Certification is not real in massage continuing education
(Certification, Certificate & Certified: they can drive you certifiably bonkers!)
Have you ever been confused by the term "certification" in massage therapy? The Center for Barefoot Massage has been trying to do our part in raising the massage therapy profession to a higher standard, and we’ve recently recognized a stronger need for getting the “C-words” (certified, certification, certificate) used in the correct context. We hope that through better clarification, and through the steps we have taken in our little barefoot corner of the profession, that we can help reduce confusion around the topic.
Misuse of certified/certification lingo was in many discussions during the Alliance for Massage Therapy Educators (AFMTE) congress earlier this month in Kansas City. It’s a heated and confusing topic to say the least, so I’d love to lay out where we stand on the use of the dreaded “C-word!"
In this post, we’ll explore ‘certification' in our industry, discuss the changes we’ve made at the Center for Barefoot Massage, and clarify what true certification really means.
The benefits of in-house testing (the old way)
Previously, the Center for Barefoot Massage offered a rigorous certification process involving an online test, video submissions, and case studies. While this process aimed to validate and enhance skills, we found that the term "certification" was often misunderstood and misused.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
In-house Testing: Although it provided valuable feedback and quality control, calling it “certification” wasn’t entirely accurate.
Confusion: Many LMTs felt anxious about passing tests, mistakenly believing it was required to advance or work with our techniques.
I previously stood by and preached the win-win-win mutual benefits for our students, their clients and our company that came from pushing our alumni to a higher standard through our in-house testing.
The idea of creating a certification process within a technique is appealing not only to maintain a more pure lineage of training from a source, but also appeals to massage schools/companies/brands that include original intellectual property using unique protocols or content (like our FasciAshi) to use some kind of testing or audition process to maintain consistency in their students approach.
It makes sense for CE Providers to do this, we just shouldn’t be calling it any of the “c-words.”
Why we previously had certification
Between 2017 and 2021, we at the Center for Barefoot Massage did offer a Certification process that involved an online test, a video submission, and documentation serving as a case study over 20 practice sessions.
To us, Certification meant that you've shown your work, and the issuing entity vouches for your representation of the work, in our case, that work was Myofascial Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage, or FasciAshi. It was not an easy process for any of our alumni to complete, and it was not granted automatically - our Certification stood as a badge of honor for those who choose to deepen their understanding of the techniques and theories presented in each class.
This level of distinction was previously awarded to those who completed a pretty challenging online test, submitted videos to demonstrate specific skills, as well as documented a self-study process though client evaluations during 20 practice sessions. I gave feedback and suggestions on the videos submitted to help each person improve, any incorrect answer on the test was explained to help the LMT better understand why, and the option to resubmit videos or retake the test were available. It wasn’t pass or fail, we wanted everyone to pass, and we helped them get there, so long as they were ready to apply the work needed to do so.
As of June 2021 we paused our Certification option while weighing the pros and cons of everything surrounding its existence, and as of February 2023, we decided to retire FasciAshi certification completely to better align with industry practices. Instead, we now focus on providing clear and meaningful diplomas that accurately reflect Continuing Education hours as recognized by the NCBTMB.
The problem with certification in massage continuing education
At the Center for Barefoot Massage, we noticed that many LMTs (Licensed Massage Therapists) felt a lot of anxiety about starting this process, which often led to them freezing up and never completing it.
There was also some confusion about whether passing the test was a requirement. Some LMTs thought they couldn’t move on to the next level class or start working with our techniques until they passed the test. That’s not how we operate at the Center for Barefoot Massage. While we used to require a completed certification only for entry into our Hot Ashi class, it was never a requirement for entry into any other class nor was it a requirement to start working. In fact, our students could have been working and training all along.
Some continuing education providers might say their test is required before using the techniques in practice, which is fine, but if they call that process “certification” or “getting certified,” that’s not always accurate. Some CE providers call their program a certificate program and hand out certificates and thus then refer to their graduates as “certified.”
Many CE providers give out a nice certificate when you pass their test, something separate and in addition to your CE’s from attendance in the course. We did this for 4.5 years at CBM, following the industry traditions we were familiar with. For a long time over the course of working with two different leading barefoot massage education companies, I’ve supported this “certified” way of endorsing learners, but words matter, and we were just using the wrong ones. I struggled with this change - it was industry lingo that was so deeply engrained and was so widely practiced at the time.
Traditions like these are always started with the best of intentions. We really want our students to grasp and use the skills we teach them. The in-house “certification” paper was put in place to show their level of understanding. While winning that paper is an achievement to be proud of, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t mean someone is officially a “Certified [blablabla] Practitioner.” It’s more accurately called an “Assessment Based Certificate”, and it’s not the same as formal certification. So, while it’s okay to call it a certificate, it’s best not to use the term “Certified” to describe oneself. It might seem a bit confusing, but the massage world has been using the term “certified” in various ways for a long time, and changing that perspective can take time.
What true Certification looks like
Did you take the big test from the NCBTMB so that you are a BCTMB (Board Certified Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork) practitioner? If you are a Structural Integrator from the Rolf Institute or Tom Myer’s Anatomy Trains programs, did you take the IASI test so that you are a BCSI …Board Certified Structural Integrator?
THAT is when you are a Certified practitioner of the thing you do.
