Final Documents of BOK as accessed from archive.org from the original website www.mtbok.org
(https://web.archive.org/web/20190430194533/http://www.mtbok.org/)
MT BOK Website from archive.org
Download the whole website in a Word .doc or Adobe PDF.
Article: Developing, Maintaining, and Using a Body of Knowledge for the Massage Therapy Profession, International Journal of Massage and Bodywork, 09/21/2011. JoEllen M. Sefton , PhD, ATC, CMT , Michael Shea , PhD, LMT , Chip Hines , LMT, PMP
The Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge website has been taken down so I am recreating it here from archive.org files from the last date that the site was online. (07/11/2019) Some links go to archive.org
Massage and Bodywork Magazine for the Visually Impaired – The Body of Knowledge July/August 2010 Issue The Body of Knowledge. What the MTBOK Is and Why You Should Care By Karrie Osborn
Welcome to the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Project. This effort has been guided under the direction of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) Stewards. The MTBOK Stewards consist of representatives from the American Massage Therapy Association, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, Massage Therapy Foundation, and National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
Comments and suggestions on the MTBOK are encouraged so that the MTBOK may continue to meet the needs of the profession. To help us understand and evaluate your input, please be as specific as possible and reference the appropriate part of the MTBOK.
A new article highlighting the evolution of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) project was released March 21, 2011. Read more.
On Saturday, May 15, 2010 the MTBOK Task Force and Stewards announced the release of Version 1 of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK). The announcement was made at the Highlighting Massage Therapy in CIM Conference in Seattle, Washington. The MTBOK, housed on this site, will continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our diverse and dynamic profession. Download the press release regarding this event here.”
Checklist of MTBOK Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Coverage
View the MTBOK presentation at the MTF Highlighting Conference.
Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge FAQ’s
What is a Body of Knowledge?
When did work start on the Massage Therapy BOK (MTBOK)?
Why is establishing the MTBOK important?
Why are your groups working together?
Did you consider inviting any other organizations to participate?
How can I get involved in this project?
Who is funding this work?
When will the MTBOK work be completed?
How will you involve the entire profession?
Who will be running this project?
How will you select task force members?
How will you select the project manager?
What will you do with this information once it is defined?
What is the process for review and feedback?
How can I voice my opinion?
What is a Body of Knowledge?
Although there are certainly a variety of definitions, the definition of a Body of Knowledge (BOK) the Steward Group is guided by is “The domain of essential information, mastery over which is the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to practice.”
When did work start on the Massage Therapy BOK (MTBOK)?
In January 2007, the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) began hosting a series of four meetings to explore the possibility of the massage therapy profession’s leadership organizations working together to develop consensus around definitional and scope issues – what is typically called the Body of Knowledge (BOK) for a profession. This group, initially started by AMTA, was comprised of over a dozen entities that included bodies from the accreditation, certification, education, regulatory, advocacy and research arenas. In July of 2008, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) joined the group along with several organizations representing accreditation and other bodywork, movement and somatic disciplines. Today, key stakeholder organizations have chosen to move forward. The others elected to not participate in subsequent meetings. The groups that elected to discontinue participation have been kept apprised of the group’s progress and will have further opportunity for input at a later time.
The continuing participant organizations transitioned into an autonomous Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Stewardship group comprised of representatives from each of the following six organizations: American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), AMTA-Council of Schools, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) and National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).
Why is establishing the MTBOK important?
The profession is at a key stage in its development. Work done now on the MTBOK will shape the future of massage therapy. The following vision for an initiative to articulate the profession’s BOK has emerged from these ongoing discussions:
To develop and adopt across the massage therapy profession a living resource of competencies, standards and values that inform and guide the domains of practice, licensure, certification, education, accreditation and research.
Most acknowledged professions have well-articulated foundational understanding of who they are and what they do. To date, the massage therapy profession has yet to establish this in a cohesive manner. A well-articulated body of knowledge will help to drive the recognition and growth of massage therapy. The long-term goal of the participating organizations is to advance the profession through collaborative action around a common definition of the BOK for the massage therapy profession. Many attendant elements of a profession, including education standards, teaching qualifications, and regulatory requirements, stem from a profession’s common body of knowledge.
