Victory in Jesus

On Wednesday, when I was working at my office, Jean told me that the North Dakota Massage Therapy board had printed a rebuttal in the Dickinson Press. They're no longer insisting that we become licensed massage therapists to do our work, but that there be a regulatory board that keeps track of all of the energy modalities. PRAISE GOD AND THANKS A MILLION TO ALL OF YOU WHO PRAYED ABOUT THIS WITH US!!! I guess I'll never know if my email made any difference, but I did mention the word, "Slander" in it, so I'm assuming that it didn't hurt to make them realize that our businesses are protected under the law also.

There is another meeting, in Bismarck, set for Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 9 am at the Best Western Doublewood Inn to continue the discussion with the board concerning licensure of all these modalities. I am planning to attend the meeting and I hope that you who are practitioners will also pray about and consider attending. This is our chance to show them what WE want.

Here is the transcript of the article that appeared in the Dickenson Press on March 19th, the day after the meeting.

Once again I give all of the glory to the Lord for what He has done for me!!!

In His service,

Dawn

March 19th, 2010

Board mulls licensing for alternative therapies
By: Lisa Call, The Dickinson Press

After a meeting of the North Dakota Board of Massage Thursday morning in Bismarck, alternative practitioners may continue providing alternative services without obtaining a massage therapy license as previously announced in a public service announcement.

In December, the North Dakota State Board of Massage issued a press release advising that as of Aug. 1, state law had “changed in order to further protect the public.”

During the January 2009 Legislative session, the North Dakota Senate, Human Services Committee, at the request of the State Board of Massage, passed an amendment to the North Dakota Century code, further defining what the term massage encompasses.The amendment further defined massage as a systematic and scientific manipulation of soft tissues, whether manually or mechanically, while using western and eastern modalities.

“Under the new law, anyone who performs massage, by whatever name they call it, must be licensed by the state of to do so,” according to the release. “Those unlicensed persons currently practicing Thai Yoga, Reiki, Core Synchronization, Rolfing, Craniosacral Therapy, Healing Touch … and other massage techniques must stop doing so until they obtain a proper license.”

After the press release was published statewide, alternative practitioners were left wondering what effects the changes would have and if they continue practicing.Alternative therapies such as Reiki use the body’s energy to promote healing, reduce stress and increase relaxation.

Thursday’s meeting was to clarify the application of the law change. Bobbi Kleeman, owner of Alternative Therapies and Wellness Center in Killdeer, said her mother attended the meeting and relayed some information.

“Their big thing is they said that the way the PSA was worded wasn’t exactly what their intent was,” Kleeman said. “They want people to just be sure that their practitioners are certified in whichever modality they’re doing, not that they all have to be licensed massage therapists.”

Kleeman said the NDBM wants alternative therapy practitioners to formulate a regulatory board to ensure those practicing have the proper certifications and training for which modality he or she is using.

Kleeman said a meeting of alternative practitioners is scheduled for April 21 at 9 a.m. CST.“We’re going to do something, whether it’s a state board of energy workers or if it’s just a registry board,” Kleeman said.

“They want every group to bring to the April meeting a list of certification requirements for whatever that modality is.”Kleeman said the formulation of a regulatory board for alternative therapy practitioners is a positive step forward.“I think there’s going to be more and more things like this coming up as far as energy work,” Kleeman said.

“It’s been around a long time it’s just that people are finally feeling comfortable with it per se. They’re running out of other options and finding out that this is less invasive and can do a lot.”

Calls to Karen Wojahn, secretary in charge of licensure for the NDBM, went unreturned.Multiple attempts to reach NDBM President Sharon Klusmann were unsuccessful.

Calls to NDBM Board of Directors members including Gail Hovden and Continuing Education Coordinator Bob Benson went unreturned

Doesn't it make you wonder when people have the courage to slander your business in the press but don't even have the guts to talk to you about it afterwards?

The Lord hears the cries of His people and answers with a Mighty ARM--blessed be the name of the Lord forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!