Did you know that you can register online for AMTA-Indiana events using a check? Many of our members register for our event online using a credit card. However, we know that some of our members prefer to pay by check. The good news is, you can pay online using a check!

All you need to do to register online with a check is to have a check handy so you can enter in the account information. When you get to the end of the registration process, choose "eCheck" as your payment type. You will be asked for your bank name, the name on your account, your bank's routing number, and your account number.

Online registration is just as safe as depositing a check at the bank and your transaction is fully encrypted and secure.

I hope you will consider going paperless and registering for our event using eCheck! It saves time, stamps, and trees. Now that you know this, why not register for our Summer Convention! See you there :)

As some of you may have heard, the TV program called The View has made some defamatory statements about the massage profession on a recent episode. AMTA has responded with a letter to The View calling for a more respectful representation of massage therapy.

A video clip is available online which shows this particular segment of the show. I would encourage you to take a look if you are curious about what was said.

As AMTA-Indiana Chapter President, I want to make you aware of this incident so that you can remain informed about what is being said about the massage profession. If you are concerned about the inaccurate representation of the massage profession on this show, please consider sharing this message with your clients and colleagues and continuing to educate others about what massage therapy is. Unfortunately, massage therapists are still fighting to overcome antiquated stereotypes still being perpetuated by a few people who need further education on what massage therapy is.

Please share with this others... especially your clients and friends. I appreciate your willingness to speak up for the massage profession and fight the inaccurate and degrading stereotypes that we still see sometimes.

Links for reference:

• AMTA's letter to The View
• Video clip of the segment

The Summer 2010 issue of the Kneaded Notes (the newsletter of the Indiana Chapter of AMTA) is online and available for download. You can download it in PDF format from the Kneaded Note page on our website. We hope you enjoy this issue and that you have a great Summer. Thank you for being an AMTA member!

Please find the approved meeting minutes from the April 2010 Chapter meeting in Plainfield, IN. Below are meeting minutes from both the board meeting and the business meeting:

• April 2010 Board Meeting Minutes (PDF)
• April 2010 Business Meeting Minutes (PDF)

If you have any questions about the minutes, please feel free to post a comment below. Thank you!

Terri Brandt and I had a great visit to St. Louis last weekend to attend the AMTA National Board meeting. As usual, we got to see lots of familiar faces and old friends, and made some new friends, too. It was Terri's first National Board meeting and my 7th (I think) but we still came away with some useful information.

The main exercise of this weekend was to collectively help AMTA create a new vision statement for the next 10 years. We did this by holding group discussions with the usual big sheets of paper and markers to make our notes. At the end, we had a vision statement that we felt that everyone could live with and feel good about.

Some specific points in the vision statement included:

• An emphasis on integrating massage into mainstream health care
• A focus on education
• A commitment to a mindset of quality over quantity

These concepts were all important to the chapter leaders present and made up a significant portion of the new vision statement.

Additionally, I had a pleasure of attending the President's gathering and enjoyed networking with other Chapter Presidents. These discussions always help me by giving me new tools and insights that benefit my work in my chapter.

The last day of the event was a National Board meeting in which the Chapter Presidents were able to observe. Some highlights from this board meeting include:

• Approval of the new Vision Statement
• A motion to add the following to bylaws: "Chapter Boards may add responsibilities for their elected Delegates."

If anyone has any questions about this meeting or about the direction of AMTA, please don't hesitate to post a comment below.

As I talk to massage therapists about their concerns, one of the most important issues facing massage therapists today is how to market themselves. Most massage schools do not teach in-depth marketing techniques and so independent massage therapists are left to figure it out on their own. The good news is that today more than ever, there are a number of newer online tools that can help you market your practice at little or no cost. I'm talking about social media.

Social media refers to networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, as well as blogging and video sites (like YouTube). Social media is allowing more and more people to connect with others in many different ways and can also be of great benefit to business owners and professionals who want to network and meet new clients. Here are some ways to use social media to help market your massage practice.

1. Friend your clients on Facebook and place them in their own list. This way, you can click on this list any time to see what your clients are up to. If you notice that they are posting information about significant life events, you can send them a note of congratulations about good news. You can also look for opportunities to suggest ways that massage can help and encourage them to book an appointment.