Why are your groups working together?
Our groups are working together because we strongly believe the only way for a valid, comprehensive body of knowledge to be developed and embraced is to represent all stakeholders. Participation by the key stakeholder organizations is critical to achieve that goal.
Did you consider inviting any other organizations to participate?
We did invite other groups from within the massage therapy association, accreditation, certification, regulatory, education, advocacy and research arenas. A couple of these organizations attended early MTBOK meetings and decided it was not worth their ongoing participation because of time or financial constraints, or the feeling they weren’t the best fit for the initiative. Several other organizations have agreed to serve as advisors or support future elements of the Body of Knowledge initiative.
How can I get involved in this project?
A task force will be established in mid-2009 to perform the actual compilation and development of the MTBOK. There will be an opportunity to apply for one of the task force volunteer positions. In addition, once the task force is seated and work on the MTBOK has commenced, all massage therapy stakeholders will be asked to comment on the process and progress made. There will be several times throughout our efforts when members of the profession will be asked for their opinions and review of information. We are aware that inclusiveness is critical to making this initiative a success We are making every effort to be as transparent and inclusive as is possible, to ensure the MTBOK is accepted, recognized, and used as “the standard” for massage therapy across the whole profession as well as with external stakeholders.
Who is funding this work?
The six BOK stewardship group participants are making contributions of monetary support, in-kind resources, or both to support the MTBOK project.
When will the MTBOK work be completed?
The initial emphasis of the MTBOK project is to articulate the foundational elements common to a massage therapy body of knowledge shared by all stakeholders in the profession. The foundational elements of the MTBOK consist of: definition of massage therapy (scope of practice, terminology, describing the field) and definition of the competencies of an entry-level massage therapist, in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA’s). The work is expected to be completed by mid-2010. Subsequent MTBOK project work is undefined at this point, but it is reasonable to expect follow-on work will continue beyond that date.
How will you involve the entire profession?
Through continued updates via this website, along with comment periods where members of the massage therapy community will have the opportunity to review work to date as well as provide input.
Who will be running this project?
The MTBOK Steward Group wil retain ultimate accountability for the success of the initiative. However, a Project Manager will be hired to manage and support the day to day work of the task force.
How will you select task force members?
A task force made up of subject matter experts in the field – practitioners, educators, and researchers will be established to define, develop, and articulate the MTBOK. This group will be selected by members of the MTBOK Stewardship Group. This task force will be seated by July 2009. If you or someone you know is interested in being part of the task force, please return to this website in early March 2009 to review the task force criteria required for submission of interest.
How will you select the project manager?
The Project Manager will be selected by members of the MTBOK Stewardship Group. The candidate selected will ideally be the person who the group feels meets the requirements articulated in the Project Manager Position description, which is posted on this site.
What will you do with this information once it is defined?
The resources developed will be shared broadly with the massage therapy community and all its stakeholders. It is envisioned that the work product will be freely distributed so that any and all stakeholders may utilize it in furthering the development of the massage therapy profession.
What is the process for review and feedback?
The specific process for review and feedback won’t be set until the Project Manager and task force members are in place. However, the MTBOK stewards are committed to the values of transparency, openness, and inclusiveness. The expectations set by the Stewards will encourage a collaborative, review-based process for developing the MTBOK.
How can I voice my opinion?
Send your questions or comments to our mtbok@gmail.com e-mail address. Please note that this website and e-mail account is managed by volunteers from the MTBOK Stewardship Group and responses may take a week or so.
News (link to archive.org page)
March 2011
A new article highlighting the evolution of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) project was released today on the www.mtbok.org website.
“Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge – Past and Present” highlights the history of the effort, provides a brief overview of the document, and clarifies several themes that have emerged since the release of the first version in May 2010. With the document now in an evaluation phase, the article also calls for the profession to continue to review and submit comments. As a living document it will develop and evolve over time in response to the needs of the profession. All suggestions and edits are being collected for future revisions through the www.mtbok.org website.
A new video of the MTBOK presentation delivered at the Massage Therapy Foundation‘s Highlighting Massage Therapy CIM Research conference is also available to view on the www.mtbok.org website. The 40 minute video features the MTBOK project manager and several of the Task Force members sharing details of the history of the project and
the process for creating the inaugural document.
