smith, Ph.D., CAE, from a talent pool of
nearly 50 qualified professionals from across the United States
to serve as its new executive director.
Smith officially assumed his post July 12, succeeding Christine
D. Niero, Ph.D., who resigned in March after seven years with
the organization.
Smith brings to the table more than 20 years of experience
in nonprofit, association management, credentialing, business
and academic communities. He will be responsible for managing
NCBTMB’s National Certification and recertification
programs, general operations and leadership of the NCBTMB
staff
“NCBTMB could not be more excited about the opportunity
to work with Mark,” said NCBTMB Chair Judy Dean, M.Ed,
RN, NCTMB, CHt. “His extensive experience in the association
management community and his influential work with highly
regarded credentialing programs set him apart as the best
candidate to help map NCBTMB’s future.”
Most recently, Smith, who is fluent in both Spanish and German,
served as the deputy executive director of the American Nurses
Credentialing Center (ANCC), a healthcare credentialing association
representing more than 150,000 nurses throughout the United
States and its territories in 40 specialty and advanced practice
areas of nursing.
While at ANCC, Smith was chiefly responsible for the organization’s
overall managerial and financial accountability. He also provided
oversight of finances, technology assessments and business
services, including the implementation of international pilot
projects. He served as the organization’s interim executive
director from 2000 to 2001.
Prior to ANCC, Smith was the director of marketing and placement
for Threshold Communications Group. He also served as assistant
director of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians,
the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine and
the Association of Osteopathic Directors and Medical Educators.
Before joining the association community, Smith garnered
extensive experience in the world of academia, holding positions
such as lecturer, teaching and research fellow and adjunct
professor at the Technical University of Berlin; Cornell,
George Mason and Harvard Universities; Northern Virginia Community
College and Berlitz School of Languages. He also enjoyed a
successful career as a realtor in Washington, D.C.
“I’ve certainly inherited big shoes to fill,
but I am honored to have been given the chance to work with
such a vibrant organization,” said Smith. “I’m
looking forward to collaborating with the board to achieve
NCBTMB’s goals and chart a course for its future. NCB
is an established leader in the massage and bodywork community
and has the potential to continue to grow and expand its reach
and I’m very excited to be a part of that.” 
[top]
Judy Dean, M.Ed, RN, NCTMB, CHt
 You
and I have something in common – National Certification.
I’m a Nationally Certified practitioner just like you,
even though I also happen to be the chair of NCBTMB.
I’d like to take this opportunity to write about a
very important issue as a practitioner rather than a board
member. This important issue is recertification.
After making the investment and commitment to National Certification,
I often wonder why any practitioner would not keep this advantage
and maintain their certification through the recertification
process.
The guidelines for recertification are quite straight forward
— If you do not apply for recertification and take the
necessary steps in the process, your credential expires four
years from the date it was issued and you are no longer Nationally
Certified.
Recertification, just like your original certification, assures
the public that you remain committed to serving clients in
a safe, ethical and professional way. Recertification is designed
to facilitate continued competence by demonstrating and enhancing
current knowledge, skills and abilities in the field of massage
and bodywork.
As I meet and speak with many Nationally Certified practitioners,
most have said that the credential helped them get a job and
increases their credibility in the eyes of clients, employers
and peers.
In a service field like ours, credibility is a large part
of what we as practitioners “sell” to our clients.
National Certification is a good market differentiator to
help clients know what makes you stand out from others. But
if you don’t keep your certification current, you also
lose this marketing advantage.
The members of our profession represent great diversity and
in acknowledging that diversity, NCBTMB gives practitioners
10 different options for recertification. These 10 options
take into account the diverse practice areas of therapeutic
massage and bodywork in our profession; our different geographic
locations and access to continuing education; and our different
learning styles. Very few other professional organizations
provide so many different options to their practitioners.
Think seriously about recertification and make plans to continue
this investment in your profession, your business and yourself
- continued certification will provide rewards for years to
come.
Until next time, work steady and play often.
[top]
Progressing Toward
the NCBTMB Strategic Plan
Continuing Education/
Recertification Committee
Recent months have been busy for the C.E./Recertification
Committee.
