membership

There are many benefits to being a member of the amta, as well as reasons to join us in the association - first and foremost, the fact that there is not another group that is membership led, is exclusive to massage therapy, and non-profit. Your membership goes to supporting our national staff, our state chapters, We are the oldest, best, and most involved massage organization, and are constantly innovating through direct input from our members. If there is something happening in the massage therapy industry, the amta is there.

When we look at the history of the massage therapy industry, when there have been innovations, the membership of the amta has been there. In the 1990's, the amta founded the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), the Massage Therapy Research Foundation, and Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). Now, these groups stand alone from the amta, not because they did anything wrong, or the amta didn't want them to exist, but because we realize that the massage therapy community needs voices that can be independent, and focus on their individual part of the massage therapy community.

One thing that joining the amta does, beyond providing a robust benefit package for our members, is show consumers that you value education, adhere to professional ethics and practice standards, and accept responsibility for leading the massage therapy industry. We are not a professional organization that only provides you marketing materials and creates profit for an individual or insurance company - we are an organization of professionals, focused not only on our membership, but on massage therapy.

Probably the most distinctive characteristic of the amta is the association structure.  As massage therapists, we are used to practicing by ourselves, with little or no professional associations outside of our school experiences. The amta not only has state chapters, but we have a shared identity with over 50,000 professional massage therapists throughout the United States. We have state chapter meetings and events, as well as national events and an annual national convention where we come together to learn, socialize, and create an organic shared reality for our association and our field. We have elected leadership, massage therapists who volunteer in various roles to contribute to our association who are elected by our members. We create the leadership that serves us.

This all does come at a cost - $235 per year plus whatever state chapter fee we ( the chapter membership) decide during annual meetings (currently Oklahoma has waived any additional fee for the second year in a row) for professional members; student membership is $79 (plus chapter fee) while you are in school. That is a nice chunk of change, but when you see the benefits, and realize that we, as an association, will do whatever it takes to facilitate you engaging the amta as your advantage, it is a small price for the peace of mind of becoming a part of the best massage therapy association.

The amta has a great refer a friend program that will get you a $50 credit for each person who you refer that joins as a professional member or ,a $15 credit for each referred student towards your next professional membership renewal. Let the amta pay your membership dues! The more friends that join, the more YOU SAVE!

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