Question 1: Is your Massage Therapist licensed by their state or some other Local/National governing body?

I am not a fan of "The View" or Elizabeth Hasslebeck. Not that I have anything personal against either. They're just not my "cup of tea". However, today I did catch part of today's show in passing and it caught my attention.

The topic of discussion was Heath Ledger's "masseuse". As a MT, I've had all kinds of issues regarding the story surrounding his death. But I'll go into them later. Right now, I want to go into the point that may have turned me into a Hasslebeck fan.

She mentioned the fact that the "masseuse" was NOT licensed

(http://www.usmagazine.com/who_was_heath_ledgers_masseuse).

She also informed people that BEFORE they get a massage, they should make sure that the person is LICENSED; because licensed MT's are trained in CPR.

Actually, there are more differences than that, but I didn't expect her to know or go into them. But nevertheless, I almost fell out of my seat when I heard her. Not only because it's true, but because it reminded me of a 5 part blog that had been going around in my head for about a month. The topic is "5 Questions You Should Ask Before Getting a Massage". Because, for the most part, I believe that most of the public is SADLY MISINFORMED when it comes to Massage Therapy.

In the media, a massage is portrayed as a cute thing that is usually performed by a cute blonde girl at a pool or on the beach while wearing heels and scantily clad in some form of sexy attire. That is also probably why I run across so many knuckleheaded guys on that tired "I-don't-want-no-man-massaging-me" trip. But I already wrote that blog last year. No sense in wasting time rehashing it this year, too.

The point is, massage is NEVER portrayed as anything serious or healthcare related. But people must understand something: Whenever someone works on your body, they have the potential to affect your health. Whether it be someone performing tattoos with an unsanitized needle, cutting your hair with unsanitized clippers, giving you a manicure or pedicure in a unsanitized foot or hand bowl, or yes. . .giving you a massage they lack the proper education, training or experience to perform.

So many people mistakenly believe a massage is just a cute, sexy oil or lotion rub. Something their significant other gives them as a special treat for "being good" or as a form of foreplay before the touchdown. But that is nowhere close to the work performed during a PROFESSIONAL massage. And that goes double for people using advanced massage modalities; such as Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT). A course which, by the way, was so deep at my school that I had to take it twice because I didn't feel I had a full grasp on it the first time around (I had a 100% average the second time I took it, though).

I'll never forget working in student clinic at massage school years ago when one of my clients told me how much pain she had whenever she tried to give her husband a massage. In a way I was insulted because it was clear that she actually thought the foreplay she was giving her husband was even close to being in the same league as what I was paying THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS and studying for NUMEROUS HOURS in school to learn. But I also realized that she couldn't help it. Because anyone who has been exposed to the media knows how massage is portrayed.

And the "fly-by-night" massage programs don't help matters any. I CRINGE every time I see one of those airhead commercials with some little girl gushing "In a few short months. . .I became a Massage Therapist". I'm in the industry and I would NEVER go to someone who "became a Massage Therapist in a few short months". In fact, when I hear which Massage Programs some people graduated from, I know that they will NEVER work on me. Because there are some schools have HORRENDOUS REPUTATIONS within our industry for turning out unqualified therapists who don't know what they are doing.

Also notice that I said "massage program". For the record, I graduated from a Massage School; not a program. That is, my school only taught massage. They didn't teach medical assisting in room A, computers in room B, dental assisting in room C, massage in room D, bartending in room E, paralegal in room F, etc. Everything taught in our school was related to the practice of Massage Therapy; whether on the therapeutic or administrative side.

Think it doesn't matter? OK. . .

It matters because some of those fly-by-night schools have a low rate of students who later go on to become licensed or pass National Certification exams. What does that mean? It's like a medical school where most of the students can't pass state Board exams. That means after 4 years and over $150,000 in loans, the graduates have not learned enough to receive their medical licenses. I sure wouldn't go to someone for medical attention who went through 4 years of med school and didn't learn enough to pass state boards!

So why would you go to someone who graduated from Massage School and didn't learn enough to pass their state or national licensing requirements?

For the record, when the State of Georgia began licensing Massage Therapists I was one of the first (#55). I am also Nationally Certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). I attended a year-long program at an Accredited Massage School; which is probably why I also passed the NCBTMB exam on my first try with high scores. And truthfully, at the end of our program, we suggested to the school administrator that the program really should have lasted 18 months. She agreed. However, she also understood that it would be difficult to sell students on an 18 month program; as it was difficult enough to convince some to attend a 12 month program. Especially when there are programs telling unsuspecting people that they can "become a Massage Therapist in a few short months".