Now with more than 850 Approved Providers, the panel consists
of 15 members, including the chair, who pair off to review
the 14 to 21 new provider applications that NCBTMB receives
each month in addition to renewal applications. The panel
also handles deferred applications, appeals on denials and
complaints against approved providers to better serve the
public.
Listening to the comments of applicants, the panel addressed
the issue of the Approved Provider application at its recent
committee meeting. Panel members are currently working to
rewrite the application to be more concise and user friendly.
As more practitioners begin to apply for recertification
under NCBTMB’s new program of 10 options, the panel
is gearing up to support the recertification efforts of Nationally
Certified practitioners, such as in the case of the self-directed
learning option, where individuals may require a mentor.
Although the work of the panel keeps volunteers and staff
on their toes, we are looking forward to the challenges and
are working hard to serve our constituents.
Panel Chair:
Bob Helfrich
Staff Liaison:
Bill Tanner
Government Relations
The topic of state licensure for massage therapy & bodywork
was the focus of a meeting this June between NCBTMB’s
government relations consultant and the board of the Nevada
chapter of AMTA.
In Nevada, there is currently no statewide regulation for
the massage therapy and bodywork profession and there have
been several unsuccessful state licensure efforts over the
last five years.
During this period, local massage ordinance regulation has
been modified substantially to provide improved working conditions
for local practitioners.
In an environment where prostitution is still a legal entity
in an area of Nevada, the regulation of massage therapy has
been embraced as legitimizing the profession by many practitioners
in the state. Most of the local jurisdictions in Nevada use
National Certification from NCBTMB as a licensing requirement.
“The professionalism that the NCBTMB program brings
has upgraded our status as professional massage therapists
in a therapeutic setting in a unique Nevada climate of long-time
established legalized brothel ‘massage,’”
said Kim Plawchan, Carson City (Nevada) massage board member
and practitioner.
According to the president of AMTA’s Nevada Chapter,
Billie Shea, 2005 is expected to be an exciting and challenging
time for practitioners as they work toward state licensure.
“State licensure will go a long way to promote consistency,”
Shea said. “The majority of our therapists do see the
need for a more cohesive regulating authority and for upgrading
our professional demeanor by pursuing the state boards. I
look forward to seeing Nevada listed as the first state in
2005 to pass state licensure.”
Consultant:
Sally Hacking
Staff Liaison:
Paul Parker
School Outreach Program
Grassroots. This is where change begins.
The school outreach program is where NCBTMB works with schools
at the grassroots level. Working at the grassroots level means
working at the local level. It means working at the very foundation
or source — rolling up your sleeves and digging in the
dirt! The garden the school outreach program tills uses the
tools of dialogue, understanding, listening and hopefully,
collaboration.
As a Nationally Certified practitioner, you will also be
working on a grassroots level. Every client you work with
is, in actuality, the profession personified and brings you
back to the core reason for your work. The NCBTMB school outreach
program works to touch schools in a similar way.
The school outreach program disseminates information to
schools that is pertinent to both students and graduates;
seeks to find meaningful ways to dialogue with schools to
inform the NCBTMB board of their viewpoints; and most of all,
we work to encourage and improve an understanding of why National
Certification is of value and importance to your clients,
and therefore, to you as a professional.
We’re glad to be working with you at the grassroots
level! Keep reaching out to obtain your professional goals
and we’ll keep reaching out to obtain ours—communication
and connection with schools and the many ways they support
National Certification.
School Outreach Coordinator:
Susan Scoboria
Staff Liaison:
Susan Nicolais
[top]
Final
Call for Applicants—2005 Election
On behalf of NCBTMB, the Leadership Development Committee
is seeking Nationally Certified practitioners for two director
positions on the NCBTMB board. Those who are both dedicated
to certification for the massage therapy and bodywork profession
and committed to moving forward with the goals and objectives
set forth in the NCBTMB’s strategic plan are encouraged
to apply.
The director positions are open for three-year terms commencing
May 1, 2005. Each board member is elected by Nationally Certified
practitioners who are in good standing with NCBTMB at the
time of application and the election.