To become board certified in any field, you usually need to pass a big test that’s overseen by an independent board. This process often involves completing training from various approved programs, not just one school or company, because it’s both complex and expensive. For example, to take my BCTI test, I had to go to a Pearson testing facility—similar to where we go for the MBLEX or where nurses take their NCLEX. Independent massage Continuing Education companies like us at the Center for Barefoot Massage do not typically have the resources to manage such a large-scale testing process on our own.
Board certification also requires keeping your certification current with ongoing education, like additional CEs (Continuing Education contact hours). If you’re approved by BCTMB, it means they’ve accepted your prerequisite massage school hours and licensing. To maintain your certification, you’ll need to keep up with CEs from any NCBTMB-approved provider.
Footnote: If the Center for Barefoot Massage ever decides to revisit the in-house testing idea in the future, we will refer to it as “endorsements” - unless some clarification and standardization happens in the industry that we can adhere to. Also some insight on how it ~could~ work in the future: something that came up in convo at the AFMTE congress was the suggestion that if all the Barefoot Massage CE companies and providers came together, hired an outside source to define, write, maintain, and manage the test, its results, its recertification renewals and rejections, THEN maybe there could be a true Barefoot Massage Certification and Certification Board. Not from any one education company, but as a specialized certification encompassing options to train and meet requirements through multiple companies and their different courses. Or, another option would be NCBTMB's now non-existent specialized certifications (forgive me if they were called something else - I can't find reference to them anymore.) I know that when NCBTMB was offering specialty certifications, I was one of the voices requesting Barefoot Massage be considered for its own opportunity to shine alongside the others. It's all gone now so it doesn't matter, but it could have been cool!
Read this quote from Whitney Lowe’s article on “Certificate vs. Certification: Credentialing Terminology Matters”:
There is currently one major Certification program in our profession and that is the Board Certification offered by the NCBTMB. There are also certification programs offered by the Lymphology Association of North America, Certification Board for Structural Integration, and one by the Certification Board for Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists. While many other CE programs use the term certification associated with their training, most of them are actually certificate programs.
Our new approach and what it means for you
The Center for Barefoot Massage decided to eliminate the “C-word” all together from our vocabulary
At the Center for Barefoot Massage, we’ve made some thoughtful changes to how we recognize your achievements. Instead of using terms like “certificates of participation” or “certificates of attendance,” we now award Diplomas. These Diplomas act as official transcripts of Continuing Education hours, as recognized by the NCBTMB.
We don’t use the term “certification program” because we prefer to identify as a Continuing Education provider, which aligns with how the NCBTMB officially recognizes us.
Our focus is on providing top-notch training rather than certifying. As such, you won’t find the word “certify” on any of our Diplomas. They are designed to acknowledge your completion of our classes without any reference to certification.
Additionally, we don’t offer a certification testing or audition process. While our alumni and graduates gain valuable skills and knowledge, they should avoid referring to themselves as “Certified Barefoot Massage Therapists” or “Certified FasciAshi Therapists,” as our approach doesn’t include formal certification.
We know the proud feeling that comes with trying new things and following through on the hard parts - you deserve recognition for that! We’re here to support your learning journey with clear and meaningful credentials!
Recognizing your achievements
Since true certification requires rigorous, standardized testing, we now instead focus on providing high-quality training and we recognize your achievements through our diplomas. Every attendee in our classes will always receive their NCBTMB Continuing Education hour transcript, verifying their time spent in training with us - so long as they finish the course.
Starting in January 2024, we redesigned the "look" of these CE's that we send to our students after completing each class. These CE transcripts are like diplomas that you can print, frame and hang in your massage room as a badge of honor documenting your in-person training.
We made sure that all the info that your NCBTMB Renewals now require (like the course number) on top of all the things that we as a provider need to show are there (like the signature of your instructor plus the main registered provider name.)
This new Diploma shows your proof of training, it recognizes your achievement in training, they are pretty, (if that matters!) so you can definitely print it out and frame it on your wall for display as proof YOU DID THE THING!!!
(If you have an older version from pre-2024 and want yours updated, it’s $5! Just email us at info@barefootmassagecenter.com for a reissue in the new verbiage! Your old CE Documents provided prior to 2024 are still valid for your renewals, don’t worry!)
In summary
We hope the stances we take at the Center for Barefoot Massage firstly improve the learning experience for attendees in our courses, but ultimately show our professional integrity and dedication to making a positive difference in the industry.
If you’ve had previous experiences with the misuse of “certification” in the massage industry in some shape or form, please share how you navigated these challenges in the comments below!
Pro Tip: Don't call it a "CEU." That acronym stands for "Continuing Education Unit" which is completely different than the NCBTMB's Continuing Education credits, counted as CONTACT HOURS, that we issue our students. The "unit" part translates to one CEU is equal to 10 contact hours (i.e., 600 minutes.) So, for example, if you asked for a 24 CEU class, you'd need to attend 2,400 contact hours in class!!! Now that you know this, be more clear in your choice of words, and be clear in what you type into Google Searches: it is not likely you will find a 24 CEU class for Barefoot Massage, but you will easily find a 24 CE class for Barefoot Massage!!! | A guest post by
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Go read this post also for another deep dive on the definitions and use of Certs in the massage industry
https://open.substack.com/pub/massagetherapynexus/p/certification-vs-certificate?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=38nash