A man paints with his brains and not

with his hands.

Michelangelo

President’s Message December 2006

Elizabeth Lucas’ Speech 2

Secretary’s Meeting Notes 3

No Idle Hands in Oklahoma 4

My First National Convention 5

Legislation & Treasurer’s Report 6

The Kinesiotaping Method ... 7

Calendar of Events 8

Inside this issue:

Greetings and welcome to the holiday season! Soon we will be having great times with family and friends, and looking forward to a great new year! It is also a time to look back at what we have achieved, count our blessings, and examine where we can improve. On a chapter level, we have had a remarkable year. We have grown as a chapter, and we will introduce statewide legislation next year. One thing we all can use some improvement on though, is communications and networking – expanding our circle to include more massage therapists, more clients, and more friends. I had the great experience to attend the AMTA National Convention this year, including the National Board of Director’s Meeting, The House of Delegates Meeting, and Volunteer Training, hosted by the staff of our National Office. These may seem on the surface to be rather lengthy and boring, but they had incredible benefit, in that they allowed me personally to get more training and advice on how to better serve our state chapter, and network with the membership of many other states. Atlanta was also a great showplace for the Oklahoma Chapter. We had several chapter members in attendance, and I even had the opportunity of seeing Oklahoma Massage Therapists who are not currently AMTA members. This was interesting – massage therapists,

who are not AMTA members, traveling to Georgia, and attending the classes. It made me think – is “the association” as important as the association of the profession? In casual discussion, we all could go around and around about this, but what it boils down to, from where I sit, is pretty easy. We are the AMTA – the industry leaders, the forefront of professionalism, we help fund research, promote fair and just massage legislation, and have a professional organization that is active in providing it’s members (us) with opportunities such as health insurance, professional development, and continuing education. The AMTA is not the “evil empire” or the “big brother” that many other massage therapists want to believe it is, and that is what we showed the massage therapists at the National Convention. We need to take that example down the street, and into our community. Like I stated in the opening, we will be looking forward to introducing statewide legislation this next year. Many within our industry are looking at us, the AMTA Oklahoma Chapter, to have the answers about the many questions that will arise. Forgive the pun, but we will be expected to have the “facts at our fingertips” and be able to speak to each issue. This is a great opportunity to meet, listen to, and have some recognition with the massage therapists in our communities. We do not all need to be advocates of one mindset, but we should all strive to be ambassadors of the greatest profession, and the greatest association in the Massage Therapy profession.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday season, and a great new year!

Christopher Deery, NCTMB President, AMTA-OK

It would be a good thing if man concerned himself more with the history of his nature

than with the history of his deeds.

~Friedrich Hebbel

Page 2 OKLAHOMA UPDATE

Excerpts of the Speech given by AMTA Executive Director Elizabeth Lucas at the 2006 AMTA National Convention

Your Board of Directors, the officers you elected to lead AMTA into the future, is devoted to serving our members, while advancing the massage therapy profession. To achieve that future, they have selected three goal areas of priority focus this year: • To enhance the member experience by delivering

value that earns member loyalty and commitment; • To advance professional competency by ensuring

AMTA members have the competencies, skills and professionalism to be successful;

• To advocate and influence by proactively pursuing licensure in every state

One of the unique attributes of AMTA is the involvement of our members as volunteers. Volunteering provides a way for members to get involved and be active partici-pants in carrying out the future direction of AMTA, as well as delivering ongoing programs at the local level through our network of 51 chapters. Your National Board, with input from government relations volunteers, staff and other professionals, has defined the must haves and should haves for state laws. With this information clarified and established as the basis for our work, the AMTA Government Relations Program was officially launched this past spring. We are working with chapters to achieve our goals of consistency in massage therapy licensing. I’m delighted to tell you that in a recent survey, 90% of members said we should continue our government rela-tions goal of portability of massage practice. Today, we have legislative activity in 11 states, providing lots of opportunity to make a positive move forward in creating, revising and promoting fair and consistent laws.

