By Susan Lane

I have followed with interest the articles in The Hour with regard to closing down illegal “massage parlors” that try to represent themselves as legitimate massage therapists, and are anything but.

As a recently licensed massage therapist I would like to applaud State Senator, Bob Duff for his extensive work in getting laws on the books in Hartford that will help all towns and cities in Connecticut to close down the blight of these illegal “massage parlors.” He has given us the “muscle” we lacked before on a state level, to deal with this nuisance.

I would also like to address Councilman’s Mike Coffey’s comments in his May 30th article in The Hour. He spoke about regulating licensed massage therapists within the city of Norwalk. Mr. Coffey, citing research he had performed, selected Stratford’s regulations as the ones that he would like to see Norwalk adopting. I think it’s safe to say that regulations that individual towns adopted to regulate licensed massage therapists were established prior to Senator Duff’s legislation. This in my mind, raises the question: “Are Councilman Coffey’s new regulations necessary?”

With all due respect, licensed massage therapists are not the problem here.

In order to obtain a license for massage therapy in Connecticut, the therapist must successfully pass 500 hours of study for the basic massage program, or 1050 hours for the clinical, which was the program I took. My program involved 40 hours of academic study a week for two years and 150 hours of clinical study.

Next, the massage school graduate must pass the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork board exam. Thomson Prometric, a National testing company, administers this exam. In order to take the test the graduate has his or her photo identification entered into a computer and then their right and left index fingerprints are also entered. This ensures that no one can take the test for anyone else.

I attended the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, as did most likely, many other local massage therapists. The school is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Students are held to high standards: educationally, ethically and professionally, in order to prepare them for a career in massage therapy.

I might mention here that all CCMT applicant backgrounds are questioned when they apply to the school. It is my understanding that the State of Connecticut screens for past criminal records and felony convictions before issuing a Massage Therapy license. An arrest for prostitution would raise some red flags I am certain.

All students of massage therapy are taught that massage therapists “assess” but never ever diagnose - only physicians diagnose. Massage therapists do work in conjunction with medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists and other healthcare providers as well as independently.

As for inspections, any ethical massage therapist would not be in business very long if their massage room and linens were not pristine. Cleanliness is basic to massage therapy. I pose this question: “Who would Councilman Coffey have doing these inspections and when?” I hope they would not be random, and interfere with the client’s right to privacy and the therapist’s right to earn a living.

If the purpose of your proposal it is just another fee for the City of Norwalk then so be it. But, please consider well who the real target of your “massage regulation” is intended to be, is it the illegal “massage parlors” or is it the ethical massage therapists? Keep in mind that licensed massage therapists have already spent many thousands of dollars for their educations alone, $225 to take the licensing exam and $300 to the CT State Department of Public Health for their licensing fees initially - and then $200 biannually after that. All of this is before insurance costs. Is it really necessary to add yet another fee?

I am deeply troubled and concerned, as I am sure other licensed massage therapists are, by the suggestion that we need to be “certified in good health and to be free of past convictions for prostitution or other sex-related offenses” in order to be registered as a massage therapists in the City of Norwalk. How many other healthcare professionals would Councilman Coffey suggest need that certification?

I worked very hard academically, sacrificed financially and overcame a number obstacles to achieve what I have - a career in clinical massage therapy. A career that allows me to help clients regain health by reducing their stress, recovering from their injuries, and managing acute and chronic pain to improve the quality of their lives.

I believe deeply in what I do and I applaud all efforts to close down illegal “massage parlors” and all things that reflect negatively on ethical massage therapy. I thank Councilman Coffey for his research and efforts to do this. I ask only that he also consider how it effects the ethical massage therapists who are trying to make a living in the City of Norwalk. Ethical licensed massage therapists should not be punished for the deeds of those posing as massage therapists in illegal “massage parlors.”

In the past I helped Senator Bob Duff in his quest to craft legislation to give our towns and cities in Connecticut the laws they needed to effectively end the blight of illegal “massage parlors” once and for all. I sincerely extend the same offer to Councilman Coffey if he would like my help. We can work together to get effective laws that target the real problem without punishing the true, licensed massage therapists.

Susan Lane
Licensed Clinical Massage Therapist
CT State License # 005041