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64 DAYSPA | JULY 2014 YOUR WELLNESS SPA Snapshot especially women, are more comfortable being treated by females. However, in a clinical setting, gender isn't as important and you see more male therapists. What trends are you seeing in massage treatments? What are consumers asking for? Baltz: Many techniques are being repackaged and redi- rected because our clientele's education is greater than before—they have a better understanding of products to enhance services, for instance. But the specifi c re- quests still vary by setting. Where are we with the acceptance of massage as a valid medical treatment? Guptha: This is one area where we can see a positive change over the last 20 years. Massage has been in- fused into integrative medical centers, in hospitals and primary care facilities. We've targeted areas such as car- diology, oncology (where massage training is becom- ing a trend) and orthopedics, working side by side with patients and physicians and nursing staff. It benefi ts the patient and potentially reduces the other treatment they may need. It allows for a healing process that can- not necessarily be measured in the gold standard-type scenario—yet there's improvement in the immune and circulatory systems, as well as in attitude and quality of life. People keep coming back. So the treatment is be- ing 'trickled' into recognition. What's the biggest challenge faced by the massage industry? Guptha: It's getting the word out to society about the benefi ts of the therapies and products. There's a great deal going on internally—education, research funded by the National Institutes of Health and greater rec- ognition among other therapies—but it's magazines like yours that can help get the word out that mas- sage can have a positive impact on society. Sometimes the people who can most benefi t cannot afford the therapy, or are limited. We want to see all insurance companies covering massage therapy and bodywork because we would have a healthier nation if that were the case. Some studies even show the cost- benefi t savings of doing this, but to conduct a long- term study and show tangible benefi ts would take a lot of funding. We need a collaboration of research- ers, therapists, universities, the NIH—a collective force that works toward the common good. We're starting to see that now. How do you think the proliferation of low-cost massage service chains, like Massage Envy, affect the industry? Baltz: I feel that these chains provide opportunities for MTs who need experience. Plus, they reach a commu- nity of people who wouldn't normally go to a spa; they offer professional massage more exposure as a legiti- mate practice. So I don't see the chains as hurting us—I think overall it has been a good thing. What is your organization's primary mission, and how can therapists best take advantage of its support? Guptha: Our mission is all about developing and ad- vancing standards for the profession, which is a challenge in any industry—it's the growing pains of a profession. Since I've been chair, we have focused our attention on: 1) collaborating with stakeholders to move the profes- sion forward, and 2) board certifi cation and education. We have developed a volunteer advanced credential with specifi c requirements, and we feel this will help el- evate services in the spa world. And we interact with all of the associations, who are also our constituents. Baltz: We know that we need to be able to change with the times. We have a free marketplace and people have to participate in competition. People in leadership roles in a spa need to have credentials that represent their position. We'd like to see spas take on the high- est degrees of certifi cation to show their level of in- vestment and commitment, and to demonstrate to the public that they can deliver. ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM Y o u r W e l l n e s s S p a . i n d d 6 4 Your Wellness Spa.indd 64 6 / 3 / 1 4 1 1 : 4 1 A M 6/3/14 11:41 AM