As we are pursuing our focuses on the member experi-ence, professional competency and advocacy and influ-ence, we also are expanding our relationships with people, organizations and regulators whose areas impact massage therapy. We continue to build our relationship with the Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium (IHPC), its Academic Consortium of Complementary and Alterna-tive Health Care task force and other complementary, alternative and integrated healthcare groups. Now, though your membership dollars, AMTA will be financially supporting the efforts of IHPC to hold a consensus conference on massage for low back

pain. This is planned to take place in 18 to 24 months. The goal is a federal statement that indicates massage is effective for low back pain. Another relationship area we are developing is around the importance of having one entry-level exam for the profes-sion. Over the last year, we have sent you emails and ar-ticles explaining the importance of this idea. Just a year ago, the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) emerged. Your AMTA leadership continues to support this kind of federation. But, to have portability, states need to accept similar requirements. We don’t want massage therapists in a few years to have to take one exam in one state and have to take another if they move to another state. We continue to encourage both FSMTB and the National Certification Board to find a workable solution to the exam issue. AMTA representatives recently attended the annual meet-ing of the FSMTB and are meeting with them again in November, along with the NCB. We will keep you abreast of continuing developments. As we pursue our future, we keep in mind our 15-30 year goal, the Board established a few years ago. It’s what we call AMTA’s “Big Goal” – “That AMTA members are the choice for massage as a routine part of society’s health and well-being.” The idea is to influence consum-ers to choose an AMTA massage therapist. To support this, we are expanding our advertising. We’ll be very visible on internet search engines, because that is becoming the most used means for people to search for a massage therapist. We are currently running ads for AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapist national locator service on Google, Yahoo, DrWeil.com and WebMD.com. We also are running full-page ads in Health, Body & Soul, Fitness, Shape and Working Mother magazines. We are targeting people who already have experienced massage therapy and telling them they should look for an AMTA member. We are telling them AMTA members should be their first choice, because being an AMTA member shows you care about being the best massage therapist.

Every year I am so impressed with Elizabeth Lucas’ Speech I decided to put some excerpts here for you.

To see the full text of her speech go to www.amtamassage.org/member/Liz06speech.html

AMTA-OK Board of Directors

President: Christopher Deery 918-810-8798 ManualTherapyInc@sbcglobal.net Immediate Past President: Jeff Smoot 580-225-5225 DSmoot@sbcglobal.net 1st Vice President: Xerlan Geiser 918-810-8186 Xerlan@sbcglobal.net 2nd Vice President: Scott Rayburn 405-528-4840 waterock1@cox.net 3rd Vice Pres:Christine Patton 405-208-2779 Christinetpatton@yahoo.com Treasurer: Gayla Henderson 918-527-5900 Gaylammt@hotmail.com Secretary: Lynne Kincaid 918-890-2105 L2pin2@sbcglobal.net

Page 3 OKLAHOMA UPDATE

September 17, 2006 AMTAOK chapter meeting held in Tulsa @ 1:30pm

Attendance: President: Christopher Deery, Immediate Past President: Jeff Smoot, 1st Vice President: Xerlan Geiser, 2nd Vice President Scott Rayburn (via speaker phone), 3rd Vice President Christine Patton, Treasurer Gayla Henderson & Secretary Lynne Kincaid Topics discussed: I. AMTAOK Chapter Funds

A.) Chapter Funds to remain in state, accounted by AMTAOK Treasurer 1.) Motion ----Gayla Henderson 2.) 2nd ----------Christopher Deery 3.) Unanimous

B.) Treasurer reappointed from Jeff Smoot to Gayla Henderson. C.) Chapter account moved to BOK.

II. Cafe press A.) National approved web site. B.) Press releases will be done by PR Chair Chuck Lauder C.) Will be receiving 1st check into AMTAOK account.

III. Four State Conference 2007 A.) Oklahoma to host 4 State

1.) 4 State Committee a) Xerlan Geiser Chair b)Jeff, Chris, Scott, Lynne & Gayla volunteered C) will put opportunity on Message Board,survey for other volunteers

B.) Location and Date to be Announced 1.) Motion---------Christine Patton 2.) 2nd---------------Christopher Deery 3.) Unanimous

X. AMTA OK Board Meeting A.) Oklahoma City meeting Early 2007 B.) Internet meeting testing November 6, 2006 at 8:00pm

1.) www.AMTAOK.org a.) Motion-----------Gayla Henderson b.) 2nd----------------Xerlan Geiser c.) Unanimous

XI. Meeting Adjourn at 4:00pm A.) Motion------------Christopher Deery B.) 2nd------------------Lynne Kincaid C.) Unanimous

Appreciation is a wonderful thing, it makes what is

excellent in others belong to us as well.

