amta logo with wa chapter
american massage therapy association
WASHINGTON CHAPTER
9757 NE Juanita Dr, Suite 107
Kirkland, WA 98034
advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy in washington state
April 2014

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May 1-3, 2014 - Chapter Convention @ Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center



2014 Annual Chapter Meeting Photos
Below are photos from the 2014 Annual Chapter Meeting on March 15, 2014.


John Conniff presented information on HIPAA

Kris Proctor, Delegate; Marybeth Berney, President; Diana Thompson, 2nd VP; Jeanette Wahl, Alternate Delegate; Linda Bucher, Delegate
A sell-out crowd!

Washington Massage Journal
Click here for the Winter 2014 edition of Washington Massage Journal

Choose from a digital or pdf version at the above link.
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e-news
keeping amta-wa members connected & informed

Greetings!

Welcome to the latest edition of e-news - the bi-monthly newsletter from AMTA Washington. In each issue we keep you up to date on the latest industry news and AMTA Chapter events.  We hope that you enjoy our newsletter and feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

Sincerely,
AMTA Washington Chapter
Chapter Convention
May 1-3, 2014
Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center

If you have not yet registered for the convention, there is still time!
   
Click here for complete convention details and a link to register online. Deadline to register is April 28.  CE Sessions include HIPAA Compliance, Marketing, Massage & Cancer, Getting Paid, Ethics, Active Isolated Stretching and Structural Muscular Balancing.
Scholarship Program Scam

You may have seen a Facebook or Twitter post or received an email message from a company by the name of Unwind stating that they are partnering with AMTA on a fund for our scholarship program. This is untrue and their communications were unauthorized. We have enlisted our attorney to take further action with this company. If you receive anything else from Unwind, please let the National AMTA office know at info@amtamassage.org or 877-905-2700.


Massage Profession Research Report

The 2014 Massage Profession Research Report is now available online to member's only.  This report is a "must read" for all LMPs.



Click here for more information and to post comments about the report.
2014 Annual Chapter Meeting
 
Saturday, March 15 was a nice mix of business and pleasure, with 200+ licensed massage practitioners gathered at Echo Falls in Snohomish, overlooking the scenic golf course and lake.

It was wonderful to see so many new faces and experience the leadership growth and potential within the massage profession in Washington State. As Diana Thompson shared, "We have the best chapter in the country! I was in Oregon last weekend and this meeting is bigger than the Oregon Chapter Convention."

For some, 24 people to be exact, the day started off with a MAIN (Massage Awareness & Involvement Network) breakfast at 8am. Leaders from around the state gathered to meet, share, network, learn, strategize and get inspired (all the good stuff!) by fellow colleagues.

Third VP Teri Mayo conducts the oath of office for new board members and delegates.

All the good stuff continued on from 10am to 5pm in the large meeting room, with a chock-full agenda of business and camaraderie. Here are some highlights:
  • Introductions of your VOLUNTEER elected Chapter Board of Directors (BOD); appointed Program Directors (MAIN, Journal, Website, Gov't & External Affairs, Convention, Membership, Volunteer Support, WA Sports Massage Team-WSMT, Massage Emergency Response Team-MERT), House of Delegates, MAIN Group Leaders and new AMTA National Member-at-Large Glyn Desmond.
  • Discussion and Approval of Minutes, Standing Rules & Budget. Also discussed was the change by National AMTA regarding the $30 Chapter fee no longer being added to the $235 membership dues. This $30 helped to support our Chapter's administrative costs, advocacy efforts, MAIN groups, and volunteer support and development. Taya Countryman offered the "$100 challenge" for WA members to contribute to our Chapter. Marybeth Berney, Chapter President already took that challenge, so our leaders are setting the example.
  • Elections: 3rd VP Teri Mayo was our "MC" for this portion of the meeting and she delivered a profound and challenging charge as to the importance of voting (with her insatiable charming dry humor). Did you know that only 2.5% voted in the National AMTA elections, out of 53,000 members?
  • Chapter Program Reports: Program Directors gave a brief snap-shop to the audience of all the amazing things happening in our chapter. Updates included the recent legislative session, Affordable Care Act, the new Web Presence and the upcoming Chapter Convention in May. Our programs are the backbone of our Chapter, as Scott Lesieur, WSMT chair stated, "WSMT puts massage in front of 200,000 people every year." Now that's powerful!.
  • Election Results/Officer Installation: Congratulations to President (Marybeth Berney), 2nd VP (Diana Thompson), Secretary (Michael Mandell), House of Delegates (Linda Bucher, Kristine Proctor), Alternate Delegate (Jeanette Wahl)
  • and More....: Meritorious Award announced (Congrats to Annie LaCroix), Prize Drawings & Healthy Lunch
  • Continuing Education (1-5pm): Attendance at both presentations met the state ethics requirement.
HIPAA Compliance for LMPs by John Conniff; a great opportunity to learn about this health privacy information and regulations.