In those 12 months, there was so much information crammed on us that most of us were in a constant state of overload; especially those of us who were also holding full-time jobs during the day. Contrary to popular belief, you have to learn a LOT more in massage school than just how to rub oil or lotion on somebody. I attended a 775 hour program with three SEPARATE certifications (which will be even more significant in a later blog) and we had extensive courses in Anatomy/Physiology/Pathology, Hygiene/AIDS Awareness, Ethics, Nutrition, Swedish, Sports & Restorative Therapies, Neuromuscular Therapy, Hydrotherapy, and Business. We also had to become certified in CPR before graduating. And let's not forget student clinic and homework requirements; in which we had to apply the numerous rehabilitative techniques we learned to practical applications.

Keep in mind that all of that was merely foundation. The real learning takes place actually working on clients and with other more experienced therapists. And not just from other Massage Therapists. We also learn from working with Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Osteopaths, Orthopedists, Physiatrists, and other practitioners who work with the structure and musculoskeletal functioning of the body. Such learning NEVER really ends. Which is why I also stay away from MT's who don't believe in taking Continuing Education courses and brag about how they learned all they need to know in Massage School.

That's like going to a doctor who graduated from Med School 20 years ago but hasn't learned anything since then. Have any idea how much technology changes each day? Why would you trust your health to someone who is not willing to keep up?

By the way - Georgia and NCBTMB require their therapists to complete a prescribed number of Continuing Education credits each renewal term. Another beneficial feature of licensing - in my opinion - because it will require many formerly lackadaisical MT's to sharpen and hone their skills. I think it will also cause many MT's who aren't serious about their work to FINALLY leave the industry. Because most legitimate CEU courses are not cheap. No one in their right mind is going to pay out that amount of money each year for a "hobby" or a "hookup".

The point is, Licensing is an important function because it differentiates between people who actually went to school for massage and those who are running around talking about "I do massage". I can't begin to count how many people I've met online who claimed to be MT's but got UPSET when I started asking questions about what school they attended and what they were certified in. They may be able to con "Average Joe-Blow" on the street. But I work in this industry. I know which questions to ask to ascertain whether or not the person is a legitimate MT or not.

Another important feature of Licensing is the ability for consumers to check with the respective boards to find out if your MT has any customer complaints or a criminal background. Before the State of Georgia was licensing MT's, those of us in the City of Atlanta had to go to the police department for licensing. That included being fingerprinted and having criminal background checks run EACH YEAR. I know the state performed criminal background checks but I'm not sure if they are going to do so each renewal period. However, I do know that they do have a complaint process for customers who have had problems with MT; specifically misconduct. So if you've been to a so-called MT who was inappropriate with you, PLEASE report that individual to the licensing board (and the police) and get them off the street. They make a bad name for those of us who ARE legitimate and make it 10 times as hard for us to get business!

It's hard to tell if that unlicensed MT is a convicted sex offender because no one had to run a background check on them. Hmm. . .

Some of you may still be saying. . .what difference does it make? Some of you guys may even be hoping you run across a female unlicensed MT who is a convicted sex-offender. Well, schoolboy fantasies aside. . .it does make a difference. Because that MT who doesn't know what they are doing may not know which questions to ask you before or during a session. And those questions can make a BIG difference.

They may not know that if you have certain conditions, they can't work on you (contraindications). They may not know to change their sheets and wash (disinfect) their hands between clients and expose you to some communicable disease their previous client may have had (That sexy sex-offender may have caught a raging case of herpes while being inappropriate with their last client and rub it on you next - yuck!). They may not realize your condition is outside of their scope of practice and hurt you by trying to work something they're not supposed to be working (such as trying to align your skeletal vertebrae; which is definitely Chiropractor territory). They may not know which muscles will relieve your pain conditions and which ones will aggravate them; putting you in more pain than before you started.

Moreover, if you're lying in a bed and not responsive, they may set up their table and later call Mary Kate-Olson or some other former child actor instead of performing CPR or calling 911!!!

As a LMT, I have too many issues with that story:

Firstly, I don't work in client bedrooms. So I have no idea why she'd be setting up a table in his bedroom. There are too many mixed signals in such a scenario and I wouldn't set myself up for them. Which is also another reason why I do NOT perform outcalls; especially to clients in hotels. I remember hearing students in MT school talking about how they did so and enjoyed it. And I have nothing against the ones who do. However, it’s just not something that interests me.