2. Maintain a blog and give away health tips. The more useful you make your blog, the more people will read and share it with others. Then, when your readers are ready for a massage, guess who they will think of? Be sure to post your blog articles on Facebook and Twitter, as well. Consider asking local chiropractors and other health care professional to write guest blogs for you to help cross-promote.

3. Search for prospective clients on Twitter. Consider setting up a Twitter account and then doing regular searches on keyword like "back pain" in your area. You will be surprised at how many people are complaining about ailments via Twitter. Contact them via Twitter and make them a special offer.

4. Interview some of your clients and post the videos on YouTube. For about $150, you can snag a nice Flip video camera (or borrow one) and do short 1-minute interviews with your clients in which they explain how massage has helped them recover from injuries and other health issues. Post these videos on your website, as well. You do have a website, don't you?

5. Optimize your LinkedIn profile. Instead of just putting your last name in the "last name" field in your profie, add the text "- Massage Therapist" after it. For example, if your name is "Jane Smith", your LinkedIn profile should say "Jane Smith - Massage Therapist". Doing this can improve your search engine rankings so that when someone searches for a massage therapist in your area, your profile may have a better chance of popping up. LinkedIn has a very high ranking in Google and you can leverage this fact by optimizing your own profile. Naturally, this also means that you will need to set up a complete LinkedIn profile and link it to your website.

I know that many massage therapists that I talk to are a little uncomfortable with social media. However, if you give it a chance and spend some time learning the basics, you may be surprised at how useful it can be in growing your business. Good luck and enjoy a prosperous Summer!

As masage therapist many of us work with clients who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. We also encounter people who may benefit from a physicians examination for this condition. The site http://www.fmnetnews.com/basics-news-criteria410.php on The Fibromyalgia Network has some info and a survey regarding the proposed changes by the American College of Rhuemotology.

AMTA-Indiana massage therapists raised $145 for the Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana. Items donated by the AMTA-Indiana Chapter Store, massage therapists and Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins were raffled off at the April 10th meeting.

The money raised will provide food to the hungry in the Indianapolis area. The following is taken from the Gleaners brochure:

Gleaners Food Bank is your community connection between those who want to make a difference in the fight against hunger and those who live the battle each day. A 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit, Gleaners was founded in a 3 1/2 car garage in 1980 by a group of people concerned about the growing problem of hunger in Indianapolis. As Gleaners nears its third decade of providing food to charities that feed the hungry, the food bank has distributed the equivalent of more than 168 million meals in central Indiana. The food bank provides food annually to over 400 Hunger Relief Charities - Emergency pantries, soup kitchens and shelters that provide food and critical grocery products across its 21-county service area.

With an increase in poverty, the number of people who need help continues to spiral upward. Thank you for joining Gleaners to fight against hunger in our community. Please join us to continue to feed the hungry in Indiana... until every bowl is filled.

The Indiana chapter of the AMTA tries to have a positive impact on the areas where we have our meetings, since July of 2008 we have raised $1,347 for local Charities. Thank you to every therapist who helped make this happen.

We have recently received some questions from massage therapy students who are curious about what it's like to practice massage. They were such good questions that we thought we would post them here and ask our members to offer some answers.

If you can answer any of the questions below, please post your responses as a comment. Sharing your experience will help newer massage therapists gain a better understanding of the profession.

1. How long have you been in practice?

2. What obstacles did you have to overcome?

3. What are some of the smartest decisions you made in terms of business success?
4. 
What are some poor decisions or mistakes that you made that I should avoid?
5. 
What are the keys to long-term success in this industry?
6. 
At what point in your career did you first feel successful?
7. 
How much has your business model changed now from when you first started?
8. 
What advice do you have for me about gaining the best results with a business support group?
9. 
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?
10. 
What would you suggest I do while in school to prepare me for being in business?

I speak to a lot of members who are frequently concerned about what the Indiana Chapter is doing for them, how we go about creating events, and how we get things done. Sometimes, there is a misconception about how the Chapter is structured. They are under the impression that people are getting paid to do the work of the Chapter or that there is a budget for staffing our team.

