"Massage News to educate everyone about Massage Therapy because the journey is endless."

I used to wonder why getting continuing education in ethics was required for every renewal period, until I was appointed to our state massage board and had to participate in the disciplinary hearings of those therapists who have been accused of a violation.

At nearly every board meeting, there's at least one person brought up on charges. Only the ones who actually make it to the hearing stage appear; many of the accused just admit to the charge and it never gets that far; the guilty just turn in their licenses without the humiliation of a hearing in front of a room full of board members and spectators (the meetings are open to the public). That doesn't mean they're anonymous, though; the names of all violators are printed in the board's newsletter that is sent to all licensed therapists. Some also end up in criminal court, or sued in civil court, for the violation. I cannot imagine anything worse than having my name thrown out there in a bad way for all my peers to see.

I'd like to assume, and so would you, that everyone who comes to this profession comes in for the right reasons. Apparently, there are a few predators among us who think it's a handy way to meet a supply of fresh victims.

Don't get me wrong. Not everyone who is accused is guilty. There have been times when I personally did not think an accused person was guilty, but I was voted down by the other board members when it came time to decide whether or not to take that person's license. I believe there is a tendency by most professional boards to err on the side of caution. I've cried all the way home from a meeting whenever I've felt an injustice has been done, and some innocent person's livelihood was taken away.

One of the scarier trends, at least to me, has been that in a number of the cases I have heard, one therapist was accusing another of doing something inappropriate, like not draping correctly, or making a sexual comment during a massage. Usually these are therapists who don't know each other well, who are trading massage. I want to warn you not to be casual about draping just because you're working on a peer. I think in some of these instances, the therapists have been a little too casual because they viewed the person on the table as a colleague and not as a member of the public. That's a big mistake. If there's a body on your table, it doesn't matter if it's your mother. Follow the rules. It's the only way to go.