Blog
Setting up a school in a non-MTI area, By New Tutors officer, Jenny Hampton
I trained with the Bristol College of Massage and Bodywork when I lived in the city in 2010. And while being in a place were there is a demand for holistic massage has it’s benefits, it’s also the case that there are many other therapists offering a similar service. When I was thinking about training to be a tutor, I knew I wanted to go further afield, to go to an area where MTI and holistic massage was unknown and spread the joy with more people - and it was the right time in my life personally to move locations too.
There has never been an MTI school in the north West or north Midlands, and luckily this is not far from where my family live, so I knew it would be a good area to investigate. I ended up in a small town called Whitchurch, on the borders of north Shropshire, north Wales and Cheshire.
There were no holistic massage therapists around for miles, and certainly no Level 4 holistic massage training. When I first started to practice here, I would often get a reaction of mild shock, as people here had not experienced this type of massage before and didn’t know what to make of it. Having had only the choice between beauty therapy or sports massage, a treatment that focused on soothing the nervous system as well as working on muscle aches blew people’s minds. They left feeling surprised, relaxed and a little dazed!
That showed me there was plenty of space for more holistic massage therapists, and I had no worries about ‘training the competition’. There would be enough space for everyone.
With this being a rural county, people think nothing of driving for an hour or more for events, which gave me a wide catchment area. I’ve had people on my course from Cheshire, north Wales (including Anglesey 2 hours away), Staffordshire and even Lancashire and only three from Whitchurch itself. With there being no comparable diploma within at least a 2 hour drive in all directions, this is a great place to base myself.
The downside is the MTI support system is at a distance. It’s a trek for practical examiners and APP tutors, and a lot has to be done online. And, even with reaching out to graduates of other schools, as there are no MTI practitioners in the area apart from the ones I’ve trained, its taking a while for supervision and CPD to get off the ground. But the more courses I do, the more possibilities there are going forward, including developing my career by training as an APP tutor, so I can offer the whole diploma here in person.
Setting up a school was a lot of work - teacher training, risk assessments, paperwork, lesson planning and more - but I’m so glad I did it, it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I love running my own school and, with already 20 graduates trained and practising massage, I only see it expanding and flourishing in the years to come.
If you fancy a change of scene, to pioneer holistic massage in a new area, find out how you could train as an MTI tutor and set up your own school in an undiscovered country, visit train to become an MTI tutor.
Feel free to contact me for an informal chat if you want to know more about becoming a tutor or setting up a school: mtitutors@massagetraining.co.uk
Areas of the UK with no MTI schools:
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Devon and Cornwall
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Mid and North Wales
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North West England from Liverpool to Scottish Borders
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North Eastern England from York to Scottish Borders
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West Midlands
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East Midlands
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South Central England (eg Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire)
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London
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Northern Home Counties
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Southern Scotland
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Highland Scotland
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Northern Ireland
What it’s like on the MTI Board? By Jenny Hampton, Ros Cope and Paul Grainger
What it’s like on the MTI Board?
Jenny Hampton, Practitioner Lead
If you aren’t familiar with charity or not-for-profit organisations (as I wasn’t), the sound of being a Board member could seem overwhelming. Feels like a lot of responsibility in what is for most of us an already busy life. However, when I took on the Practitioner Lead role in April 2024, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the time and energy commitment was flexible enough for me to fit around running my business.
I decided to put myself forward because MTI supported me in my early years of practice and I wanted to give something back (Board positions are voluntary with a small annual stipend, which is the norm for non-profits). I wasn’t sure though if I could manage the commitment or if I’d be up for dealing with the formal and legal aspects of the role. After speaking with our Chair Ros Cope, I was pleased to learn that the role was manageable, and existing Board members guided me through anything I wasn’t sure on.
Board positions can be adapted to suit the needs of the individual. If you’ve only got a few hours a month to spare, that’s enough. The only requirement is to attend monthly Board meetings and carry out actions you agree to. There are times when it is busier, such as around the annual conference or if a syllabus update is needed, but these are mostly planned events with plenty of notice.
Like everything about MTI, the Board meetings are informal and friendly, while maintaining the standards that are needed. You can be yourself and your point of view will be heard.