To be considered for a board position an applicant must:
- Be a certificant in good standing
- Have a minimum of three years experience in the profession
of therapeutic massage and bodywork*
- Hold all applicable licensing requirements
- Declare all possible conflicts of interest
- Commit to the time and travel necessary to be a fully
participating member of the board.
Applicants must have experience with teamwork and organizational
structure, be willing to participate in a collective decision-making
process and support such decisions thereafter; they must support
the positions of the NCBTMB, have a broad view of the profession
and an understanding of certification. In addition to other
skills and qualifications, applicants must also have knowledge
of or a desire to learn about not-for-profit organizations.
*Note: Individuals who do not meet the three-year requirement
and are interested in serving NCBTMB in other volunteer
positions (i.e., committee, panel or task force member)
are encouraged to contact the Leadership Development Committee
c/o Susan Nicolais at (800) 296-0664, ext. 236 or snicolais@ncbtmb.com.
To be considered for service as a director for NCBTMB, please
submit a Letter of Intent postmarked no later than
September 15, 2004, to the NCBTMB office at the following
address:
NCBTMB – 2005 Election
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
[top]
SANCTIONS NOTICE
Doreen Miller
The Ethics and Standards Committee has found that during the
time Doreen Miller was certified as an NCTMB,
she violated the following provisions of NCBTMB’s Standards
of Practice:
- Standard V (d). avoid dual or multidimensional
relationships that could impair professional judgment or
result in exploitation of the client or employees and/or
co-workers.
- Standard VI (a). refrain from participating
in a sexual relationship or sexual conduct with the client,
whether consensual or otherwise, from the beginning of the
client/therapist relationship and for a minimum of six months
after the termination of the client/therapist relationship.
The Committee also determined Ms. Miller
violated the following provision of the Code of Ethics:
#14: Refrain, under all circumstances,
from initiating or engaging in any sexual conduct, sexual
activities, or sexualizing behavior involving a client, even
if the client attempts to sexualize the relationship.
Based upon these findings, if Ms. Miller
recertifies with NCBTMB, she will be placed on probation for
one year, during which time she will be required to take continuing
education courses that address roles and boundaries and prevention
of sexual misconduct.
[top]
Practitioner Focus:
Sports Massage
 Mark
W. Dixon, NCTMB, HHP
Fast Facts:
Date Certified:
1992
Specialty Area of Practice:
Sports Massage, Pre- and Perinatal Massage,
Management of Stress and Pain
Practice Location:
Private Practice, Newport Beach, Calif.
Therapeutic Philosophy:
“There is a point beyond knowledge and study, expertise
and skill where intention meets objective and healing can
occur without interference from the thinking mind. When I
meet the client in that place, healing and higher levels of
wellness are inevitable. Einstein said, ‘I did not arrive
at my conclusions about the fundamental nature of the universe
through the exercise of the thinking mind.’”
Seventeen years ago, Mark Dixon was looking for an alternate
path in his life. He realized that if he had a choice, he
would not be working in the same profession, earning money
the same way or doing the same things with his spare time.
So, he took a leap.
He sold his house and most of his possessions, moved across
the country and started training in therapeutic massage.
Dixon became certified in 1992 when the National Certification
in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB) was first offered
by NCBTMB. He wanted to have every possible professional advantage
in the highly competitive market, which is also the reason
he cites for having maintained his certification. Dixon has
gone through the recertification process three times since
1992 and believes that advanced study is critical in the field
and enhances his professional standing.
He has studied throughout the United States and China and
his documented training includes 1000 hours of elementary
training and 722 hours of continuing education massage instruction.
In the process of achieving his continuing education, Dixon
feels that he has improved his skills and been of increased
value to his clients all the while growing his practice.
After nearly 20 years of practice, Dixon is going strong.
This year for the third time, Dixon will travel to Athens
to participate in the Olympic Sports Massage Team for the
Summer Games. Dixon attributes his interest in sports massage
to his preference to work with positive, motivated people
who are interested in doing and being their best.
For practitioners just starting out in the field, Dixon has
a few words of wisdom: “Act, dress, speak and behave
in a professional manner,” he says. “The minute
you aren’t proud to be a provider of an important healing/helping
skill, do yourself and the public a favor and do something
else.”
