Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2025

FEATURES 80 IMTRC 2025 CONTINUES TO BRIDGE THE RESEARCH/PRACTICE GAP IN THE MASSAGE THERAPY FIELD The massage therapy field has historically

JOURNAL

Massage Therapy Journal® | Official Publication of the American Massage Therapy Association® Fall 2025 Vol. 64 No. 3

ISSN: 0895-0814 USPS 0010-218 Cover credit: Alliance Images / Shutterstock.com

experienced a disconnect between general and applicable massage therapy-related research. By Niki Munk PhD, LMT

Michelle Vallet Senior Publications Manager AMTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (effective March 1, 2025) Cindy E. Farrar President Rick Greely President-Elect Kimberly Kane Santos Immediate Past President

Jaime Bernardo, Jr. Director Heber J. Blackner Director Matthew Fecteau Director Donald Goodale Director Robert C. Jantsch Director Jane Horton Johnson Director Deb Kilty Director Cheryl L. Siniakin, Ph.D. Director Lee Stang Director

EDITORIAL REVIEW OPERATIONAL COMMITTEE Jacqueline Herbach, LMSW, LMT President, Momentum Massage, Jane Neumann, BS, LMT, NCTMB Private Practice

DEPARTMENTS

Fitness, & Mind New York City Steve Jurch, MA, ATC, LMT Director of Allied Health Training at the Community College of Baltimore County

AMTA Illinois Chapter Communication Chair

6

Jessica Libero, LMT, NCTMB Connecticut and New York Licensed Reiki Practitioner Martha Brown Menard, Ph.D., CMT

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Keeping My Wonder Alive

9

SHAREABLE RESEARCH Massage and Whole Person Care

Publication Management SPARK Publications sparkpublications.com

Project Manager: Jaclyn Yepsen Creative Director: Larry Preslar

Massage Therapy Journal is published quarterly by the American Massage Therapy Association (address below). Periodicals postage paid at Evanston, Illinois, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Massage Therapy Journal , 500 Davis St., Suite 900, Evanston, IL 60201-4695. SUBSCRIPTIONS: All subscription matters and notice of change of address should be sent to: Massage Therapy Journal Subscriptions, AMTA, 500 Davis St., Suite 900, Evanston, IL 60201-4695 (877-905-2700). Subscription rates: U.S. and Canada, $25 for one year (four issues); $45 for two years (eight issues). Foreign, $70 for one year; $120 for two years; available on a limited basis. Contact AMTA Member Experience, 500 Davis St., Suite 900, Evanston, IL 60201-4695. Phone: 847-864-0123 info@amtamassage.org EDITORIAL COPY: Queries should be sent to Michelle Vallet via email: mtj@amtamassage.org . Visit amtamassage.org/mtj for writer guidelines. Information contained in Massage Therapy Journal does not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of AMTA and/or the staff of Massage Therapy Journal . ADVERTISING: Contact the AMTA sales team at Smithbucklin to learn more about advertising and exhibitor opportunities: (301) 215-6710 Ext.130 or hbrown@smithbucklin.com. Copyright © 2025 American Massage Therapy Association MTJ-024

12

ADVOCACY Strategic Advocacy: Advancing the Massage Therapy Profession

76 INTERVIEW

In Conversation With Erin Stafford 86 TOOLS OF THE TRADE 5 Fun and Effective Marketing Ideas

amtamassage.org/mtj