They are sometimes surprised to find out that the AMTA-Indiana Chapter is 100% volunteer run. The leadership of the Chapter is made up of the Board of Directors, who are elected by the membership. This Board makes all the decisions for the chapter, creates policy, and actually does about 90% of the work of running the Chapter, including event planning, PR, communications, government relations, and everything else.

In addition to the Board, there a a few committees that put in a great deal of work. Sometimes a committee consists of one person. This includes the Newsleter Editor, Sunshine Chair, Membership Chair, Volunteer Chair, Nominations Chair, and others.

Additionally, your Indiana Chaper has three Delegates, who represent the membership at a national level at the House of Delegates for AMTA. This is where we have the chance to make, change, and influence policy.

None of the people described here are paid. Some of them, like Board members, are reimbursed for travel and expenses, but aside from that everyone is 100% volunteer. These individuals have regular full-time jobs and other obligations to take care of and yet they donate their time to ensure that your Indiana Chapter runs as smoothly as possible.

These volunteers fight for laws that protect massage therapists. They plan complex education events. They help members with professional issues. They do all this in the spirit of service and concern for their fellow AMTA members.

Next time you have the opportunity, be sure to take a moment to thank you Indiana Chaper volunteers for all their hard work. If you would like to post a comment or a note of thanks here, please feel free to do so below.

Thank you to all who currently volunteer or have ever volunteered for AMTA-Indiana. You are appreciated.

Your Indiana Board of Directors wish to invite you to our Business meeting at 3:30 pm, Sat. April 10, 2010 at the Hampton Inn in Plainfield, IN. You do not have to be registered for the education sessions in order to attend. All AMTA members are welcome to join us for an afternoon tea party while we socialize and share the events and opportunities that we have to offer. Come and learn how your Chapter dues benefit you as a member. Terri Brandt has arranged some wonderful raffle items as well! Proceeds will be donated to the Gleaners Food Bank. Don’t miss this chance to socialize, enhance your profession, and have some fun for a great cause

My massage practitioner application has been approved by the State, what is my title?

There appears to be some confusion about titling here in Indiana. You apply for a License to be approved as a Certified Massage Therapist. A State License is issued (just as for any other recognized profession) however your professional title is CMT, Certified Massage Therapist. Not LMT or Licensed Massage Therapist as some practitioners have assumed. Also, municipalities do have the right to require you to adhere to their ordinances or zoning requirements.

To report a suspected violation of Indiana CMT Law

If there is a practitioner in your area claiming to be a Certified Massage Therapist or performing massage therapy, and you wish to file a complaint, please contact the Indiana Attorney General’s office. You must file a complaint as AMTA Indiana cannot do this on your behalf. A complaint may also be filed if someone has sustained what they feel is a violation of the Rules and Regulations of Practice for Massage Therapists (read at www.in.gov/pla/massage.html)

The website for the AG office is www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer

You can file a consumer complaint with the Office of the Attorney General online or by filling out a printable form. Regardless of whether you're filing a complaint online or using the printable form, you must complete, print, sign and mail the complaint form, along with copies (please do NOT send them your originals), of all relevant supporting documentation to the following address:

Consumer Protection Division
Office of the Indiana Attorney General
302 W. Washington St., 5th Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46204

You can also request a complaint form by calling 1.800.382.5516 or 317.232.6330.  

We just had a great state convention at the AMTA Indiana Chapter in Muncie, IN. Though numbers were a little lower than usual, we enjoyed an outstanding class by Marty Ryan, as well as networking and fun with other members.

In talking with our members at this and other events, I am always interested in learning more about the value that AMTA provides to its members. At the national level, AMTA provides great liability insurance and a outstanding professional publication that contains a wealth of information focused on helping massage therapists grow their practices. Additionally, AMTA provides professional support in the form of staff resources to answer questions, provide guidance, and make connections. The AMTA Massage Locator Service is also a fantastic resource for member and I personally know of many AMTA members who have connected with new clients as a result of being listed in the locator service.