[top]
Connection ‘Reconnects’
a Practitioner with Someone in Need of a Gentle Touch
The spring issue of Connection profiled Antoinette Muirhead,
NCTMB, a practitioner specializing in massage for cancer patients
and survivors. Here, she tells the story of how her profile
provided the 'Connection' she needed to get back in touch
with a client in need.
"When a fellow massage therapist relocated last
winter, she referred to me a client with cancer named Maria.
I initially contacted Maria, told her about my own upcoming
surgery and promised to notify her when I was cleared to work
again. Two months later, I followed up with a phone message
but never heard back from her.
I knew that Maria was going through cancer treatment,
so I didn't call back, figuring that she would reach out to
me when she was able.
Recently a client was referred to me after her daughter,
Michelle (a massage therapist in Colorado), read about me
in Connection. I started the massage and asked the client,
'What did you do before you were diagnosed with cancer?'
When she answered me, all of a sudden everything clicked.
I asked her, 'Did you formerly get massages from a therapist
who relocated last winter?'
'Yes,' she said and we both realized that she was the
same person (Maria) I had tried to contact so many months
ago.
The realization of our connection left us both speechless,
and it was a very powerful moment."
[top]
Denver Certificant
Has Her Feet Up On Continuing Education
 While
there are many unique continuing education programs that Nationally
Certified practitioners can pursue to fulfill recertification
requirements, one Denver-based bodyworker has a foot up on
her competition.
Nationally certified since 1995, Ruthie Piper Hardee has
been involved in the massage field for more than 15 years.
“I had a strong upbringing in the medical profession,
but I didn’t want to go into medicine,” said Hardee,
whose father, a doctor, and mother, a nurse, spent years as
medical missionaries treating people with tropical diseases
in Africa. “I wanted to run my own business and make
people feel good.”
For years Hardee specialized in deep tissue techniques and
quickly built a following of professional athletes and blue-collar
workers. But that strenuous work took its toll on her hands
and aggravated two chronic back ailments she had since childhood.
“I loved what I was doing, but the daily pain was
too much,” said Hardee. “I thought I would have
to give up massage, I was convinced that there was nothing
that I could do.”
However, one day while working on the set of a movie providing
massage sessions to the film’s cast and crew, Hardee
came up with an idea for a new technique to lessen the stress
on her body.
She was working on a 250-pound stunt man on a portable table
in a grip electrical truck and knew she was not going to effectively
relieve his stiffness and soreness without injuring her wrist
and back even more. Instinctively, she got up on the massage
table unbeknownst to the client and fit her fingers through
the tiny holes in a metal grid on the truck’s ceiling
that was part of equipment used on the set. She began to deliver
and combine Swedish effleurage and myofacial strokes instinctively
with her feet.
Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy™ was born. Today, Hardee
offers four different levels of classes in nine different
training facilities that provide up to 25 continuing education
units per course.
Because of the untraditional training apparatus, her classes
are limited to eight people. But still she graduates about
60 practitioners through her program each month.
“So many massage therapists contact me and they are
burnt out emotionally and physically,” said Hardee.
“Through this barefoot technique we have invigorated
them and have gotten them excited about their field again.”
To learn more about Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, visit
www.deepfeet.com. For
more information about recertification or to locate approved
providers in your area, visit NCBTMB’s Web site at www.ncbtmb.com.
[top]
The following continuing education providers are the most
recent to become new or renewed NCBTMB Approved Providers.
A complete list of NCBTMB Approved Providers can be found
online at www.ncbtmb.com.
Click on the “Continuing Education” link and select
“List of Approved Providers” from the options.
Remember to ask any continuing education provider for their
NCBTMB provider number when pursuing continuing education
toward recertification.
