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Task Assessment

3. Professional requirements in bodywork fields

A survey was sent to organizations representing American bodywork professions. (See pages 42 to 44.) Organizations which responded: American Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), American Polarity Therapy Association (APTA), American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB), Feldenkrais Guild (FG), Hellerwork School (HS), The Rolf Institute (RI), The Traeger Institute (TI), Upledger Institute (UI). (Note: Once again, apparent discrepancies emerge in the reading of the following.)

Professional requirements in body work fields

1. Type of organization

6 of 8 are organizations of members (ABMP, APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)

8 of 8 certify the competency of individual practitioners (ABMP, APTA, ARCB, FG, HS, RI, TI, UI)

3 of 8 certify schools (ABMP, FG, HS)

4 of 8 certify teachers (FG, HS, RI, TI)

2 of 8 provide a test of competency (RI, TI)

1 is an accreditor of training by teachers or schools (APTA)

2 report being independent of schools, members, and associations (ARCB, UI)

2. Requirements for membership

2 require educational hours over relevant (but not specific) curriculum (ABMP: 100-500 hours, TI: 100-150 hours)

4 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours from a school certified by the organization (ABMP, APTA, FG, HS)

4 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours in a specific curriculum (APTA, FG, RI, TI)

3 of 8 require hands-on practicum in curriculum (APTA, FG, TI)

6 of 8 require certification (ABMP, APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)

1 of 8 requires testing from tutors (TI)

3 of 8 require continuing education (APTA: 12 hours every 2 years, FG: 20 hours per year, RI: 144 hours within 3-7 years, 216 hours within 7 years)

1 of 8 allows hands-on experience in the bodywork field counted toward educational requirements (APTA)

1, APTA, has no requirements for student and general memberships

3. Membership benefits

2 of 8 provide health insurance (ABMP, RI)

5 of 8 provide malpractice / liability insurance (APTA, ABMP, HS, RI, TI)

6 of 8 provide continuing education opportunities (APTA, ABMP: through outside providers, FG, HS, RI, TI)

5 of 8 provide a convention (APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)

5 of 8 provide a listing in a directory of members (APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)

7 of 8 provide newsletter or journal

6 of 8 provide discount on books/tapes, referrals, national referral registry, publicity-legislative support - teacher / practitioner referral, advertising

4. Requirements for certifying the competency of the individual

1 of 8 requires educational hours over relevant (but not specific) curriculum (ARCB)

5 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours from a school certified by the organization (ABMP, APTA, HS, TI, UI)

3 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours in a specific curriculum (FG, RI, TI)

1 of 8 requires passing a written test

1 of 8 requires passing a written and practical test.

1 requires passing an oral exam (UI)

5. Title granted to those who meet certification requirements

1, APTA, grants a title of Associate Polarity Practitioner (155 hours) and Registered Polarity Practitioner (615 hours)

4 of 8 grant a title of certified

2 of 8 grant a title of practitioner

6. Requirements to maintain one's certified status

5 of 8 require continuing education (APTA, FG 20 hours / year plus practice minimum of 100 hours a year, HS: 6 days / year, RI (see Item 2,) UI: 24 hours / 2 years)

1 of 8 requires annual retesting (TI)

5 of 8 require membership in the organization or an organization (ABMP, APTA, HS, RI, TI)

3 of 8 require specific phraseology in citing credentials advertising (ABMP, APTA, TI)

1 requires minimum of 100 hours per year (FG)

1 requires upholding the organization's code of ethics (APTA)

7. School certification requirements

3 of 5 that certify schools (APTA certifies training by teachers or schools) require a number of hours of educational instruction.(APTA: 100, 500; ABMP: 500 minimum; FG: 800)

2 of 5 require a number of hours of supervised practicum. (FG, APTA)

3 of 5 require the teaching of a specific curriculum (ABMP, FG, HS)

1 of 5 requires meeting state vocational requirements for schools (ABMP)

1, APTA, requires adherence to APTA standards for practical documentation

1, UI, has only one school certified

8. Title granted to certified schools

Accredited Feldenkrais Professional Training Program

Accredited by the International Massage & Somatic Therapies

APTA Accredited Training

9. Requirements to maintain school certification

1 of 3 reviews the program annually (ABMP)

2 of 3 require additions or changes of curriculum to be approved by the organization. (ABMP, FG, HS)

1 of 3 requires specific phraseology in citing credentials in advertising (ABMP)

10. Teacher requirements

1 of the 3 that certifies teachers requires 5 years of practice of at least 600 hours / year, work as a training assistant, recommendation of other trainers (FG)

1 of the 3 that certifies teachers requires Hellerwork school and teacher training (HS)

1 of the 3 that certifies teachers requires teacher training (RI)

11. Requirements for testing

1 requires educational hours over no specific curriculum (ARCB)

1 requires periodic assessments during the course of training over a specific curriculum (TI)

12. Testing organization provides to testee

1 provides an outline from which questions are taken (ARCB)

13. Title granted to those passing test

1 grants the title of American Reflexology Certification Board-Board Certified Reflexologist

1 grants the title of certified Feldenkrais practitioner

14. Requirements to maintain one's status

1 requires 20 hours of continuing education / year and minimum practice of 100 hours (FG)