To read the article, click here.
To download the document, click here.
To view the video from the Highlighting Conference, click here.
Comments should be sent to mtbok_comments@mtbok.org.
MTBOK Second Draft Released
January 29, 2010
The MTBOK Task Force is pleased to announce the release of the 2nd draft of the MTBOK which is now available for download, review and public comment. The formal commenting period will be open through March 8, 2010.
Download the press release and actual content here.
Provide a comment, suggestion or update on the 2nd Draft of the MTBOK via our online collection form here.
Bryan Fong Joins the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK ) Task Force
The MTBOK Project takes great pleasure in announcing the newest member of the MTBOK Task Force, Bryan Fong. Bryan replaces Nancy Schmitt who has been called to other endeavors.
Bryan, a Massage Therapist with more than 12 years experience brings a wealth of experience in Massage and in business management. You can read his brief bio on our website at www.mtbok.org under the section �Who We Are� After you have read about him, make a note to come meet us all and hear about the MTBOK project while you give us your input on the first draft which will be released on September 15th. It will be held on Thursday, September 24th from 4:00 to 5:00pm at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, FL. If you are attending the AMTA National Convention, you will be there. If not, you are welcome any way – the session is open to all interested parties. And you can welcome Bryan in person while you are there. I hope to see you there.
Upcoming Release of the First Draft of the MTBOK
On September 15, 2009 the MTBOK Task Force will release the first draft of the Phase 1 MTBOK for public review and comment. You will be able to review the document here and/or download a pdf version of the document for off-line review. This draft has been put together in just over two months, and although it isn�t final, we are driven by the desire to give as many of you the ability to see where we are going and to enable you to provide comments. We think that this will help ensure that the MTBOK is truly developed by and for the Massage Therapy community.
The MTBOK itself will be in a form designed to help you provide specific comments to the Task Force. We are asking that to the extent possible, comments be focused on specific areas, and to that end we will include line numbers so that you can direct us to the exact spot of your concern. We are instituting an online form for submission of content, which will allow you to quickly and easily provide us with as many focused comments as needed rather than trying to assemble all of your thoughts into one document. This approach will also help us track how we respond to comments as well as make it easier for the 8 member task force to deal with the volume of incoming comments. Watch for the link when we release the document.
This won�t be the only chance to comment on the MTBOK by a long shot. We will be hosting a face-to-face input session with the MTBOK Task force in September in Orlando Florida, and we will do a second call for comments after the next draft is released in a few months.
I hope you will be as excited as I am about the progress we have made so far. With your input and involvement the MTBOK will just keep getting better!
Opportunity to interact with the MTBOK Task Force and provide Input to the MTBOK
One of the foundations of the MTBOK is that it be built with as much input from the broad Massage Therapy community as possible. In the initial few months of the project there was little for stakeholders to focus on, but on September 15th of this year, the first draft of the MTBOK content will be released. This will allow for the community at large to see the direction that the Task Force is taking as well as much of the specifics that will be contained within the MTBOK itself.
An upcoming Stakeholder Input session to be held at the AMTA conference in Orlando from 4-5pm on September 24th, will be the first opportunity to interact with the full task force itself, and to directly provide feedback to the MTBOK Task Force members. It�s also the best way to get a feel for the status and direction of the project through the eyes of the Task Force members.
The session will begin with a brief introduction and overview after which we will move into an interactive discussion format between attendees and a task force member at locations around the room.
There is a lot for anyone in the profession to gain from attending the session, since the goal of the MTBOK is to be a living, evolving, single repository for the domain of information related to Massage Therapy, and will thus be a resource for all. Participation in this session will provide the earliest opportunity to learn about the process and document and to be heard in person early in the development process.
I hope to see you there. If you can�t attend this session, please note that when we release the first draft of the MTBOK, we will include instructions on how to submit comments on the document, and we do hope you will participate in that. MTBOK First Draft Released
September 15, 2009Download the press release and actual content here.
The period for commenting on the first draft is now closed while the 2nd draft is prepared for distribution on January 29, 2010. We will reopen the comment collection instrument at that time. Thank you..