ARIZONA
David Berceli
1821 E Riveria Dr
Tempe, AZ 85282
480-452-2055
traps@traumaprevention.com
www.traumaprevention.com
CALIFORNIA
Biotone Products
4757 Old Cliffs Rd
San Diego, CA 92120
800-445-6457
service@biotone.com
www.biotone.com
Susan Koenig
1424 Derby St
Berkeley, CA 94702
510-848-4129
susankoenig@earthlink.net
Carrie Rowell
2633 Lincoln Blvd #144
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-902-4919
mamalovebone@yahoo.com
www.mamalovebone.com
Lee Overholser
6344 Caminito Telmo
San Diego, CA 92111
619-276-0266
lee@tmjselfhelp.com
AMTA-CA San Diego Unit
5453 New Mills Rd
San Diego, CA 92115
619-286-1421
s_goldentouch@yahoo.com
CONNECTICUT
Stone Temple Institute
3 Watrous Point Rd
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
860-395-1954
hsm@healingstonemassage.com
www.healingstonemassage.com
Natural Inst for the Clinical Application of Behavioral
Med
6D Ledgebrook Dr, PO Box 523
Mansfield Center, CT 06250
860-456-1152
nicabm@neca.com
Take Time Relaxation Center
130 Greenwood Ave
Bethel, CT 06801
203-792-2456
Connecticut Chair Massage
PO Box 876
Enfield, CT 06083
860-985-0551
kzorda@ctchairmassage.com
www.ctchairmassage.com
IOWA
Institute of Therapeutic Massage and Wellness
1730 Wilkes Ave
Davenport, IA 52804
1-877-445-4869
info@learntomassage.com
www.learntomassage.com
ILLINOIS
Susan Watson
2020 Hillsdown Rd
Davis, IL 61019
815-248-4036
areflexologist@mchsi.com
www.thumbwalking.com
KANSAS
Health Positive!
PO Box 3818
Lawrence, KS 66046
888-797-5594
Sharon@healthpostive.com
www.healthpositive.com
MAINE
European Stone Massage
Andrea Ando-Albert
196 B Main St
Winthrop, ME 04364
207-377-7808
info@europeanstonemassage.com
http://www.europeanstonemassage.com
MISSOURI
Steven J. Karrasch
1531 E Sunshine #W-29
Springfield, MO 65804
417-887-2639
NORTH CAROLINA
Optimal Breathing For Living Life & Loving It
PO Box 1551
Waynesville, NC 28786
828-456-5689
mike@breathing.com
www.breathing.com
Alison Dempsey
583A Aiken Rd
Asheville, NC 28804
NEW JERSEY
Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy
326 Broad St 2nd Fl
Red Bank, NJ 07701
866-445-9674
info@nortonschool.com
www.nortonschool.com
NEVADA
Center for Holistic Rehabilitation
7380 W Sahara Ave Ste 140
Las Vegas, NV 89117
702-878-1119
Sallystjohn@aol.com
www.sallystjohn.com
Gene Irwin
900 E Karen Ave
Ste C #116 & 118
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-821-1406
irwingene@hotmail.com
Bumroong Srimuangsuk
3459 Twlight Star Dr
Las Vegas, NV 89117
702-281-2722
jademassage@msn.com
OHIO
S.H.I., Integrative Medical Massage School
130 Cook Rd
Lebanon, OH 45038
513-932-8712
Pet Massage Training & Research Institute
3347 McGregor Ln
Toledo, OH 43623
800-779-1001
Workshops@PetMassage.com
www.PetMassage.com
Polarity Healthcare
Randall W. Gibson
PO Box 13404
Akron, OH 44334
330-836-5060
randall@polarityhealthcare.com
www.polarityhealthcare.com
PENNSYLVANIA
PA School of Muscle Therapy
Tim Koert
1173 Egypt Rd
Oaks, PA 19456-0400
610-666-9060
www.psmt.com
VIRGINIA
Eka Kapiotis, CMT
Warren Memorial Hospital
1000 N Shennandoah Ave
Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-0605
ekapioti@valleyhealthlink.com
Amala Helath International
Liza McClure
PO Box 2785
Purcellville, VA 20134
703-969-9970
lizzamcclure@hotmail.com
WASHINGTON
Soma Institute
Karen Bolesky
730 Klink St
Buckley, WA 98321
360-829-1025
info@soma-institute.org
www.soma-institute.org
Marilyn Overcast
23200 Edmonds Way Ste B
Edmonds, WA 98026
206-989-2100
marilynandfred@msn.com
www.fluencyfoundation.com
Northwest College for Herbal and Aromatic Studies
4925 6th Ave NW
Marysville, WA 98271
360-651-9809
jadeshutes@earthlink.net
Soaring Crane Massage & Accupuncture
Eric Spivack
3310 E Spring St #102
Seattle, WA 98122
206-726-1785
soaringcrane@juno.com
www.soaringcraneseattle.com
Christine Schoper
90 Beckett Point Rd
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-385-7771
[top]
Recertification Options
7 & 8
*Through December 31, 2006, Nationally Certified practitioners
may elect to recertify through the program described in the
June 2002 Requirements for Recertification handbook (this
program will be phased out by December 31, 2006) or through
the new program outlined in the handbook dated January 2003,
which gives a choice of ten options for recertification.