Pay $15 fee (ARCB)

1 (TI) requires 3 days per year the first 3 years after certification and once every three years thereafter

Professional requirements in body work fields
1. Type of organization
6 of 8 are organizations of members (ABMP, APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)
8 of 8 certify the competency of individual practitioners (ABMP, APTA, ARCB, FG, HS, RI, TI, UI)
3 of 8 certify schools (ABMP, FG, HS)
4 of 8 certify teachers (FG, HS, RI, TI)
2 of 8 provide a test of competency (RI, TI)
1 is an accreditor of training by teachers or schools (APTA)
2 report being independent of schools, members, and associations (ARCB, UI)
2. Requirements for membership
2 require educational hours over relevant (but not specific) curriculum (ABMP: 100-500 hours, TI: 100-150 hours)
4 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours from a school certified by the organization (ABMP, APTA, FG, HS)
4 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours in a specific curriculum (APTA, FG, RI, TI)
3 of 8 require hands-on practicum in curriculum (APTA, FG, TI)
6 of 8 require certification (ABMP, APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)
1 of 8 requires testing from tutors (TI)
3 of 8 require continuing education (APTA: 12 hours every 2 years, FG: 20 hours per year, RI: 144 hours within 3-7 years, 216 hours within 7 years)
1 of 8 allows hands-on experience in the bodywork field counted toward educational requirements (APTA)
1, APTA, has no requirements for student and general memberships
3. Membership benefits
2 of 8 provide health insurance (ABMP, RI)
5 of 8 provide malpractice / liability insurance (APTA, ABMP, HS, RI, TI)
6 of 8 provide continuing education opportunities (APTA, ABMP: through outside providers, FG, HS, RI, TI)
5 of 8 provide a convention (APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)
5 of 8 provide a listing in a directory of members (APTA, FG, HS, RI, TI)
7 of 8 provide newsletter or journal
6 of 8 provide discount on books/tapes, referrals, national referral registry, publicity-legislative support - teacher / practitioner referral, advertising
4. Requirements for certifying the competency of the individual
1 of 8 requires educational hours over relevant (but not specific) curriculum (ARCB)
5 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours from a school certified by the organization (ABMP, APTA, HS, TI, UI)
3 of 8 require passing a course of study consisting of educational hours in a specific curriculum (FG, RI, TI)
1 of 8 requires passing a written test
1 of 8 requires passing a written and practical test.
1 requires passing an oral exam (UI)
5. Title granted to those who meet certification requirements
1, APTA, grants a title of Associate Polarity Practitioner (155 hours) and Registered Polarity Practitioner (615 hours)
4 of 8 grant a title of certified
2 of 8 grant a title of practitioner
6. Requirements to maintain one's certified status
5 of 8 require continuing education (APTA, FG 20 hours / year plus practice minimum of 100 hours a year, HS: 6 days / year, RI (see Item 2,) UI: 24 hours / 2 years)
1 of 8 requires annual retesting (TI)
5 of 8 require membership in the organization or an organization (ABMP, APTA, HS, RI, TI)
3 of 8 require specific phraseology in citing credentials advertising (ABMP, APTA, TI)
1 requires minimum of 100 hours per year (FG)
1 requires upholding the organization's code of ethics (APTA)
7. School certification requirements
3 of 5 that certify schools (APTA certifies training by teachers or schools) require a number of hours of educational instruction.(APTA: 100, 500; ABMP: 500 minimum; FG: 800)
2 of 5 require a number of hours of supervised practicum. (FG, APTA)
3 of 5 require the teaching of a specific curriculum (ABMP, FG, HS)
1 of 5 requires meeting state vocational requirements for schools (ABMP)
1, APTA, requires adherence to APTA standards for practical documentation
1, UI, has only one school certified
8. Title granted to certified schools
Accredited Feldenkrais Professional Training Program
Accredited by the International Massage & Somatic Therapies
APTA Accredited Training
9. Requirements to maintain school certification
1 of 3 reviews the program annually (ABMP)
2 of 3 require additions or changes of curriculum to be approved by the organization. (ABMP, FG, HS)
1 of 3 requires specific phraseology in citing credentials in advertising (ABMP)
10. Teacher requirements
1 of the 3 that certifies teachers requires 5 years of practice of at least 600 hours / year, work as a training assistant, recommendation of other trainers (FG)
1 of the 3 that certifies teachers requires Hellerwork school and teacher training (HS)
1 of the 3 that certifies teachers requires teacher training (RI)
11. Requirements for testing
1 requires educational hours over no specific curriculum (ARCB)
1 requires periodic assessments during the course of training over a specific curriculum (TI)
12. Testing organization provides to testee
1 provides an outline from which questions are taken (ARCB)
13. Title granted to those passing test
1 grants the title of American Reflexology Certification Board-Board Certified Reflexologist
1 grants the title of certified Feldenkrais practitioner
14. Requirements to maintain one's status
1 requires 20 hours of continuing education / year and minimum practice of 100 hours (FG)
Pay $15 fee (ARCB)
1 (TI) requires 3 days per year the first 3 years after certification and once every three years thereafter

RAA Reports - 14 MAY 1998

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