On 12/6/12 the leadership of seven national Austin massage therapy organizations gathered in Englewood, Colorado for their third face-to-face meeting in the previous 15 months. A number of participating organizations note that they serve diverse bodywork practitioners and institutions, but as “massage therapy” is the frequent thread for all seven organizations, we use that term, in its broadest context, in the comments beneath.

Element of the agenda of that meeting was to define our factors for convening, both as a point of reference for our future function collectively, and to inform the public of our intentions.

We seek a thriving Austin massage therapy profession that enhances the well being and well-being of clients all through the United States. In an atmosphere of cooperation between these groups, we see the possible to advance the Austin massage therapy profession as a entire. Even though some parties are professional competitors and will stay so, we recognize that in some situations our combined effort may be much more powerful than the influence of any organization operating individually. Also, the function we do collaboratively can serve to make each organization stronger and much more successful.

We think that a protected, candid forum in which we can identify challenges and possibilities in the wide field of Austin massage therapy, recognize organizational roles, examine and (if possible) defuse conflicts, and set priorities for common action, is of value to the whole Austin massage therapy profession.

The seven participating organizations do not possess equal energy or economic resources. But when we meet together, every single organization and its two chosen representatives participate on an equal footing, in an atmosphere of mutual participation and respect. Group meeting expenditures are shared equally, although particular projects embraced may possibly not be funded equally by all organizations.

Participating organizations include:

Alliance for Massage Therapy Education
American Massage Therapy Association
Related Bodywork &amp Massage Professionals
Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
Massage Therapy Foundation
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage &amp Bodywork

Right after significantly discussion, we have decided to get in touch with ourselves a coalition of national Austin massage therapy organizations (“the coalition”). No plans exist to formally incorporate the group, or to imbue it with any legal status.

Education for Austin massage therapists is an concern exactly where the missions of each and every organization overlap. In our 1st meeting more than a year ago we identified that inconsistent requirements and outcomes in Austin massage education was a keystone for a number of objectives that the organizations have, such as enhanced portability for Austin massage licensure, a model practice act, far more constant accreditation standards for schools, and much better help and training for Austin massage therapy educators.  The ELAP (Entry-Level Analysis Project) is the very first project supported by the seven organizations to address these educational issues.

The ELAP is funded primarily by ABMP, AMTA, and FSMTB. The other organizations support the project in principle, and supply consultative support as needed COMTA specifically has grow to be actively engaged in helping present project findings. It is a groundbreaking cooperative effort among at times competitors to serve the complete Austin massage therapy profession.

ELAP operate group members are educational subject matter authorities recruited from all more than the nation to map out a realistic, proof-informed and quantified description of content material and ability qualifications for an entry-level education in Austin massage therapy.

Their initial findings are anticipated to be made offered for public comment in April 2013.