Secondly, I wouldn't have set up a table until I spoke with the client to find out how they were doing that day. The fact that the client was not responsive would have been my first tip-off that something wasn't right. I take health histories during my clients' initial visits and check-in with them prior to each session to find out what's going on before I do anything. For all I know, my client could be an inch from cardiac arrest. What would I look like just working on them without asking any questions first?

Thirdly, the only phone call I can think of to make when someone is not responsive is 911; not celebrities with no medical training. CPR is not always the best choice; which means you need to speak with someone who is more qualified to make that call. However, if necessary, I would have been able to perform it; since that is one of the certifications I renew along with my MT license. Not sure if it is a state requirement, but it makes sense for anyone who works on people in a healthcare/bodywork setting.

Despite all of the above information, your choice of a Massage Professional is ultimately your choice. However, as someone who works in this profession and has a wealth of "insider information", I surely would NOT let someone work on my body that is NOT licensed nor qualified to receive one. That goes for MT's or any other healthcare/bodywork professional!

To learn more about how to find a Licensed and qualified MT, please visit the following sites:

http://www.ncbtmb.org/

http://www.amtamassage.org/

For local inquiries, please contact the Georgia Secretary of State at:

http://www.sos.ga.gov/plb/

Thank you for your time,

Raleigh McKeever - State of Georgia LMT (MT000055), NMT, NCTMB

I originally wrote and posted this blog to my MySpace page in January of 2007. However, an unsettling experience with a chiropractor I thought I was going to be networking with last month reminded me of the ignorance that persists regarding this subject; even from other healthcare providers. Therefore, I have decided to repost it to other forums this year.

As a male MT, I currently have something that is virtually unheard of in our industry; namely, a predominately male client base. This is unusual because typically we have a more difficult time selling men on the idea of coming to us for bodywork. I personally attribute this to three major factors:

1. Massage being packaged and sold as a "sensual luxury" with no medicinal or clinical value.

2. Massage being packaged and sold as a "feminine" activity in regards to practitioners and clientele.

3. Sex industry workers hiding behind the word Massage as a euphemism for what they're REALLY doing (I wonder what the AMA would do if hookers started calling themselves Board Certified Physicians).

Not to say that it has been easier for me to sell to men. In fact, the main reason why I currently have so many of them is because I inherited them from my prior massage job; which happened to be in a Day Spa for Men.

Ironically, the reason why I believe so many of them followed me to my own practice was because the work I perform is NOT what is typically performed or expected in a Day Spa. That is because my massage education was more of a clinical nature; which is more about assessments, corrections, and working specific problem muscles. Not the pampering, feel-good, beautifying type of work you typically see in spa ads.

That was actually one of the things that drew me to that job. I initially sought work with a chiropractor or comparable healthcare setting. The last thing I wanted was to get stuck in some spa where the only experience I would gain would be in performing wraps & scrubs and "pushing beauty creme". The reason why I had difficulty finding the clinical types of positions, however, was because most of them required me to work weekdays; which would have conflicted with my full-time Database Manager job. Since the DBM position is what paid the bulk of my bills, I'm sure you know which one took priority.

Fortunately, the spa allowed me to work weekends-only; which turned out to be the busiest days. Furthermore, I knew that since I'd be working on men, the demands would be greater due to our physical size and musculature. Translated: Men are more difficult to work on. For that reason, men are great experience. Because it takes more than a cutesy lotion rub to correct male musculoskeletal dysfunction; especially on big guys who work hard. Which meant I would be able to finally apply the clinical techniques I learned in school to a practical setting.

I actually made those realizations while still in MT school. It was actually my practice work on male friends for homework that I think prepared me the most for my job as a MT. Because most of the students in MT schools are predominately female, I think a lot of students leave there with a false sense of professional reality. I know some females who spent their entire programs dodging the males in their classes and only worked on their female classmates. But as soon as they had to work on men in student clinic or in the industry, they couldn't handle it. The demands and expectations are totally different. If you're going to work on men - especially the athletic ones - you'd better be prepared to WORK. Because most men don't come back if they don't see results from their sessions.

And very rarely do "lotion rubs" result in noticeable results!

But despite all of that, it is still a tough sell FOR men TO men. I also learned that before I got out of school. Do you have any idea how hard it was to simply find male friends to perform homework assignments on?

Fortunately, there was one other male in my class and I eventually started working with one in another class. But aside from that, it was hard to get experience working on men. Eventually, I found a few friends with issues who would allow me to work on them; which was the type of practice I preferred. I didn't need experience "rubbing" or "feeling" on people. I needed to get experience WORKING on people. And to this day, I am eternally grateful to the few who did not give me the run-around or come up with constant excuses. Because had it not been for them, I probably would have graduated MT school with certification but no REAL COMPREHENSION of dealing with specific muscular issues and imbalances.