~Voltaire

Page 4 OKLAHOMA UPDATE

No Idle Hands in Oklahoma

The Third Annual "Lady Fair" benefit for Help-in-Crisis, a domestic violence shelter in the Tahle-quah area was Satur-day, October 7th, at Tahlequah's First Baptist Church Activ-ity Building. The event featured ven-dors, free manicures, beauty tips, wellness

checks, massages, food, live music, silent auction, and door prizes. We so glad that a number of Massage Therapists in the Tahlequah area provided massages at Lady Fair to help raise money. AMTA members Megan White and Donnita Armstrong worked side by side with at Sara Dunlap, Ann Barstad, Karen Fite, James Mynatt, Alicia Whelen, Rita Stratton & Marilyn Cope and raised $500. Oklahoma Nurses Association Conference AMTA members and OK Coalition Members provided chair massage at the Oklahoma Nurses Association State Conference November 9th and 10th, 2006 to promote and inform the nurses about our future legislation. AMTA member Donnita Armstrong, RN, CMT was also a presenter at the conference. WTG Donnita! Massage Therapy Awareness Week at the State Capitol was a big hit as Fifteen Massage Therapists gathered to provide chair massage at the State Capitol on October 26th, 2006. AMTA members Chuck Lauder, Scott Rayburn, Donna Cavin, Christopher Deery and Xerlan Geiser were joined by 10 other non-AMTA therapists that wanted to participate. It was a fun day for all.

The 2006 fall Camp Hope was held Saturday, October 7 and November 4 for breast cancer survivors and their supporters. Although there is an agenda, the camp is created to be a relaxing day focusing on the survivor’s enjoyment. The camp is currently being held on the grounds of the Hope Unitarian Church in a log cabin set in scenic surroundings. To preserve the camp’s intimacy, it is limited to 20 participants on a reservation basis. Xerlan Geiser is a board member of Y-Me and has participated in Camp Hope providing massage and lymphatic drainage sessions to the campers for going on 8 years. Debbie Fite another Tulsa massage therapists has assisted her at Camp Hope for the last two years. Thanks to AstraZeneca for funding the 2006 Fall Camp Hope. Because of their support there will not be any charges to those attending. Contact pcobb@y-me.org or call 494 8808 to register for the spring camp. November 11th and 12th, 27 Massage Therapists & Massage Students including several AMTA members completed the Emergency Response Massage International trainings in OKC and Collinsville. Big Thanks goes to Heritage College in OKC and Lynne Kincaid in Collinsville for arranging the trainings. November 25th AMTA members Francine Anderson, Lynne Kincaid, Christopher Deery and Xerlan Geiser traveled to Shreveport, LA on their own dimes to complete the advance training. Doug Rasmusson, founder of Emergency Response Massage International (ERMI) appointed Christopher and Xerlan as Co-Coordinators for Oklahoma. Some of you might remember Doug because he was one of the 70 Therapists from 9 states that came to help during the Oklahoma City Bombing. We are looking forward to having a functional Emergency Response Massage Team in Oklahoma. We will be needing more team leaders and be scheduling more trainings in 2007. We have a few members that are trained in MERT also. This will be one the things up for discussion at our next Board meeting January 13th in OKC. If you cannot make the board meeting and have some thoughts about this please contact any of the Board and let them know how you feel about it.

If you have an event you want listed please just send me a few lines, pictures if you have them, and I will do my best to get them in. ThanX! Xerlan

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 Page 5

My first National Convention by Scott Rayburn, CMT

7008 South Utica

523-2600 “A Massage Therapist Friendly Rehab Center”

IVIE Enterprises, Inc.

