If you are open about what you do, who you are, and what your plans hold, trust in your integrity will follow.  This is the case in your personal life as well as for your business.  To showcase a legal example of this, California had new regulations take effect on January 1st, aiming to bring to the forefront legitimate massage practicioners and attempt to reduce some of the stigma that many even in our modern society have with the concept of massage.  Getting certified by the state as a massage therapist is becoming more streamlined and open to the public, superceding the differing requirements from city to city that are currently in place.

The LA Times posted a nice article on the specifics of the law, which is almost universally lauded by spas and massage therapists, as well as some general information about the state of the industry and the health benefits – if any – from massage.

If you're in California, let us know how you think the law will affect you, even if good or bad.   Those not in California, what kind of an impact do you think it will have on the industry as a whole?

4 Responses...

1. A says:

   February 9, 2009 at 2:57 pm

   All of our therapists are extremely well trained, have professional memberships, National Board Cred. Insurance and business licenses. Was there any other option?

   I guess for the places that were running unlicensed therapists the ease of the requirements of a State License add a welcome legitimacy they have been lacking.

   As for the future of Massage Therapy — therapists will probably see a reduction of per hour pay and a flood of low skill level therapists into the market, ready to do the job for 1/2 the price. The requirements for state license are minimal and the local Police Departments no longer regulate establishments.

   Only time will tell if this is good for the industry or just the owners.
2. JaxRox says:

   February 11, 2009 at 10:19 am

   In the state of Missouri licensing has been profitable for the dozens of massage schools that have popped up since 2001, many turning out hoards new trained therapist who are willing to work for $10 hour. We were told it would protect the customers from bad therapists and prostitution could no longer parade as massage therapists. There are still some "not good therapists" inflicting low level injury on some clients, but that will happen with or without laws. Clients now have more recourse to make claims. However, prostitutes in our state continue to work as massage therapists, openly advertising in the weekly papers, on YellowPages.com and on Craig's List with fake license numbers etc. The State board does nothing about it because it would cost too much money to enforce the laws. ATT-Yellow Pages website even allows escorts and erotic massage ads to be mixed in with legitimate therapists. So seems like the people who have benefited the most from all these new state laws are the bureaucrats in our state capitol, the national test board which makes millions from the fees from all the students, the massage schools and the prostitutes of course do well. Legitimate massage therapists just have more fees and licenses to pay for and much more competition from over-saturation in the marketplace.
3. Janet Sanders says:

   February 12, 2009 at 3:13 pm

   We are going through official licensing in the next two months here in Colorado and I welcome it. I do feel for JaxRox with their situation — legitimate massage listed alongside "questionable massage" all that does is legitimize the illegal activities. I welcome a strong show of enforcement. There are so many people working without insurance! Hopefully the creepy massage therapists can go to other non licensing states now…
4. Andrea Feucht says:

   February 17, 2009 at 1:50 pm

   Thank you for all of your comments.

   @A — Because you're in California and you are already licensed/certified as much as you can, the new law won't change what you are doing. Indeed, time will tell when and if the consolidation of the state requirements from the existing policies that are set by counties and cities will be enforceable and beneficial to both business owners and consumers alike.

   @JaxRox — A very cursory look at Missouri law (http://pr.mo.gov/massage.asp) reveals that getting licensed starts with a certified 500-hour study, including 100 hours of anatomy, 50 hours of ethics, and 300 hours of technique. It also requires passing exams and having one's fingerprints on file. If many more schools have cropped up to create new massage therapists, then yes, there will be over-supply for awhile, and that hurts those in the business. I hope that enforcement becomes more effective, and the industry does well in the long-term, despite the current problems.

   @Janet — It looks like Colorado adopted nearly the same requirements as Missouri — 500 hours with exams, background check, etc. It doesn't say much if anything about insurance, however. With only about 10 states remaining without licensing requirements, the "creepy" practitioners are running out of room…