In my role I also manage 2 members of staff, which I enjoy very much. Our admin team are friendly and professional. They need very little management, I offer support and reflection while they get on with what needs to be done.
There is an acceptance throughout the management and admin team that we are a small organisation, and all we can do is what we can with the resources we have. If life gets busy, you can step away. Or you could take on a Board role for a designated time, such as 3, 6 or 12 months.
Here’s more on what it’s like from those in post:
Ros Cope, Chair
It’s a legal requirement for the organisation to have a board and regular minuted meetings, so we need Board members or the organisation can’t continue. But more than that, tutor and other members can potentially use a Board position to shape the organisation and keep it alive, moving forwards.
As Chair, I like to keep things running easily and smoothly, and openness, fairness, good governance are all important to me.
MTI gave me a reasonable living – providing the accreditation, mechanism for producing the syllabus which meets GMCT and CHNC standards, the exam papers, the marking, the practical assessment – all of which made the Holistic Massage Diploma a much easier course to run. I’m grateful for that, and now I feel in a position to give back a little.
And if people have ideas, think the Board doesn’t listen or whatever, then it’s a chance for them to take on a role and have a voice.
When I joined the MTI as a tutor member, it was expected that everyone attend the AGM and that everyone should take try to take their turn of a role on the Board if they could. There are a lot of our tutor members who have served on the Board, but we need to keep increasing the pool if we want to continue.
Paul Grainger, Finance and New Tutors Officer
I first joined the Board because I felt part of the MTI community and was grateful for the support and encouragement I received from being a student, to assistant teaching, and becoming a tutor. MTI had given me opportunities to grow so I wanted to give something back and ensure the organisation continued.
All not for profit organisations have a Board of Directors or Trustees who voluntarily give their time and skills/insights to benefit the organisation. Tutors bring huge value because they have the knowledge, skills, experience in teaching/exams/assessing and the massage industry as a whole.
It does require some time and effort which is not always easy as we all lead (too) busy lives, so the main challenge is making the time for it.
For tutors, it is in their interest that MTI is able to continue and function. There are things that need to be improved and there are lots of things we ‘could’ do. Relying on the same people is unfair and limits how much we can achieve. If we all did a little bit we could achieve a lot more! Schools are currently not represented on the Board, which is not a good situation because it means they haven’t a point of contact to raise issues with or represent their concerns and ideas.
Membership Survey Feedback
In Autumn last year we carried out a member survey to find out how you feel about being an MTI member. We got a 10% response rate, carried out 2 in-depth follow up calls, and got lots of great feedback.
Here’s what you asked for and here’s what we’ve done:
Improve the website: we’ve restructured the layout of the member area and tidied it up so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for.
Business support: the theme of the conference this year is Holistic Business and we also have online CPD on the topic. And we have resources such as the ‘Why Choose an MTI Therapist?’ video and client leaflet templates in Marketing Resources in the member area you can use to promote your business.
More in person events: we’re bringing back the conference this year and continuing to offer regional roadshows.
More opportunities for supervision: check out our updated supervision list to find a group in your area or online, or contact your tutor or school direct.
More input into CPD topics: we’ll now hold an annual poll through Facebook and the newsletter to get your ideas for CPD. You can also suggest a topic at any time by contacting the marketing or membership office.
More information on CPD: we’ve got a recommended CPD page on the website, including what’s available from MTI tutors and further afield, and a guide to choosing quality CPD.
Free online CPD: there’s a wealth of information on the website, under the ‘Free CPD’ section of Practitioner Resources. This is self-directed learning you can use to complete your CPD hours.
Make contact easier: the phone number for the member office and contacts for the rest of the admin team are available through a link on the member area home page.
If you need help finding any of this information, contact Donna in the member office at register@massagetraining.co.uk. We’ll also upload a video walk through of the reorganised website by the end of May.
We’ve done what we can to improve your experience with MTI. What we also need to make you aware of the size and nature of the current organisation. If you’ve been with MTI for a while you may not realise that we have about half the members we had before Covid. This means we are a much smaller organisation than we were, with fewer resources. So we are doing what we can with what we have.