Biotone-Spa Products-Face Cradle Covers Everything Massage Therapists need with

great prices and customer service

Call Tom Christison

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5839 S. Garnett

Being an AMTA member for just over a year now I was unaware of the efforts that were being made by the organization to promote and make available continuing education credits to both members and non members. I’ve had some amazing opportunities come my way in the last 2 ½ years. This started with me becoming involved with the Oklahoma coalition for state licensure, (still a member of another organization then, silly me!) . Through this adventure I became more aware of the efforts being made by AMTA in the regions of massage research, state licensing and education as well as others. I changed my organizational affiliation, became an AMTAOK board member and am now serving on the 4– State Committee. This has been a busy but exciting and educational period. I recently attended the AMTA national convention in beautiful Atlanta, Georgia. This was an amazing experience for me. I don’t think that I can really describe what it’s like to be in an environment populated with so many massage therapists from all over the country ( and New Zealand). The energy was phenomenal! There were many industry heavy hitters present such as Tom Myers, Eric Dalton and Whitney Lowe just to mention a few. I’ve been a long time admirer of Whitney Lowe and his work and was thrilled to be able to take two of my classes with him while there. My friend Rocky equated it to being in a massage magazine.

I was amused at the environment of being on a campus within a hotel. Everyone was scurrying around with book bags and notepads trying to locate their next class. A very highly charged atmosphere! The classes were very informative an inspirational. This was the first year that COMTA sponsored a variety of classes geared towards instructors, which was of particular interest to me this year. Of course you could select from classes focused on technique, dissection, and other subjects as well. It was fun to compare notes with other therapists on the classes they were taking as well. All in all it was a great and recharging experience. I’m already looking forward to next national in Cincinnati, Ohio. Currently we’re working on our four state convention which will cover Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas in June .We hope that it will be like bringing a little bit of the National Convention home with us. Hope to see you there.

It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overleap them.

~Wenzel Lothar Metternich

October 26, 2006 should go down in history as a turning point in our legislative process. We had an incredible turnout for this Massage Therapy Awareness Week event at the State Capitol. Fifteen Massage Therapists gathered, set up chairs and stayed very busy working on people throughout the day. Most of them were not AMTA members. Most of them had never met each other. Most of them I had never met before. All of them want a state license and were willing to volunteer to make a difference. The positive energy was incredible. It was smooth, professional and every single person that got in a chair was grateful and impressed. This was a key moment for AMTA members to not only work together with other therapists but, to show the legislators the example of being able to work side by side even though we don’t see eye to eye on every single issue. The fact is we do agree on the most important thing…...It is time for change in Oklahoma! We also began the important meetings with the other state licensed health professions. Our lobbyist Lisette Barnes was amazing, smart, supportive and very well prepared. The meetings went smoothly and we can now begin to release the first rough draft for you to peek at, discuss, comment on, make suggestions!

Page 6 OKLAHOMA UPDATE

Government Relations Report

Treasurer Report from Gayla Henderson Nov 1 - Nov 30th 2006

All funds have been transferred to Bank of Oklahoma as of Nov 1.

Checking $703.94 Ending $303.94

Savings $7840.98

Bills / Reimbursement paid Nov.

Website Host - TD Information Service, Inc. $240.00

Meeting Rm - Lynn Kincaid $100.00 (NIMS Training, Collinsville)

National Conv. - Scott Rayburn $60.00

The language is located on our website at www.amtaok.org/legislation.htm (scroll down and pick a way to view it on the left hand side). If you do not have a computer or access to the internet just give me a call and I will be glad to mail a copy to you. We will be continuing to meet with state licensed health professions and get their input and support. We need everyone to be involved in this process. The Coalition webpage is up at www.okcoalition.org We have put the first draft of the language there as well as more important information for Oklahoma Massage Therapists. Sales are moving nicely in our online shop. Please go shop yourself, encourage others to as well. There are some real nice gifts there that could come in handy for the holidays. Do not hesitate to send us a message through the webpages or to contact me directly if you have questions, concerns or suggestions. Thank You! Xerlan Geiser, NCTMB GR Chair AMTA OK 918-810-8186

The Kinesio Taping Method…What is it?

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 Page 7

Kinesio Tape was developed over 25 years ago, by Dr. Kenzo Kase, in Japan. It was introduced to the United States in 1995, and has taken the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation worlds by storm. The application of this unique and innovative tape product creates mechanical and functional corrections for muscular, ligament, and tendon disorders, and provides lymphatic reduction. Kinesio Tape is a fabric tape with a paper substrate, has a non-latex adhesive, and is applied in specific directions with varying “tension or stretch”. Massage Therapists, PT’s, PTA’s, OT’s. ATC’s, MD’s and RN’s have embraced this safe and effective modality, and have incorporated its use in their practices. Kinesio Tape allows the patient or athlete to receive therapeutic benefit on a 24 hour a day basis, and is worn for multiple days. Kinesio Tape is water resistant, and physical activities, swimming and bathing do not alter the integrity of this product. Currently, the KT method is used in private practices, hospitals, clinics, universities, high schools and by many professional sports teams. The KT method tapes over and around muscles in order to: 1) prevent over contraction of the muscles, and/or 2) assist and give muscle support. Kinesio Taping is applied in such a way, as to allow support with full range of motion, enabling the individual to participate in physical activities with corrective and functional assistance.

