38 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k n o v e m b e r / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6
CLASSROOM TO CLIENT
education
What's Your Ethics IQ? Part 1
By Anne Williams & Karrie Osborn
A well-educated, conscientious
massage therapist understands
the importance of maintaining the
highest ethical standards. Adhering
to these standards can provide you
not only with the foundation and
heart-blood of your work, but also
the best odds at having a successful,
sustainable practice. When clients feel
safe, when they know you'll listen but
not offer advice, and when they know
the person they're entrusting their most
sacred self to passes no judgment
on them, they are clients for life!
Your ABMP Code of Ethics outlines the
principles that define appropriate therapist
behaviors; these principles encourage
excellent service and provide a roadmap
to follow when faced with challenging or
confusing situations. For example, some
clients behave inappropriately without
knowing any better. When this happens,
therapists with strong ethical principles are
clear in their behavior and communication
with clients and can guide them toward
appropriate behavior as part of the
therapeutic relationship. It's a win-win. And,
in cases where it becomes clear that clients
are seeking sessions for illegitimate reasons,
ethical principles help therapists determine
when that session should be terminated.
No matter if you're just getting ready
to graduate or in practice for 30 years,
building your ethics IQ is always important.
In this first installment of "What's Your
Ethics IQ?," it's time to test your general
understanding of ethics in the treatment
room. Take a look at the questions here.
Answer what you can, research what you
can't. We've given you a head start on
a few. Good luck! (For the rest of
the answers, visit our digital edition at
www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com.)
TIME TO TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
1. Define the term ethics.
2. Why are ethics important in a massage
practice?
Answer:
Ethics encourage excellent treatment,
ensure the rights of clients and
therapists are protected, dictate
the boundaries of the therapeutic
relationship, and create an
environment where clients feel safe.
3. Define the term values.
4. List two commonly held values of massage
professionals.
5. Define the phrase character traits.
6. List two character traits that might
positively influence the practice of good
ethics in a massage business.
7. List two character traits that might
negatively influence the practice of good
ethics in a massage business.
8. Define the phrase client rights.