That's like someone graduating with a degree in Computer Science yet clueless as to how to turn on a computer. Guess how long they will keep a job? Probably about as long as it took for some MT graduates I know to leave the industry and run back to working the drive-thru!

Of course, it didn't really matter because clients weren’t exactly lining up to see me in student clinic. At least, not at first. Eventually, I ended up getting a few regulars who liked the results of my work and returned. But at first, it was a hard sell. But I didn't take it personally. A few months earlier, I worked the front desk at the student clinic and was able to witness the clear bias against male MT's. The females were constantly booked but the males always had difficulty. I personally took calls from people who claimed to be in desperate need of bodywork. However, as soon as I mentioned that the therapist was a male, they quickly changed their tune. And it wasn't just the males who had a problem with us. A number of females did, too. But I'm going to save that one for a future blog.

One thing those experiences taught me, though, was that I'd just have to be better and work harder than the next MT. My mentor is a man and he's been very successful in this industry. In fact, he's been at it for 14 years. However, he told me years ago not to expect too many male clients. As a businessman, I have a problem accepting that. The reason why is because I know that in order to be successful, I am going need to be able to reach all types of clients. Besides, I enjoy dealing with a variety of people. That's one of the things that make what I do so interesting. It's great getting to interact with an array of client types.

It also keeps things from becoming boring!

As a business major, I knew that before striking out on my own, I needed to conduct some "marketing research" in order to learn how to better reach men; specifically the types of men who would benefit the most from the work I do. I didn't focus so much on women because I didn't expect them to be as hard of a sell. Man, was I wrong – LOL! But then again, as I said before, I'll save that topic for another blog.

I still remember one of my first "experiments". While working out at my gym in the mornings before going to the DBM job, one of the young bodybuilders caught my attention. He was one of the SERIOUS guys who come to the gym like he's going to a job. No standing around and socializing for him! He came in, hit it hard, and was out the door and on his way. Considering that I've been going to the gym for almost 20 years, I quickly recognized him as the "real deal" and not one of those dudes there for the "Hey baby" workout.

At first, I started off just picking up moves from his workouts to incorporate into my own. It was later that I found myself subconsciously assessing his gait and postural patterns. It wasn't hard because I saw him there so often; whether I came in the morning or evening. While doing so, I noticed something off; but I wasn't quite sure of what. So I decided to make contact with him and offer him some complimentary sessions in exchange for his opinions and attitudes. I went to the level of putting together a marketing letter (and being careful NOT to use the word "massage" because I know what some people think when you throw that word out at them). I wanted to put things in his court and let him contact me on his time. After all, since it was his assistance I was after, the last thing I wanted to do was come off as pushy.

We finally got around to having a brief conversation about it one morning and it was clear that he was NOT interested. He was cool about it and I respected his feelings. Nevertheless, I was still interested in learning WHY he was so quick to dismiss my offer; which was one of the things I wished to learn from. However, I didn't force the issue because I preferred to keep a line of communication open between us. Eventually, during a later conversation, he finally said what was really on his mind. It came out when he suggested that I "really should market to women" and that "most men want to be massaged by a female".

Keep in mind that throughout our interactions, I tried my best to stay away from the "M" word. But it was clear that once I said it to him, it was in the forefront of his mind. When I first spoke to him, I came at him with concepts such as "gait patterns", "postural distortions", "musculoskeletal imbalances", and "performance enhancement". At NO POINT did I say to him, "Come by my 'spa' so I can give you a 'seaweed wrap' and an 'avocado masque'" - LOL. After all, this guy was a serious, hardcore JOCK. I'm talking at least 6' 2" and 240 lbs. of SOLID muscle! I came at him strictly from the viewpoint of how I can help him maintain his body, reduce his risk for injuries, and increase his performance; things that I would assume a jock would be interested in.

Interestingly, when I first mentioned what I dealt with, he asked if I were a "physician" or a "chiropractor". The idea of me being a massage professional NEVER entered the picture. So apparently there was something in my pitch that let him know that I was some sort of healthcare provider. But as soon as I had to reveal that I was a MT, it was clear that the stereotypical images of a massage came to his mind. Why else would he suggest that I market my services to women?

Do you think he would have made the same suggestion had I been a man "physician" or a "chiropractor"? Moreover, would he have been so quick to turn down complimentary work had I been a man in the aforementioned two professions?

