Massage therapists – Stop Complaining and Participate in Your Associations.

To really affect change in the massage therapy industry, therapists must stop being so complacent and exercise their democratic rights as association members. Much the same as voting for the leadership in your country, if you don’t make yourself heard by attending industry meetings, you don’t have the right to complain.

Yesterday I went to the SAGM of the Massage Therapists’ Association of Nova Scotia (MTANS). I admit I hadn’t been for a while, since the last one I went to 3 years ago was poorly run, unorganized, and really turned out to be a fiasco. All in all, it was very frustrating and unproductive. However, a lot has changed since that time, and since there are winds of change brewing in our profession, I felt the need to get involved again.

The most unfortunate thing about yesterday’s meeting, other than the whole insurance fraud issue wasn’t on the agenda, was that there weren’t even enough members present to reach quorum. This is really disappointing, as many of us, including and especially Board and committee members, had taken time out of our weekends and away from our families to be present and vote on critical issues in our profession. As it turned out, it was a great social occasion, but it looks like we’ll have to attend another meeting on yet another Sunday.

As I left the meeting with one of my friends and colleagues, she made a really great point – some of the people we know who didn’t attend are always the ones to criticize the association. It happens every year, and while these same people spend lots of energy complaining and criticizing the association board, they can’t be bothered to show up at meetings or sign the proxy forms.

Hmmm … it reminds me of politics, because in reality, it is. One look at world history has demonstrated that a vote can change the course of history, for better or for worse. One vote could make the difference to your association, your industry and your future. So, the next time I hear a complaint about policy XYZ, let’s just hope you were at the meeting, because if you weren’t, I don’t want to hear it. You have lost the right to complain.

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