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
9 comments:
I like your obvious gusto for teaching, traveling, and standing up for your beliefs. Personally, I tend to support massage regulation. I think it is good for business and I feel that prospective MT's should fortify their skill set to cover know-how above and beyond excellent therapeutics: specifically how to deal with the formalities and legalities that help differentiate those who are qualified to serve the public at a professional level. Give you an example: as a kid growing up I learned a few secrets from mom about how to make the best lasagna anywhere. Now imagine that you were to come to my "restaurant" and I wanted you to pay me your hard earned money for items on my dubious menu? I sure hope that you would at least ask to see a current certificate from the Health dept. before ordering or would you be satisfied with the "My Mom's Kitchen Official School Diploma"? I get the feeling that regulation is more of a threat to the business interests of educators rather than practicing therapists who have the skill and habit of declawing much thornier issues on a daily basis.
As an Australian massage therapist who's spent six years in practice, I have to admit that I, too, support the introduction of massage regulations in Australia particularly those that would slap some restrictions on massage schools as well as practitioners.
Massage therapy is a health service and for those who are diplomates, they can become part of the health service. Such a landscape demands professional competence which not only includes an excellent skills base but ongoing learning and personal fitness among other responsibilities. You cannot learn this in a ten day course and yet these very graduates can call themselves massage therapists when, in fact, they are anything but.
You say massage therapy is popular in Australia. What you don't say is the level of expertise in that modality is quite low and that the field is full of moneygrubbers. It's a well known fact that truly excellent therapists are not found en masse and take time to find. And believe me, there is nothing more frustrating than working alongside a person with very little knowledge as to what they're actually doing, causing harm and then claiming the same rate of pay as you.
Regulation would enforce standards and would set the scene for a respectable, professional therapist who could afford to stake his/her reputation in the field and make a decent living from it. At the same time, prospective candidates would be subject to formal examinations and licensing requirements such as ID and criminal checks.
Regulation would also force schools to provide education at a length and at a level demanded by a profession. In addition, regulation would ensure that teachers teach massage therapy and not some modified new age clone or whatever it is they've come up with on the spot, that they would have to be registered and would have to prove continued learning.
Brandon, your fervour while admirable is sorely misplaced.
Arguments for both sides can be had and of course backed appropriately.
Therefore arguing is futile and best left for politicians who care more about their pension plans then helping the constituents they serve.
I have had plenty of massage work done on me and it is with the utmost confidence that the Raynor Technique as well as other "traditionally taught methods" seem far more beneficial then the clinical approach used by the overly educated.
As a multi-certified fitness professional, former pro athlete and 07 Diploma Graduate in Raynor therapeutic massage I have always been a believer that just because you have a paper that says your qualified...it doesn't mean your good at what you do.
In regards to massage specifically what makes anyone here think that massage that has been utilized in Asia and India is less superior then that which is taught in a more clinical environment?
That is the statement that both the other bloggers are making.
Is massage that has its background in forms that have been around for thousands of years able to be questioned over that which allows students to recite latin?
As for the restaurant idea that probodywork placed...do you know ho many successful businesses started out with a family recipe?
The ability to provide an opportunity for the body to "HEAL ITSELF" is the sole objective of the Massage Therapist.
Anyone of you that feels they can claim to HEAL or FIX anyone is a liar and should have there certs and license revoked.
We are just individuals that have been blessed with the ability to aid the body into healing itself.
Anyone that calls themselves a professional and at the same time nullifies teachings that are not of there own (especially when you consider Thai, Lomi-Lomi, Aruveydic which have been around far longer) is obviously threatened by what a "talented and gifted" therapist can learn and provide in such a short period of time.
I willing to bet that none of the two previous posters on here would be willing to put their "expertise" and form of massage up against that of an equally experienced Raynor Therapist.
Interesting enough as well...you would think that someone without any degree in theatre/performing arts or the ability to read music would not be able to provide professional level performance in those areas.
As a man who lives his dreams...I am/have been a professional working actor/stunt performer and have also played in several LIVE performing bands of various genre's...no schooling neccessary!
J.
I'm actually writing from Canada. Hoping, SO MUCH, that something can be done re: regulating the Massage Profession in regards to the whole country!
I've been a practicing R.M.T. in Alberta for over 18yrs. I work in Sport's Med. Clinics with Sport's Med. Drs., Surgeons, Acupuncturists, Physios, Professional Sport's Teams, MVA. post surgery hip, shoulder replacements etc.
I can not work in my home province of Ontario as they will not accept any letters of referral or "doctoring" for me to work .
I would have to pay about $1,700.00 just to write an exam to see if I match the Ontario College's criteria. If not, go back to school for possibly 3yrs/$10,000 to qualify to write the actual exam.
Now, I DO agree, that if I had been working in a spa, perhaps, doing only Relaxation Massage, maybe Aromatherapy, There could be an issue with my qualifications. But, with my background, I believe I should have an opportunity to work as an R.M.T.
It seems to me that, Doctors can actually work from province to province.
It does seem odd....... any feedback? Thanks
I for one would like to learn more about what it is like to work in a country where there are no massage laws.
I have been a massage therapist for 20 years in the US and I started with 250 hours of training. Of course I took more classes along the way -probably about 1000 or more but the thing is that to do a good massage all you really need is 100 hours of training and to start and build your own massage business - a masters in business!
When I became a massage therapist in 1987, the next year the number of hours was increased and the number of massage school loans/grants seemed to influence that increase as they need to have 600 hours of courses to get those grants...hmmm....having more training requirements seemed to have come out of no where - with no proof that it could be beneficial.
When are you coming back on the freedom ride??? It's too hot on the east coast, the middle of the country is flooding and it has barely hit 70 here in Seattle!
Julie
www.thebodyworker.com
Hi Guys
Sorry I have been flat out teaching in Australia and organizng business things over there.
I am now back in the US and organizing a permanent clinic here in Hawaii where people can come and experience Raynor massage first hand. Once this is up and running we will get back to the Freedom Ride, hopefully with the support of the local Hawaiian community and their traditional healers behind us
There are no problems with practicing massage in an unregulated country like the UK, Australia or New Zealand.
In real terms the regulation is the market. If a therapist is good they will get repeat clients and referrals. If they are no good they will get no referals.
Usually it is insecure practitioners that find it hard to compete in the free market that like regulation. Otherwise if they were good therapist they would have more clients than they could deal with.
thanks for sharing!
Anyone who favors dereulation of massage laws is looking to be a prostitute. Give me another reason, a GOOD reason, to allow LESS training for practitioners. 10 days of classes? What a joke! It's time spent working that makes or breaks a good therapist, but I'd rather have someone with 1000 hours of class and training do ANYTHING (fix my car, draw my blood) than some yokel with a handful of days.
@BR. I'm sure you're an excellent therapist, who has put the time and effort into getting better. However, deregulation massage therapy only has one path, and it's time tested since the dawn of history: There will be more prostitutes calling themselves "massage therapists."
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