JOIN THE REVOLUTION - Yes YOU!

I know what you're thinking...What revolution is there in Massage Therapy?

If you are a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT), you may already know the answer to this question.  If you're not, let me enlighten you.  But first, let me ask you this: Do you want to make a difference in your life and the lives of people you meet?  If you do, please read on and be empowered; if you don't, reading further may change your life!

Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Yukon, North West Territories, Nunavut, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI all have something in common: Massage Therapy is not Regulated through their Health Region; we are all accredited private institutes through an educational branch of our provincial governments and massage associations, but we are still considered secondary health care.  Why?, you may ask, and you would be right to do so!  Because we have only a fraction of the support we could have and, as most of us know, to make change with any governing body, the number of people who support a cause determines the strength and speed of that change!

Doctors, chiropractors, and physiotherapists also all have something in common: they are considered Primary Health Care givers; they all benefit people in one way or another in our ever-present quest for a better lifestyle; they all use extreme measures (at times) to practice.  Their methods serve to help us live a healthier life and to be happy and content.  The only difference (other than technique application) that Massage Therapists have is being considered secondary health care givers.  Our practice focuses on soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.) manipulation for a number of purposes (increasing joint movement, increasing circulation, improving quality of life) and yet, we are considered to be less important than other health professionals who aim for the same outcome.

Why am I telling you this?  What could you possibly have to do with massage regulation?  Give me a couple more minutes of your time and you may just be surprised by the answer.

Every massage therapist or massage therapy student understands how difficult it can sometimes be to see their profession grow, not only in the eyes of their clientele, but in view of the government.  Not to say we aren't growing ($4-6 Million average expenditures on Massage Therapy in 2003 alone).  Various Massage associations do their best to raise awareness about the benefits of Massage Therapy and the need for regulation, but we seem to be missing something very important: YOU!

Yes, YOU!

May I ask you another question? Oh, good :)  Do you feel like you could have more purpose in your work, that your current lifestyle could be better?  If you answered yes, then you have an option you may not have realized until now: becoming a Massage Therapist.  I know, easier said than done, right? NO! Any RMT out there will tell you three things: (1) what a relief it was to only have to take 2 years of training and get right to work; (2) how fulfilling it is to hear some one say "wow, I don't know what you just did, but I can actually move my neck (or other area)"; and (3) how perfect it is to make their own hours, make $25-50 per hour, and be a part of something with purpose!

You may be thinking, "Ok, what's the catch? Why does it sound like all benefit for me when you said you needed me?"  We do need you!  We need you to be in a Massage Therapy career; not only that, we need you to be successful in that career (which, by the employment rates, is highly obtainable) and to be content with your new lifestyle.  Why?  Because happy, employed professionals with a purpose in life have the kind of voice and presence we need to reach out to our Provincial Health Regions for regulation.

If this has peeked your interest even a little, I encourage you to spend some time looking into a career start or change into this ever growing field.  Here are a few sites to get you started:

• www.pimtmassage.com
• www.saskmassagetherapy.com
• www.nhpcanada.org
• www.massageheightscanada.ca

 To come...Massage Therapy Myths Unveiled!

Welcome

Thank you for visiting the Professional Institute of Massage Therapy (PIMT) - Saskatoon Blog.  Administration and Staff at the Institute consider it a privilege to be able to inform, discuss, and converse with you.

At PIMT, we employ the highest academically trained staff to support our curriculum.  Our staff have specialized training in their field of expertise.  In addition, our massage instructors have no less than 2200 hours of full-time massage therapy education.

Our course consists of academic and practical applications.  In conjunction with Massage, we offer classes in Physiology, Pathology, Anatomy, Nutrition, Kinesiology, Remedial Exercise, Professional Development, and Business.  These classes enable students to graduate with the appropriate knowledge to succeed in the massage therapy profession.

Our curriculum contains specialized classes in Hydrotherapy, Cadaver Workshops, First Aid/CPR-C, Sports First Aid, and Sports Taping & Bandaging as part of the total curriculum.  These classes will broaden your scope of massage therapy training.

Our policies and procedures continue to develop as the Institute grows.  Each year we gather as a staff to re-develop polices to meet the needs of our students to ensure that they reflect fair and reasonable commitments to the Institute by both staff and students.

We also offer bi-monthly workshops.  The workshop is designed to provide a better understanding of our course and is a very rewarding experience.  Please take the opportunity to ask questions and assimilate as much information as possible with your comments to the posts.

Whether you are a student, staff member, alumni, or someone looking for more information about the ever-expanding field of Massage Therapy, we hope this blog helps you decide if massage therapy is the best option for you and if PIMT can offer both information and services to provide for your individual needs.  We look forward to the possibility of educating, informing, or treating you in the future.