Time: 7 PM

Location: Coldwater Executive Suites
28 W Chicago St
2nd floor conference room

Contact: Laurijean.rowe@gmail.com,
or go to Lauries website www.inegrativesomaticsinstitute.com

All Massage Therapists are Welcome, regardless of professional affiliations.

We will be providing massage therapy to responders who participate in this exercise.
Contact Cindy Dort
sleepingfeather@yahoo.com
Please let her know what your availability is!
Thank you for your generous donation of time and talent!

I don’t know if any AMTA members have wondered about how our organization is run, or thought much past what happens at the chapter level, so being a part of the ‘big picture’ really helped me gain perspective, and I’d like to share that with you.

In March, I attended a National board meeting with all chapter presidents invited. At that time, the board solicited the chapters’ input on forming a new ‘vision statement’ for our organization. In the past, and ‘way back since the inception of AMTA, the focus has been to legitimize the art and science of massage therapy, and to push for licensure in all 50 states. Also since that time, things like the ‘vision statement’ have been made at the National board level with national staff assisting the process. This time, involving chapter leaders and soliciting input through surveys and social media was really breaking the mold on how things have been done in the past. No sacred cows here, we were treading new ground.  Since Licensure is a goal that is close to fruition, and licensure has arrived in most states, as an organization it was time to find a new focus and redefine who we are as a profession, and to provide focus for the coming generations of massage therapists. Who would we be? What horizons did our profession want to move toward?

St Louis and its Arch are symbols of the ‘gateway to the west’ where our country expanded with its Louisiana purchase. Where did our profession want to expand, what as yet unknown territories did we want to explore? This is a time for change in the massage profession, and we had a chance to be a part of the next step!!! Based on the input from the March meeting, AMTA sent out member surveys online and through social media to look for areas that we should consider when redefining ourselves. The top 5 areas from this research were

1. Healthcare integration
2. Promote AMTA therapists to the public
3. Quality education, in massage schools and continuing education, even degreed programs
4. Research for evidence-backed massage results
5. Support members through government relations, education, and promotion of skills and abilities

Also in the March meeting we talked a lot about ‘branding’ and ‘portability’. These were classified as ‘goals and objectives’ with a three to five year work focus, the ‘vision’ statement that we were formulating was a 10-30 year plan, so we needed to ‘think big’.

In St. Louis, the work group from the National board pulled the data from all the surveys and the information from the March meeting and set us up in groups to refine the survey information into a cohesive vision statement. We were seated at round conference tables in groups of 5-8, with a National staff person and a National board member at each table, with chapter presidents as the remainder of the group. As a group, we went through the prototype of the vision statement that the workgroup had put together. Then, each table was assigned a set of worksheets with the vision statement broken down into segments that we discussed, picked apart, reformed, and made loads of suggestions and revisions to-and in some cases we just approved things as they were presented. After our working discussions, we came together as a whole and shared what each group had discussed. The National workgroup took all these critiques, and while the rest of us took a lunch break, they worked like crazy and came up with the next draft of our vision statement. It wasn’t really ‘voila, we are finished’ quite yet!! We repeated the process in a different format, scoring the changes, having more discussion, what we referred to as ‘wordsmithing’, and making sure everyone was heard. Again, changes were suggested and implemented.

It was really interested to see how some members were attached to words like ‘spirit’, or ‘power of touch’. There were involved discussions on use of ‘healthcare providers’ versus ‘health, care, and wellness providers’. Or what about ‘licensing’ vs. ‘effective licensing’? ‘Law’ vs. ‘enforcement’? Are we looking for ‘quality’ or ‘quantity’? Who is ‘the public’? Does ‘quality drive quantity’?? Does ‘education drive quality’??? By the end of the day, my brain was exhausted with trying to make intelligent decisions on wording that would provide the vision for my industry for the next 10-30 years. Fortunately, all our suggestions were handed over to the National workgroup for ‘polishing up’, and would be presented again before being approved by the National Board of Directors.

I understand from some of the National board members, who are also members of other non-profit organizations, that it is unheard of to bring together over 70 participants from different size states; with different regulations; in addition to National Board members, National staff, and Chapter board members to try to forge a new vision statement.

Areas that the vision statement covered were:

• Advocacy and Influence
• Industry Relationships
• Professional Competency
• Community
• Image and Awareness
• Research
• Member experience
• Government Relations

Each area had to have a stated Goal (what we wanted the outcome to be) and an Objective (the directive for how to accomplish this goal). This is where it was so wonderful to be a small part of a large group of passionate and committed people. And we all felt safe expressing our feelings (about ‘community’ or ‘research’ or ‘professional competency’) and everyone in the room, be they therapist, administrator, staff, volunteer chapter leader, or volunteer National leader, had equal weight given to their input.