At the state level, the AMTA Indiana Chapter provides multiple education opportunities year-round that are designed to be both affordable and high-quality. Networking at the state level is also a tremendous benefit to members, as connections are frequently made at AMTA events that lead to business opportunities and networking relationships. Finally, the AMTA Indiana Chapter has been instrumental in fighting for state regulation of massage therapy for over a decade and has been a catalyst in introducing massage certification in Indiana, which is a first step in providing greater protection for massage therapists and their clients.

My question to members is this: what else should AMTA be doing for you? How has your career been impacted by AMTA and how else can we help? I want to hear your feedback. By listening to member feedback, we will continue to grow and strengthen our partnership with our members. Please leave your comments below.

Regards,
Michael Reynolds
AMTA-Indiana Chapter President

Interested in checking on the status of your application for Massage Certification in Indiana? This short video will explain how.

We had a small but high-quality state convention this month in Muncie! Marty Ryan presented a class on abdominial massage and our members also enjoyed networking and visiting with new and old friends.

We also recorded a few video testimonials from our member to allow them to share their thoughts on how AMTA has helped them in their profession. Below are the testimonials. Enjoy!

Spring is here in Indiana and that means warm weather and more green! AMTA-Indiana is also going green with an evolving newsletter strategy. Going green is not just about the environment - it is also about reducing the amount of resources we use which can also be financially responsible. As part of an ongoing effort to become greener and more efficient, the Kneaded Notes will become shorter over time, while still including a core set of basic information. Rather than try to include everything in one newsletter, our goal is to post more information on our web site and treat the newsletter a a complement to the online information.

The Kneaded Notes will include the schedule of events, chapter contacts, and upcoming education information. All other material will be posted on our chapter web site, which will be the main source of information for AMTA-Indiana: www.amtaindiana.org. Additionally, the chapter is active on Facebook and Twitter and I encourage everyone to follow us on those networks, as well. Social media is a great way to network and communicate with other massage therapists throughout the state.

We are also soon moving toward an email-only version of our newsletter. In the near future, we plan to distribute the newsletter only via email to those members who have given us an email address, while continuing to mail a paper copy to those who have not given us an email address. Many other states have chosen to adopt this distribution method and are seeing benefits in the form of cost savings and efficiency.

Saving trees and saving money are good things and the positive financial impact will allow us to remain strong as a chapter and to continue to invest in high-quality education for our members at a reasonable cost. However, we also want to ensure that we are serving the needs of our members. We will be sending out a survey soon that will help us gather feedback on this newsletter strategy so I ask that you please help us by responding. Additionally, if you have any feedback for me on this topic, positive or negative, please don't hesitate to call me so I can discuss it with you.

We look forward to becoming more efficient and eco-friendly as time goes on, while consistently finding better ways to serve our members. Thank you and enjoy your Spring!

Michael Reynolds
michael.reynolds@amtaindiana.org
317.695.1914

I had the pleasure of attending the AMTA National Board of Directors meeting last weekend in Chicago. As usual, it was a pleasure to see the other chapter presidents and the national board and have the opportunity to network with others. I was happy to see that AMTA has taken care to reduces expenses to the tune of $1 Million this year. AMTA is also working toward reducing the amount of paper being used and mailed to members. I hate paper so I was very happy to hear that!

Additionally, the new president, Judy Stahl was sworn in and I was pleased to have sushi with her afterward. I enjoyed her message of change and desire to bring improvements to AMTA and I was encouraged by what I heard.

The message I want to communiucate is that the leadership of AMTA working for you. Though things may seem to move slowly at times, your national board does care very much about the needs of the membership. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to post them here.

We need your help! Please register now for helping with the 14th Annual Indiana Massage Therapy Awareness Week! We will be working at the State Capitol Building on Monday Feb 9th through Thursday Feb. 12th. Please join us anytime from 9:30 to 3:30 pm. Pre-registration is requested and may be done at www.amtaindiana.org (preferred) or call Jennie Irving at 765 396-9507. House Bill 1573 has been introduced by Representatives Welch, C. Brown and Dodge. This is a clean-up sort of Bill that will affect many professions. Rep. Welch has included language we requested to clarify some issues we have with cosmetology and insurance for massage therapist. Page 16-17 of the Bill has specific language requesting that CMT’s carry liability insurance and post their license where working. Page 12 has a clause which prohibits Cosmetologists (and those falling under their license, such as estheticians) from performing massage therapy. It has been referred to the Committee on Public Health. The members of the Committee are: Chair: Representative Brown Vice Chair: Representative Welch Members: Day, Fry, Moseley, Moses, Reske. T. Brown R.M.M., Dodge, Frizzell, Lehe, Turner. To find out who your legislator is, go to http://www.in.gov/legislative/legislators/ Please contact the Committee and encourage them to support the massage therapy language in the Bill. To call the House of Representatives and leave a message, 800-382-9842.