MTBOK Stewards Direction for the MTBOK Development Process added to MTBOK
resources page.
July 10, 2009
Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Task Force Announced
July 7, 2009
The Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) Stewards are pleased to announce the volunteer MTBOK Task Force member selections have been made. Every attempt has been made to select a dynamic group of individuals who together represent what may be considered the broadly defined field of massage therapy.
Each of the MTBOK Task Force members were chosen for their experience, credentials and expertise as well as having a working understanding of at least one of the major areas impacting the current and future growth of the Massage Therapy profession. The members of the MTBOK Task Force are:
Megan Lavery
Kevin Pierce
Susan Salvo
Michael Shea
Steve Schenkman
Dawn Schmidt
Nancy Schmitt
JoEllen Sefton
The Task Force is responsible for initiating a profession-wide and unifying effort to articulate a common body of knowledge for the profession. Under the guidance of Chip Hines, a PMI certified Project Manager Professional, the Task Force members will begin work on the foundational elements of the MTBOK project in July, 2009. These foundational elements include:
- Definition of massage therapy
- Describing the Field (primarily to enhance understanding and appreciation of the profession by those outside the profession)
- Scope of Practice
- Terminology
- Competencies of an entry-level massage therapist (knowledge, skills, abilities)
The MTBOK project is expected to complete the foundational elements phase of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge initiative in approximately one year.
Six organizations have agreed to jointly steward the MTBOK initiative. They are American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), AMTA Council of Schools, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), Massage Therapy Foundation, Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) and National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB).
All stakeholders in Massage Therapy are encouraged to follow the progress of the project, and to provide comments, suggestions and make contributions. Specific instructions will be forthcoming as the project gets started this summer. Task Force bios and other MTBOK updates are available at www.mtbok.org.
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MTBOK Task Force Member Application Solicitation ended on May 1, 2009
The Task Force selection process is continuing and the Task Force is expected to be in place before July 1, 2009
Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Project Manager Announced
The Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) Stewards are pleased to announce the appointment of Chip Hines, MS, LMT as the Project Manager for the definition phase of the project.
Chip is formerly both a senior federal government project manager and PMI-certified Project Management Professional. He brings with him a wealth of experience managing large scale projects requiring consensus-building within a diverse community. Chip is also a Licensed Massage Therapist (Maryland) who is NCBTMB certified and has taught advanced bodywork at the Baltimore School of Massage.
As project manager, Chip will direct and manage efforts of the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Task Force, to ensure its members successfully produce the desired outcomes within the time and resource constraints; serve as a public liaison for the Task Force; and act as a conduit to MTBOK Stewards. The task force, made up of subject matter experts in the field-practitioners, educators and researchers-, will be seated in July 2009 to define, develop and articulate the MTBOK. Foundational elements of the MTBOK project will consist of:
- Definition of massage therapy (scope of practice, terminology, describing the field);
- Definition of the competencies of an entry-level massage therapist, in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs).
Chip will serve a twelve-month contract and report directly to the MTBOK Stewards. The MTBOK Stewards consist of representatives from the American Massage Therapy Association, AMTA Council of Schools, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, Massage Therapy Foundation, and National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.
For more information and ongoing updates on the Body of Knowledge Project, please visit www.mtbok.org.
Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Project announces
Task Force Selection Process Opens March 17th
The Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) Stewards will be accepting applications for the volunteer positions on the MTBOK Task Force beginning March 17th. There are eight positions available. Deadline for submissions is May 1st.
The MTBOK Stewards met in San Antonio, Texas in January to establish next steps in the MTBOK development process. Last month, the Stewards announced the establishment of a task force charged with defining a Body of Knowledge for the massage therapy profession, and posted a job description for the Project Manager position to guide the work of the Task Force. The job description and application guidelines for Task Force volunteers are available at www.mtbok.org. The task force will be seated in July, 2009. This volunteer position will require a nine-month commitment, with a projected completion date of April, 2010.
Interested Candidates should submit the following, contained in one electronic file (either Microsoft Word or PDF format):
- Resume/curriculum vitae
- Cover Letter
- List of professional references
Submit applications via email to mtboktf@gmail.com by May 1st.
Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge Project Update
February 6, 2009