I wasn't offended by his suggestion, though, because I could tell that he was being sincere. In fact, the tone and context of his words suggest that he meant it to be encouraging. In fact, I appreciated his attitude; which was a far cry from some of the male jerks I’ve come across since the day I decided to go to MT school. Nevertheless, it was still clear to me that he definitely had a different perception of what a MT does. Because otherwise, he would have realized that my work is more beneficial to a big guy like him who works his muscles hard than to some bored socialite looking for something to do in between lunch at the club and shopping with the girls.

Now THOSE are prime candidates for the "seaweed wrap" and the "avocado masque" - LOL! Easy money...but not part of MY business model.

While still in school, a friend of mine told me something that I've found to be true: "Men who won't let you work on them are men who aren't in enough pain yet". And it's true! I have a MT friend who has told me about some male professional athletes he has worked on who were in so much pain they didn't even give him time to leave the room before they had stripped down and practically jumped on his table. From what I've heard, some serious pro jocks will do that in a minute. Nothing sexual...but it freaks out most female - and some less secure male - MT's. Those guys are the ones who know what it's like to be in CHRONIC pain and know that professionals like me are adept at finding and working that pain out. They also know there's NOTHING sexy about a CLINICAL MT working their muscles. In fact, most of the work we do is painful because of the state the muscles are usually in by the time we get to them.

That's why the freaks looking for sex typically stay away from MT's like us. Clinical work typically turns off sexual urges QUICK! Freaks usually prefer those nice, soft, lotion-rubbing MT's.

I often wonder if the men who refuse to patronize a male MT also have same problems with male Physicians, male Chiropractors, or male Physical Therapists. Unlike the physician, I don't ask you to disrobe and then perform rectal, testicular or hernia exams on you (Which most men usually accept without question or hesitation because the man asking for it is a DOCTOR). As for Chiropractors and PT's...Guess who we often work in conjunction with? When your Chiropractor finally realizes that adjusting you over and over is NOT taking care of the problem and that the problems are actually in your muscles, guess who they are going to refer you to?

On some levels, I understand why some guys don't want other men working on them. After all, massage is so often portrayed on TV as "warm", "sensual", "pampering", and "nurturing". I've even attended some classes where the instructors were off on that trip. However, what you have to understand is that all of us are NOT working from that frame of reference. All therapists operate in different ways and it usually depends on our focus. My focus is on CLINICAL work; which leaves very little time for "nurturing" or "pampering". To tell the truth, I wouldn’t want that type of work from another man, either. For what a GOOD MT costs, I'd expect to get my muscles worked; especially the ones I'm having problems with. I'd be pissed if I paid $80-100 an hour for some dude who spent the entire session "rubbing on me".

In fact, for that kind of money, a woman had better "put it down", too!

But before ruling us ALL out, I implore you to find out what we are about first. Granted - There are some men who I don't want working on me, either. I'm in this business and I know there are some skanky ones who are looking for "something extra". However, if you read over some of my previous blogs, you'll have a pretty good idea of how to weed them out. Those dudes typically don't know Tibialis Anterior from Splenius Capitus. A few minutes of conversation with them and you'll pretty much figure out the muscles they're REALLY interested in working on. And if any of you has run across any of those types, please be sure to report them. The less of those freaks we have running around the better. They make working in this business even rougher for me; so I have NO LOVE for them!

Speaking as a male MT, this business is hard enough for us without additional drama. In other words, having potential clients who think I may be looking for "something extra" is BAD for my business. Which is why it behooves me to better understand and reach out to potential client types that others don't seem to be interested in.

Frankly, I see male clients as a large, untapped market. I don't know about you, but I've NEVER seen a Massage Ad that spoke to me; as a man. Most are for spas and clearly marketed to women. The big chain spa here in Atlanta runs a commercial that depicts their place as a big beauty parlor. I only saw TWO men in their commercial (it took me a while to spot the other one). One is the man who bought his woman a Gift Certificate there and was seen from behind receiving a big hug for doing so. The other (who was harder to spot), was receiving a "couples massage" with his woman on the next table.

Did I see any men MT's? Did I see any men receiving the type of work that I know I need; as a physically active man? Absolutely NOT!

So tell me again why should I - as a man - want to spend my money there?

As I said before, I'm not looking for certain types of clients. That is, I'm not trying to have a practice with all-men or all-women or all-blacks or all-whites or all-straight or all-gay clients. I'm usually suspicious of therapists who work like that because I'm not sure of their actual motives; especially if all of their clients look & think like them. I'm the type of therapist who is looking for clients who need and appreciate the type of work I perform. And those are the clients I hope to work with to the point that they trust me enough to refer my business to their friends and family members.