What a busy week! Thank you to everyone who braved the elements and came to the Capitol to help us do seated chair massage for MTAW. Schools and therapist from all over the State took some time from their schedule to support this good will effort. The legislators and employees really look forward to us coming in every year, and it can not be done without your support.

This year we were certain to have people leave a note or personally catch up with their Legislator. It really made an impression on them. The legislators were pleased to speak and connect with their constituents, and seeing the government in action is very interesting to all of us.

Every year we encourage all therapist- not just AMTA members- to participate in this event. If you have insurance and are trained in seated chair, you are welcome and wanted. It really is quite a treat and satisfying on many levels.

Jennie Irving, President

AMTA Indiana

We had a busy Monday doing seated chair massage at the Health Conference. It was a fun event and we met many supportive people- it is great to hear how many people want massage licensed in our State.

I want to remind members that we need to be contacting our Representatives NOW! This is also when we should be exploring contacts with allied medical professions. It is hard because of the additional business of the Holidays, but December is an important time for our cause.

I have been hearing so much more about learning via on-line courses. While I can understand the use of this method for continuing education, I am having a difficult time believing that it is appropriate for the initial 500 hour entry level requirement.

 I am wondering how the membership feels about this. Is it a valid way of learning hands-on modalities? Is there a good way of monitoring it? Would this help the profession? Is it just a cash cow for the provider? What would you look for in a program of this type?

Jennie Irving

I am happy to say that we have hosted public meetings in Jasper and Kokomo Indiana! I think it is a great opportunity to answer questions from members and get input into the process.

I think that overall there is much support in the State. There are a few voices that will not be pleased as long as Therapist in our State are seeking Licensure, and I really don't see resolution to our differences.  I hope we can continue to educate them and try to respectfully dialog.

Licensure has been an ongoing process and a challenge at times! I am happy to see so many supportive faces- I hope that we have many new participants at the State House in 2007 for MTAW and at other events.

J ennie Irving, President

It has come to my attention that even though we have been trying for years to get our Bill for the Licensure of Massage Therapist passed in Indiana, the issue of grandfathering raises quite a bit of misinformation and concern.

The way it has been worded in the past, practically anyone who said they had practiced massage could be grandfathered in. After the grandfathering period applicants would have to had graduated from a 500 hr minimum State approved school, and passed either the NCETMB or another exam approved by the Massage Board.

 Due to the recent developments in our State with the Cosmotology Scope of Practice, this will be changing. We need to tighten up grandfathering qualifications somehow. It has never been the goal of the proposed bill to put educated, legitimate therapist out of business.  As of July 1, 2006 Cosmotologist may "massage" the torso legally as part of their legal definition. This is intended to apply product and not "treat", but enforcing that may be a challenge. It waits to be seen.

If you are a massage therapist in Indiana you are working in a profession that has no legal scope of practice AND the public has little knowledge of qualifications or expectations.

 If you have questions or concerns about the bill, and it is keeping you from supporting it, please contact us. Dialog is vital in this endeavor and we all need to be certain we have all the information possible. We would like to host area meetings to discuss our Licensure. If this is something you might be interested in, please contact Barb Lis, 219 696-0672.

We still need members to help with Chair Massages with the September legislative activities in South Bend and Indianapolis. More information may be found under "Events" at www.amtaindiana.org

Jennie Irving, NCTMB

Chapter President

The American Massage Therapy association believes that state licensing by all sates of the practice of massage therapy is a desirable means of meeting the needs of the public and the profession. Therefore, AMTA seeks fair licensure with a minimum entry-level massage therapy education of at least 500 in-class hours. The AMTA represents more than 52,000 massage therapist in 27 countries. Amta works to establish massage therapy as integral to the maintenance of good health and complementary to other therapeutic processes: to advance the profession through ethics and standards, certification, school accreditation, continuing education, professional publications, legislative efforts, public education, and fostering the development of members.

