Interesting Links

Ahhhhh...... there's so much out there on the web. Below are a few selections to help you find out more about bodywork, select a practitioner, verify Tennessee licensure, or purchase your own massage-related goodies. As always, we're here to help if you can't find what you're looking for.

Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals   One of the major professional organizations for massage therapists. Offers research and articles, massage-related legal information such as licensure requirements by state, and a therapist-member database.

Massage and Bodywork Magazine   Site for Massage & Bodywork Magazine, published by the ABMP. You can subscribe, search for past articles, or order back issues.

American Massage Therapy Association  The other major professional organization for massage therapists. You can search for articles from the Massage Therapy Journal, sign up for a free newsletter, find a practitioner (lists only AMTA members), and peruse a buyer’s guide.

Tennessee State Licensure   Search by therapist name or license number, or simply enter the city and search for all the licensed therapists in that city. Remember to select "massage therapists" in the Professions box. You can check authenticity of licensure, how long a therapist has been licensed, and whether or not the therapist has had any disciplinary action taken against him or her. To find out where a particular therapist works, click on practitioner profile next to his or her name.

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork The National Certification exam is available for all graduates of an accredited massage therapy program. Some states require it for licensure. Tennessee will accept it as a licensure criterion, but does not require it. You may use this site to search for a nationally certified practitioner in your area, or you can read a great deal about the politics of massage therapy....what's being done to further its acceptance in mainstream medical circles, entice insurance companies to cover the costs, etc. There's also a section for consumers, and of course, lots of information about the National Certification exam itself.

Myofascial Release .com  Link to the John F. Barnes, PT, official website for Myofascial Release Therapy. Offers more information on MFR, a newsgroup you can join to communicate with MFR therapists and patients around the country (click on "MFR-talk"), and a therapist database (though it only lists the therapists who have paid to advertise on their site).

Craniosacral Therapy   Official page of the Upledger Institute. Offers links to research and articles about Craniosacral Therapy and a complete therapist database of all therapists who have taken courses through the IAHE, including Craniosacral Therapy, Lymphatic Drainage, Visceral Manipulation, and many more.

International Alliance of Healthcare Educators   Formed in 1996, IAHE is a coalition of healthcare instructors and curriculum developers united to advance innovative therapies through high-quality continuing-education programs. Each year it coordinates hundreds of workshops worldwide supporting the more than 20 modalities developed by practitioners renowned in the fields of complementary care.

International Alliance of Healthcare Practitioners   Sister site to the IAHE and the Upledger Institute. You can also access the complete practitioner database from this site.

Massage Warehouse    Online source for just about everything massage-related, from tables to oils and creams to music and specialty tools. Their prices are very reasonable, though if you put in a concerted effort, you can usually find stuff a little less expensive elsewhere.

Got Your Back   Another good online source for purchasing massage-related items.

BodyCushion   The bodyCushion by Body Support Systems is the cushion support system used by Elise Brown at Center of Balance. It is extremely comfortable, supporting the body on its bony frame and creating ease through every joint of the body. Also great for prenatal massage. Many clients have commented that they wished they had something so comfortable at home. This is the official site for the bodyCushion and, though you can purchase one through many venues, this site offers the most in-depth information about the system. Their prices are usually what you would pay elsewhere, anyway.

Myoskeletal Alignment Technique   Official site to find out more about Erik Dalton's MAT work, including articles, purchase of videos and homestudy, location of seminars, and more. Beverly Davis practices MAT at Center of Balance.

Touch Research Institute   The first Touch Research Institute was formally established in 1992 by Director Tiffany Field, Ph.D. at the University of Miami School of Medicine via a start-up grant from Johnson & Johnson. The TRI was the first center in the world devoted solely to the study of touch and its application in science and medicine. Other TRI establishments are in the Phillipines and Paris. Through their site, you will have access to a great deal of research pertaining to the effects of bodywork and touch therapies.