What Ethics Training Should Spas Provide to Massage Therapists? Part Two

This is Part Two of the topic, “What ethics training should spas provide to massage therapists?” We have established that any business that employs massage therapists should train them in ethics. And that this training addresses any gaps in a therapist’s schooling, as well as acts as an additional screening opportunity against predatory therapists. We have also established that the main benefit of this training is to keep clients safe by helping to prevent sexual assault and misconduct.

 

 

Requirements for massage therapist ethics training:

• Covers ethical principles, boundaries, communication, and sexuality
• Live and interactive, with challenging role-plays and discussions
• Taught by skilled instructors to coach and test therapists

 

 

Why Are Role-Plays and Discussions Required for Massage Therapist Ethics Training?

 

Once the massage therapist understands ethics, boundaries, communication, and sexuality, they start to develop competence in analyzing and resolving ethical problems or dilemmas. But the only way to solidify this knowledge and also test it, is for them to act out scenarios and talk through their mistakes and questions, which is why role-plays and discussions are required for ethics training.

 

There is no one else in the treatment room to monitor the massage therapist, so ethical practitioners must practice self-accountability. They have to think, “Would I feel good about what I’m doing if it were published on the front page of the local newspaper?

 

And as stated in the previous blog post, learning how to be an ethical practitioner is not a one-and-done issue. They have to learn and reinforce their skills and principles over time with repeated training over their career.

 

 

What Kinds of Ethical Dilemmas Should Massage Therapists Roleplay?

 

 

Because of massage’s intimate nature, therapists will encounter all sorts of scenarios in their career: everything from offers of friendship to emotional reactions to temptation to sexual predatory behavior.

 

Massage therapists should practice such role-plays as:

• A client who wants to give inappropriate gifts
• A client you are attracted to
• A client you don’t like
• A male client innocently sexually aroused
• A predatory client

 

These are all ethical dilemmas massage therapists will face from time to time in their careers, so it is vital that therapists learn the tools to confidently manage these situations. Without those tools, the potential for an undesired result, such as freezing or boundary violations, increases.

 

 

What Kind of Ethics Instructor is Needed for Massage Therapist Training?

 

 

Because many massage schools devote very few hours of education to the subjects described in these blog posts, more responsibility falls on the massage clinic, spa, or franchise organization to fill in the educational gaps in the massage therapist’s education.

 

A skilled and knowledgeable instructor with experience teaching ethics is necessary to effectively teach this important topic. This person needs to be adept at leading role-plays, giving feedback, and coaching students.

 

 

What Should Be Included in an Ethics Curriculum for Massage Therapists?

 

The instructor must be knowledgeable about the following minimum ethics topics that should be covered during the onboarding process, as well as followed up in continued ethics training:

• Defining Ethics
• Codes of Ethics
• Self-Accountability
• The Five Elements of the Therapeutic Relationship
• The Power Differential
• Transference and Countertransference
• The Dangers of Dual Relationships
• Boundaries
  • What are Boundaries?
  • Types of Boundaries
  • Establishing, Maintaining, and Changing Boundaries

• Boundary Models
• Confidentiality and Informed Consent
• Boundary Crossings and Violations Roleplays
• Dealing with Verbal Boundary Crossings Roleplays
• Handling Client Sexual Attraction Roleplays
• Handling Therapist Sexual Attraction
• Sex, Touch, and Intimacy Confusion
• Clients Crossing Boundaries Roleplays
• The Essence of Draping
• No Contact Zones
• Defining and Clarifying Consent
• Role-plays dealing with Sexual Arousal in the Treatment Setting
• The Intervention Model: The 8 Steps for dealing with sexual arousal

Sexual Misconduct

• Sexual Assault
• Defining Inappropriate Behavior
• Sexual Harassment
• The Effects of Sexual Assault
  • Defining Shock, Guilt, Shame, and Self-blame
  • Dissociative amnesia
  • Flashbacks
  • Memory loss and Fragmented memory recall
  • Robotic reporting of traumatic events
  • Nightmares, night sweats, insomnia
  • Loss of sexual intimacy with their partner
  • Delay in reporting
  • Hypervigilance, Hyperarousal, Dissociation, Anxiety and panic attacks
  • Trauma and Massage Therapy
  • PTSD Lifetime prevalence for 75% of sexual assaults

 

 

What is the Takeaway?

 

Ethics training in a massage context includes an understanding of interpersonal boundaries, human sexuality, and a high level of communication skills. Unfortunately, most massage schools spend an inadequate amount of time on these important subjects.

 

Learning these subjects is no small task and must also be reinforced over time. To create a safe environment in the treatment room, these topics must be a high priority for massage therapist employers.

 

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If you’re a lawyer who is currently involved in a sexual assault case and needs an expert witness with a massage or spa background, schedule a conversation with Dr. Benjamin.

Call for more information →

 

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Ben E. Benjamin holds a Ph.D. in Sports Medicine and has been an expert witness in cases of sexual assault in a massage/spa setting since 2004, advising lawyers, testifying in depositions and trials, and writing reports. His expertise extends beyond massage therapy and ethical behavior. He also advises spas, both large and small, on the creation of comprehensive sexual assault prevention strategies that ensure safe and ethical practices in the industry.

 

 

What Ethics Training Should Spas Provide to Massage Therapists? Part One FAQs

 

• What are the requirements for massage therapist ethics training?

The curriculum must be taught by a skilled instructor and cover ethical principles, boundaries, communication, and sexuality. The training must be live and interactive, with challenging role-plays and discussions.

 

• Why are role-plays and discussions required for massage therapist ethics training?

The only way to solidify knowledge about ethics and also test it is for therapists to act out scenarios and talk through their mistakes and questions.

 

• What kinds of ethical dilemmas should massage therapists roleplay?

Everything, from offers of friendship to emotional reactions, to temptation, to predatory behavior. Examples include: handling a therapist’s sexual attraction or difficult clients and scenarios where clients become aroused, either innocently or predatorily.

 

• What kind of ethics instructor is needed for massage therapist training?

The instructor needs to be knowledgeable enough to teach a broad ethics curriculum specifically for massage therapists. They also need to be adept at leading role-plays, giving feedback, and coaching students toward the correct behavior.

 

• What should be included in an ethics curriculum for massage therapists?

Topics should include the therapeutic relationship, dual relationships, boundary violations, the Intervention Model, sexual misconduct, and many other topics. And there should be plenty of role-plays and discussions.

 

• What is the takeaway?

Ethics training in a massage context includes an understanding of interpersonal boundaries, human sexuality, and a high level of communication skills.  To create a safe environment in the treatment room, these subjects should be high priority for massage therapist employers to teach and reinforce.