Education, reciprocity, exemptions, and regulatory agency/ board are major benefits created by this profession

Mission:   To serve AMTA members while advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy.

Core Values:

• We are a diverse and nurturing community working with integrity, honesty and dignity
• We are a nonprofit member-driven organization of ethical professionals
• We embrace excellence in education, service, and leadership
• We endorse professional standards and support fair regulation of massage therapy
• We believe that massage benefits all
  

I'm looking for massage therapists to help do seated massage from the Indianapolis and South Bend areas.

I need South Bend volunteers for Sept 19th & 20 for the Association of Indiana Counties Conference to do seated massage.

Also, Indianapolis volunteers for Sept 25-26 for the Indiana Cities and Towns Associaion Conference to do seated massage

Contact me for more details. Your efforts will help to educated local public officals with the AMTA and the health benefits of massage.  We want them to know we can be a resouce to there communities on matters of massage therapy and ordinances.

Please consider giving us a hand.

Contact Barbara Lis, 219-696-0672 (home), 219-712-9844 (cell), lis@netnitco.net

AMTA Indiana Chapter Partners with Governor's InShape Program

Improve your health with Massage Therapy!

The American Massage Therapy Association, Indiana Chapter, wants you to explore massage as a means to a healthier you! Massage feels great, and has many health benefits as well. Professional massage has been shown to be effective in boosting immune system function, reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, soothing back pain better than other complimentary therapies and reducing headache frequency. Athletes enjoy its benefits in aiding muscle recovery, spasms and soreness. Many report that it aids in increasing range of motion as well. By systemically increasing blood flow and lymphatic movement, massage therapy is utilized in chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia.

Exercise is a great stress reliever, and so is massage! So, get in touch with your body today! To further explore the health benefits of massage for all ages, go to www.amtaindiana.org, or call 888-843-2682 to locate a professional AMTA massage therapist near you.

AMTA is proud to be apart of our state’s effort to bring awareness to ones health and making good choices. The chapter is doing its part to help get our members involved.

Join the AMTA Indiana Chapter Team and be a part of the massage therapy movement to prove to our state government that massage is an important factor in ones health and wellness and massage therapists are getting in shape too.

You can do it by logging into www.in.gov/inshape/  and signing up. All you have to do is click on "sign up here" and fill out the registration information. At the bottom of the form you can sign up to be on our team. Our team name is AMTA massage. Help us out. Do your part to help us make a good impression. Sign yourself up. Tell your clients, family members, and friends. It costs nothing to do this. A flyer will be on our website, www.amtaindiana.org, that you can copy as many times as you want to pass on the information to everyone you can. You can find it on the AMTA Indiana blog.

August 10, 2006 update. IT PASSED! We are very happy and appreciate Lake Counties respect for our profession. Thank you.

August 9, 2006, 1:00pm will be the next meeting of the Lake County Council.  The commissioners will be voting on the county adult entertainment ordinance that exempts masssage therapists from the ordinance.  The language that defines a massage therapist is being revised to meet the national standards i.e. graduate from a 500 hours state approved program, etc.  For more information you can email Barb Lis lis@netnitco.net or call 219-696-0672.

I had the opportunity to attend this year's CVOP, along with fellow board members LuAnn Williams, Aurora Green, and Margi Cangany-Lane. CVOP stands for "Chapter Volunteer Orientation Program" and it's a great program for helping chapter leaders become more effective.

We  attended a variety of seminars including sessions on finance, member involvement, budgeting, communication, and a number of useful topics that were geared toward helping chapters success. 

Part of the appeal of CVOP was also the opportunity to network with other chapters. We were able to compare ideas and experiences and learn from each other. We learned that many other chapters were going through some of the same issues and challenges with licensing that we were. 

Overall, CVOP was an extremely valuable investment of our time and resources and should prove to be an asset to our chapter leadership and members.