Monday, March 31, 2008

Massage Regulation in Australia

There are no massage regulations in Australia. This is why its very easy for our graduates of our 5 and 10 day courses to work and compete successfully with graduates of other massage schools. Instead of people choosing a massage therapist because they have a licence they can choose them because they are a good therapist.
Massage is extremely popular in Australia and our massage school has many graduates. For more information about our graduates please see www.intamassage.com
I am currently in Australia training many of our schools previous graduates in more advanced massage techniques as well as teaching our basic courses. For more information please see our website

Massage course in Brisbane Australia pictures







I have been doing massage courses in Australia. Here are some pictures from my massage course in Brisbane.

Reply from Samantha

Brandon,
You are welcome to use my letter. Thanks for the info. It looks like I will be heading back to the UK to live in the future. I have been on your website. I was looking to do your course years ago before I lived in Germany, wish I had. I am considering doing your 10 day in London sometime when I get over there. I want to thank you for standing up and protesting and trying to do something. You are using your time, energy and commitment as well as a lot of money to do this. It is people like you I truly admire in this world.
Best Wishes to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Samantha

Letter from Samantha concerned about massage laws

From: Samantha
Date: 3/18/2008 4:32:00 AM
Subject: Massage Laws




Hi Brandon,
I am extremely frustrated and angry about the massage laws in the U.S. I am currently in North Dakota. I am originally from the United Kingdom and got my Aromatherapy Massage Diploma in Germany. It is simple relaxation massage and I only use blends from a reputable company in the U.K. to use on clients. It has been my dream for a long time to do an intensive course in Aromatherapy Massage. I love the aromatic blends and I feel it helps my clients relax more. I considered doing Reflexology and I know quite a lot about this also but kept it simple and stuck to table and seated massage. My husband and I left Germany as he retired from the military last year (2007) and we decided to move to the U.S. (wish I had gone back to the U.K. now). I had no idea massage was regulated here in ND. I am so eager to do what I love so much and want to get out there and practise. People have told me over the years I have healing hands and that is why I pursued this career, only to have my dream restricted and me having to pay more money to get a license and take exams in other areas of massage I do not want to do. I truly believe it all comes down to touch. I have had a massage by a so-called professional and it did absolutely nothing for me whatsoever. I did not feel anything. It was annoying to the point of irritation, that is why I firmly believe it is an art. You can learn techniques till the cows come home but if you haven't got the touch to begin with, it's pointless.
A good idea is for a board to allow you to find a volunteer (or have a board member volunteer) to witness the kind of specialised massage you do, perform the massage before the board so they see there is no harm, that it is safe and if they are adamant, get a background/criminal record check on the practitioner and perhaps interview the practitioner to get a good idea of their character and demeanor. But why should we have to pay a fee for a license, then have to pay out a lot of money to go to school all over again (which costs $1,000+) and pay to sit exams? This is pure greed. If we have to pay for a license and sit exams, so should all other professions in my opinion. It's beyond a joke.
I now have to consider moving to another state and have checked the requirements for each state. Can you please confirm which states aren't regulated at all so I can set up my own business like I have planned to do for years. I have the opportunity after all these years to do what I love most and now I am presented with this hurdle, but I will not give up. I got my brochures printed and business cards, got my table and chair, blankets, towels (took a while but slowly and surely got there) and was very proud and sometimes it makes me want to weep because I do not want it all to be a waste of time.
Please let me know which states are ok for me to practise without any problems. My massage is safe and cannot harm anyone, that is the frustrating part.
I am even seriously considering moving back to the UK so I can set up my business there. My family have told me there it is popular and I would do better there. But that is a big move, more expense and we've only just settled here. Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Samantha

Friday, January 11, 2008

Australian website

Brandon Raynor will be teaching Advanced massage courses in Hawaii as well as in London
He will also be doing advanced massage courses in Australia and possibly in New Zealand as well.
Here are some more various links

Thai Massage Course

Shiatsu Massage Course


International Natural Therapies Association

Massage Courses

Friends and Family Introductory Massage course

Aromatherapy Massage Courses


Massage School

Reflexology Courses

Advanced Massage Diploma Course

Naturopathy Diploma Course

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Back in Hawaii

Well, we couldn't do the demo against massage laws in Austin, Texas because the government there needed a week's notice, plus the weather was really bad and we wouldn't have been able to massage outside so instead we have returned to Hawaii for the winter and early spring.
So we will resume the Freedom Ride in the warmer months although we may organize a protest here in Hawaii.
In the meantime I have been working on my land and planting trees etc and also have been updating my website
We have courses coming up in the following locations in 2008.
Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, London, Dublin,Edinburgh,Auckland, Christchurch, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montana, Singapore, Dubai, India.

We also have an Advanced course and beginners course that I will be teaching in Hawaii starting January 14.
Please email me at brandon@brandonraynor.com for more information

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Journey across Texas




Our journey across Western Texas and on to Austin was a long one.
We left Santa Fe, New Mexico right after the protest and travelled into the night, then set off the next day and made it as far as Lubbock Texas. Thats when the electrical troubles on the RV started. The RV stalled by the side of the highway and we had to get it towed to the KOA campground at Lubbock. The next day, Thanksgiving, a friend's father that lived nearby helped us to get on the road again. During the evening snow had blown in and Jai and I got to have a lot of fun playing in the snow and throwing snowballs at each other.
However we only got 50 miles down the road when I pulled over to clear the ice of my screen and the RV stalled again. We had to stay the night in a little town called Post, Texas. We had a lot of help from local people that helped us jump start the RV and get it going but the next day it stalled continuously again 30 miles out of Llano, Texas. We had to leave it there the next day while a mechanic waited for 3 days to get a new alternator. The night's sleep in Llano was a cold one with no heating working in the RV.
In the meantime we rented a car and went to Austin. Austin is the capital of Texas. The first place we went was to the biggest health food shop in the world. The headquarters of Whole Foods. It was massive. So many things to choose from. I also received some massage treatments from a good massage therapist here. Today I went to an Ayurvedic therapist here also which was really good.
I collected the RV the other day but it still had electrical problems, most of which I got fixed today.
So we are just considering whether to do a protest tomorrow in Austin about the massage laws.
Rebecca's parents are due to come to Hawaii on December 4 so we may have to get back soon. we were hoping to get to Florida on this trip but we may not be able to do that.