ETHICS: Roles & Boundaries by Taya Countryman; an engaging presentation to learn and recognize psychological factors in yourself and others.

This rainy day in March was enlightening and instructive... a great opportunity to; earn CE's, stay informed of Chapter business, vote in Chapter elections and network/meet other LMPs.

If you missed the Annual Meeting, John Conniff will be presenting "HIPPA Compliance for LMPs" again at Chapter Convention, plus there are over 100 additional hours of Continuing Education available to choose from, including Ethics, Massage During Chemotherapy, Aromatherapy and MUCH MORE! 
Chapter Website
 
Our new website is much more than just a website. It is a place to connect with other members throughout the state. If you haven't updated your profile yet, take a few minutes to log on and see what the new site has to offer.



Here are a few highlights:

First, you can fill out your own profile with all the information about yourself that you would like others to know. We have a very good "Find a Therapist" feature which allows the public to locate an AMTA-WA therapist near them. If you have good information in your profile including your location, rates, hours and modalities, it will make it easy for you to connect your business to new clients.

Second, you can connect with other LMPs across the state. This is beneficial for finding local events, continuing education classes or just general networking. For those therapists that live in more remote areas, our website will give you an opportunity to find other therapists on-line and have virtual networking meetings.

We also have many local MAIN (Massage Awareness and Involvement Network) groups. Find one close to you and get involved right in your own neighborhood. Then, through the website, connect with other MAIN group members.

In addition to being able to connect with people across the state, you can also use the website as your own personal file cabinet. You can store Continuing Education certificates, receipts, pictures, documents or anything else you might want to categorize in one place related to your business.

We are all used to websites that just give us information we need. But think of our new AMTA-WA website as a place to find what you need, connect with friends, reach out to new clients and file away important documents. We are taking our on-line presence to a whole new level and we can't wait to see you there!
Legislative Article from Lobbyist Melanie Stewart
 

In each issue of our e-news, Melanie Stewart reports on key legislative issues of interest to the massage profession.WA DOH logo 

 

Click here to read legislative issues as of February 24th. 

 

Sign In to the AMTA Chapter Website
 
We've established website accounts for all current members of AMTA Washington on our Chapter site - www.amta-wa.org

When you Sign In you'll be able to take advantage of the many member benefits we offer online.  For example, you can register for events at member pricing, gain access to members-only pages such as Legal Assistance and member forums.

In December 2013, we sent an e-mail to all members containing Sign In instructions. If you haven't signed in yet, or you don't have the e-mail, follow the instructions below. 
  • Go to the website home page
  • Click on Forgot your password?
  • Enter your e-mail address
  • Enter the validation code
  • Click on Reset Password 
You'll receive an e-mail with a link to reset your password. During the reset process your Username will appear on the screen. Please make note of this as you'll need it to Sign In.

If you don't receive the Password Reset e-mail or you're encountering any other difficulties, contact our webmaster for assistance.


We've also posted several help pages on the website so that you'll be able to utilize all of the features we offer.
Update Your Website Profile
 
After you've Signed In to the Chapter website, the first thing you should do is update your profile.  Your profile will determine what information is visible to other members and the public.

The profile page is where you'll also determine if you would like to be included in our "Find a Therapist" search feature. This is where the public can search for LMP's by city, region or specialty, such as Hot Stone, or Reflexology.

To configure your profile -
  • Sign In to the website
  • Click on Manage Profile (right side of screen)
  • Click on Edit Bio (left side of screen)
Click here for the Edit Bio help page with detailed instructions on how to configure your profile (sign in required)