Kinesio Taping can be used in partnership with other therapies including massage therapy, cryotherapy and hydrotherapy. The original water resistant tape comes in 1”, 1 ½”, 2” and 3” widths in 5.5 yards single rolls, and is also available in 2” width in a large 33.5 yard, clinical roll in a dispensing box. The original water resistant tape is available only in beige. The extra water resistant is available in 2” single 4.3 yard rolls, in 4 colors: Beige, Black, Blue and Red/hot pink. The Kinesio Taping Association (KTA) has launched an impressive training/certifying program to educate therapists in the proper use of this amazing taping product. KTA is a “Category A” provider with the NCBTMB. Attendance of and completion of a (2) day course (KT 1 and KT 2) will provide 16 CEU’s and completion of the (3) day course (KT 1, KT 2 and KT3) will provide 24 hours of CEU’s and allow the student to apply for and take the certification test. Upon passing the certification test, the student will earn the title of CKTP (Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner), and have access to a tremendous database developed by the KTA. The database is a referencing tool with colorful photos, clear directions and mini videos of actual taping techniques, also, a forum for discussion and interaction with other practitioners who are using Kinesio Tape.

Joyce Shieldnight, NCTMB/CKTI For more information please call (918) 486-1018

Well the committee has been hard at work. Xerlan Geiser is the Chair, and she is joined by an amazing array of volunteers; Francine Anderson,

Scott Rayburn, Lynne Kincaid, Christopher Deery, Gayla Henderson, Jeff Smoot and Christine Patton make up the core committee. We already have 15 others who answered the survey that are willing to

volunteer and help. How cool is that?!?! We had a survey we sent out to over 1300 AMTA

members in the four state area and are very pleased to have all the responses we got in. It really helps us to choose educators, plan events and include what is

most important to you all. It is a joyful challenge! The Radisson Hotel in Tulsa is located at 10918 East 41st Street and very convenient to two expressways.

There is an indoor water park for the family at no extra charge. The rooms all have sleep number beds and free high speed internet. We are in contact with educators and have begun planning the format of the whole event. We of course want everyone to come

and attend the educational classes however, for those that cannot, we will make certain that the Tradeshow is open to everyone free of charge so you can at least

drop in and participate in the celebration.

Four State Conference in Oklahoma! Save The Date! June 22nd—24th, 2007

7008 South Utica

Tulsa , OK 74136

OKLAHOMA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN MASSAGE

THERAPY ASSOCIATION

Oklahoma Chapter Board Meeting 1pm January 13th, 2007 All Members Welcome! Church on the Rock 1780 W. Memorial Rd. Oklahoma City COMTA Accreditation Workshop January 23-24, 2007 Alexis Park Resort Las Vegas, Nevada COS Leadership Conference and Annual Meeting January 25-27, 2007 Alexis Park Resort Las Vegas, Nevada AMTA Board of Directors Meeting March 1-3, 2007 InterContinental Chicago Chicago, IL

Calendar of Events

AMTA-OK .ORG We’ve got your back!

Published March, June,

September and December Deadline for article submissions

and ads is the 15th of the immediately preceding month.

AMTA Board of Directors Meeting May 31- June 2, 2007 Pointe South Mountain Resort Phoenix, AZ AMTA Oklahoma Chapter Four State Conference June 22nd—24th, 2007 Radisson Hotel 10918 East 41st Street Tulsa Chapter Volunteer Orientation Program (CVOP) July 12-15, 2007 Hilton Garden Inn Evanston, IL AMTA Board of Directors Meeting September 2007 Hilton Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio

AMTA National Convention September 26-29, 2007 Host Hotel: Hilton Cincinnati Duke Energy Center Cincinnati, Ohio First International Fascia Research Congress October 4-5, 2007 Conference Center at Harvard Medical School Boston, MA www.fascia2007.com

Happy Holidays!