Scope of Practice

Scope of practice refers to the range of professional services, techniques, and procedures that an individual is legally and professionally trained and authorized to perform within their occupation.

Clients sometimes ask me to perform services that fall outside my scope of practice. This is often because there can be confusion about the differences between a massage therapist, chiropractor, nurse, and other healthcare professionals.

These professions have different educational requirements, licenses, responsibilities, and scopes of practice. A chiropractor is a licensed healthcare professional who is trained in chiropractic care. A nurse is a licensed healthcare professional trained in nursing care. A massage therapist is a trained and licensed professional whose practice is centered primarily on massage and bodywork.

While a chiropractor or nurse may incorporate massage or soft-tissue techniques into their professional practice when appropriately trained and permitted to do so, that does not mean a massage therapist is qualified or authorized to perform the procedures associated with chiropractic or nursing care.

What Does a Massage Therapist Do?

In simple terms, massage involves the manipulation of the body's soft tissues through techniques such as applying pressure, palpation, stroking, kneading, holding, positioning, mobilization, and stretching.

Massage therapists are trained to work with muscles and other soft tissues to promote relaxation, support mobility, and address areas of muscular tension and discomfort. Depending on the technique being used, massage may also be used to support circulation and general physical well-being.

What I Do Not Do

There are important boundaries to my profession. As a massage therapist, I do not:

• Perform chiropractic adjustments or intentionally manipulate joints to produce a “cracking” or “popping” sound.
• Diagnose diseases, disorders, or medical conditions.
• Take or interpret X-rays or other diagnostic imaging.
• Prescribe medications or other medical treatments.
• Perform medical procedures.
• Practice massage or bodywork modalities for which I have not received appropriate training.

If something falls outside my scope of practice, I will be honest about that. When appropriate, I may recommend that a client consult with a physician, chiropractor, physical therapist, nurse, or other qualified healthcare professional.

Knowing when something is outside my scope is just as important as knowing what I am trained to do.

Massage and Bodywork Modalities I Have Studied

My education and continuing education have included:

• Swedish Massage
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Acupressure
• Shiatsu
• Reflexology
• Aromatherapy
• Hot Stone Therapy
• Crystal Therapy
• Reiki
• Lomi Lomi

This list represents techniques and modalities I have studied and incorporated into my professional education. It is not intended to suggest that every modality is appropriate for every client or condition.

As I continue my education and refine my techniques, I will update this list and maintain a separate page on this website with more information about the modalities I offer.

My goal is not to practice outside my profession, but to become as knowledgeable and well-rounded as possible within my scope of practice. A professional massage therapist should know not only what they can do, but also when something belongs in the hands of another qualified healthcare professional.