NCBTMB’s coverage of the new recertification program
continues in this issue of Connection, this time focusing
on Option 7, Clinical Internship, and Option 8, Research.
Complete information on all ten options for recertification,
including necessary documentation forms can be found in the
January 2003 Requirements for Recertification handbook,
or on NCBTMB’s Web site at www.ncbtmb.com.
Option 7 – Clinical
Internship
Practitioners electing to earn recertification credits
through this option must seek pre-approval from the Continuing
Education/Recertification Committee.
Option 7 allows practitioners to earn recertification credits
for clinical training. Internships, preceptorships and fellowships
are all eligible for recertification credit, provided that
the training meets NCBTMB’s definition of recertification
(which can be found in the handbook dated January 2003).
To earn recertification credits through this option, the
practitioner’s training must be hands-on involving an
instructor and a client. The instructor must have at least
five years of experience in the area in which they are providing
training. The training, which must be within the student’s
scope of practice, must be at least 40 total hours in duration
within the recertification cycle.
This option requires that the following are submitted:
- A documentation form (found in the January 2003 handbook)
providing a description of the training, along with an explanation
of how it relates to the practice of massage.
- A log of the number and profile of clients seen and the
modalities covered during the training, submitted by the
instructor with evidence that the student’s performance
was satisfactory.
- An evaluation form regarding the quality of the training
they received.
Training repeated during the four-year recertification
cycle is not eligible for credit.
One recertification credit will be earned for every two hours
of training, with a maximum of 48 credits awarded. The minimum
amount of credits that will be awarded for this option is
20.
The required six hours of ethics may be incorporated into
this option, or achieved separately.
Option 8 –
Research
Does research interest you? Option 8 gives practitioners the
opportunity to earn recertification credits by conducting
research studies.
To recertify through Option 8:
- The research study must be funded, reviewed and approved
by a third party. It must also relate directly to the practice
of therapeutic massage and bodywork and:
or
- compare treatments for effectiveness.
- The practitioner must be a principal investigator.
- Research reports must be submitted to NCBTMB.
- Research must be completed within the four-year recertification
cycle.
This option is not based on contact hours. Twenty-four credits
are awarded for the completion of this activity.
*Research that is not approved for Option 8 may be used
to earn credit through Option 10, Self-Directed Learning Project.
Check the January 2003 handbook or next issue of Connection
for a description of this option.
[top]
 |
EVENT
|
DATE |
LOCATION |
Worlds of Wellness
|
September 8-10 |
Atlantic City, NJ |
Spa & Resort/Medical Spa Expo & Conference
|
September 12-13 |
Miami, FL |
League of California Cities Annual Conference
|
September 17-18 |
Long Beach, CA |
| NCBTMB Board of Directors Meeting |
September 24-26 |
Jackson, WY |
Council on Licensure, Enforcement,
and Regulation Annual Conference
|
September 30 - October 2 |
Kansas City, MO |
American Massage Therapy
Association National Convention
|
October 6-10 |
Nashville, TN |
American Academy of Family
Physicians Congress |
October 13-17 |
Orlando, FL |
| International City Managers Association |
October 17-20 |
San Diego, CA |
| International Spa Association Conference &
Expo |
November 7-10 |
Las Vegas, NV |
|
|