Is this a great country, or what???

After much discussion and voting as a group, we had the bones of a great vision statement, something that we hoped would take our profession into the next decade or two. The committee then let us adjourn and take to St. Louis for some rest and relaxation, however they stayed put and worked until the document was polished and ready for a vote by the National Board of Directors. The finished product is what follows, and I hope that everyone reads it and weighs in on it. What do you think? Let us know and we will put some of the feedback up on the website. Remember, it’s YOUR association. Where do you want massage to be in the next quarter century???

When: Saturday August 7

Where: Ann Arbor, MI (details to be provided to volunteers)

• Bring own chair or table
• Need 8-10 therapists
• Shirts/water provided

Contact Deb Zager at president@amtamichigan.org

Proposed Goals FY11/12 Future Directions

MISSION:

To serve AMTA members while advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy.

Proposed Core Values:

• We are a diverse and nurturing community working with integrity, honesty and dignity.
• We are a nonprofit member-driven organization of ethical professionals.
• We embrace excellence in education, service, and leadership.
• We endorse professional standards and support fair regulation of massage therapy.
• We believe that massage benefits all.

Proposed Vision Statement:

As the most trusted professionals in massage therapy, American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) members are integral to health care and wellness

AMTA’s vision is a future where:

• AMTA members are devoted to professionalism and excellence in massage therapy practice.

• Quality research is the foundation for evidence-informed massage therapy education and practice.

• AMTA supports its members in expanding their knowledge through quality education.

• AMTA embodies the spirit of community in support of its members.

• AMTA promotes its members as the highest quality professionals in massage therapy.

• Massage therapy is easily accessible.

• Massage therapy is a vital component of health care and wellness.

Proposed FY11/12 Strategic Plan Goals

Proposed Member Experience Goals

Goal:  AMTA members receive and potential members discover the rewards of AMTA membership.

Objective:  To increase members’ and potential members’ awareness of the value of AMTA membership.

PROPOSED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY

Goal:  Support high standards in massage therapy education.

Objective:  Expand massage therapy education that elevates our members’ professional competency.

ADVOCACY AND INFLUENCE

Goal:  The health care and wellness industry accepts the value of massage therapy

Objective:  Increase understanding of the benefits of massage therapy through education of the health care and wellness industry.

PROPOSED IMAGE AND AWARENESS

Goal:  Consumers prefer massage therapy from AMTA members.

Objective:  Increase consumer preference for massage therapy provided by an AMTA member.

PROPOSED INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS

Goal:  AMTA is a respected leader within the health care and wellness industry.

Objective:  Increase collaboration between AMTA, its members and the other health care and wellness industry leaders.

PROPOSED RESEARCH GOALS

Goal:  AMTA members are aware of the importance of scientific research to the massage therapy industry.

Objective:  Increase the opportunities to access massage therapy scientific research through AMTA vehicles.

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT RELATIONS GOALS

Goal:  AMTA works for effective licensing to ensure massage therapists’ right to practice and to protect the public.

Objective:  To establish portability of practice throughout the United States and its territories.

PROPOSED COMMUNITY GOALS

Goal: AMTA members experience a sense of community.

Objective:  Increase opportunities for members to feel connected to AMTA nationally and locally.

Note:  AMTA’s Future Directions was first developed in May 2003; submitted to the membership and other stakeholders in a call for comment in summer 2003; revised and approved by the AMTA Board in October 2003.  This edition of the strategic plan was developed with input from chapter leaders and the membership in June 2010.

Annamarie is a graduate of the School of Orthopedic Massage and BodyWork in Ann Arbor, and is nationally certified. She is the owner of ‘Soul 2 Sole’ private practice, and is a workshop instructor and educator on natural products and essential oils.

Additionally, Annamarie works at Beaumont Hospital, in their massage program. She brings a wealth of experience from both her corporate background and her clinical and teaching skills that we will all benefit from.

Annamarie will hold the position of Secretary until our April 2011 elections, when she can choose to run to fill the final year of that two-year term. Thank you and welcome, Annamarie DeSantis!

At our chapter meeting, some concerns were expressed that our chapter may not have followed all election procedures carefully. We want all members to know that our Chapter Board of Directors asked for a complete review of our election process by the National Office, National Bylaws chair and AMTA’s attorney. We are very pleased to report that everything was done according to policy. We would like to thank Terry Hirth-Caldwell, our Commissioner of Candidacy, and Todd Simmons, the Commissions Board Liason for their dedication and accurate adherence to AMTA bylaws and policy.

Deb Zager

Nomination for chapter recognition

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