It also provides an opportunity for us all to step up. Being a small organisation means its easier for us to know each other and effect change. If you want there to be more events in your area, organise one! You don’t have to take on being a regional rep or organise a full CPD day. You can do a shout out for a coffee or walk to meet up with local members. Donna in the membership office can help you contact other members in your area.
If you want more engagement on the member Facebook group, or your regional page, or What’s App group, do a post, ask a question, reach out. And if you see people posting, engage! Even just a quick thumbs up or few words of response means a lot and it builds our community.
MTI on tour: Bristol recap
MTI goes on tour! Our focus for 2023 is to continue to promote a sense of community amongst massage therapists while providing opportunities for CPD with experts in our field.
Our first stop on the MTI Roadshow was the West Country, with the event being held at Bristol College of Massage and Bodywork.
The theme for the day was Therapist Wellbeing.
Our morning workshops were Introduction to Hands Free with Leora Sharp and Initial Consultation: The keystone of a creative and expansive therapeutic massage practice with Sarah Mclellan.
We then enjoyed a wonderful gourmet packed lunch from the Public Market while the sun shone and we were able to sit in the garden chatting away.
The afternoon saw us move into Caring for body, mind and spirit as a practitioner with Jeremy Dymond and Sciatica and Piriformis syndrome with Tim Bartlett.
We then finished with Panel Q&A with our workshop leaders and Andy Fagg, founder of BCMB, where attendees could ask any questions presenting itself in their practice to our panel of experts.
We look forward to hosting an MTI Roadshow near you! Our next stops will be Edingburgh on 28 October, London on 19 November and Sheffield in the new year!
Conference 2022: The Message of Massage from workshop leader Earle Abrahamson
In writing this blog, I decided to reflect on my experience as a therapist but equally advisor and educator. I discovered massage when I sustained a life changing knee injury as a youth. I was an enthusiastic cricketer, and whilst batting in a cup match I lunged forward and felt that awkward twist in my right knee. This was swiftly followed by an audible popping sound. I was overcome by pain and shock and recall being carried off the pitch. Apart from the physical discomfort I became psychologically aware of what my future in the sport may become. Endless appointments with consultants and specialists served to enforce the prospects of never being able to competitively play the sport I enjoyed most. I was determined to find a way back, to research possibility, and discover hope. My resilience and perseverance paid off when I met a musculoskeletal physician. This doctor took time to explain the dynamics and mechanics of the injury, involved me in the decision making, and exposed me to the world of soft tissue therapy. This impactful and empowering experience let me to understand how manipulation of soft tissue enables enhancement of movement. For me, the inquiry into discovering possibility changed my perceptions and hope of outcomes.
I use this experience of my own injury and management thereof, to frame my philosophy in treating injury and ailment and supporting my clients back to health. For me, the magic and message of massage is not simply doing, but rather developing techniques, knowledge and understanding of doing it better. Soft tissue therapy, and massage in particular, is often considered a solution to multiple musculoskeletal problems. I have seen and learned that many of my colleagues are determined to recruit and keep clients without fully recognising the limits of the soft tissue scope of practice.
Massage has developed from integrating therapies and disseminating best practices. The therapeutic side of massage is so much more than the application of technique. It relies on client education, assessment of treatment goals, engagement with difficult and challenging conversations, and reflection on experience. It relies on understanding situation, context and culture and learning to manage reality. Through my years of experience as a therapist, I have learned to critically reflect on what matters most. I have learned to develop and use my soft tissue toolkit, which is populated with techniques, evidence-based resources, and conversations and observations with other practitioners. I have learned to be honest and practise with integrity.
At the 2022 MTI conference I am keen to share my experience and knowledge of building my practice and learning from lessons of reflection. I am interested in dissecting the concept of massage as medicine and carefully and purposefully situating my practice within a preventative and restorative framework. I aim to disrupt convention and challenge identity within the broad field of soft tissue therapy. For me, it is not what we see that is important, but rather what we fail to see and acknowledge. From prehabilitation to rehabilitation and constructively building a lens to discern acute from chronic and attend to “what matters most”, is central to my presentations at the conference.
A willingness to admit “I don’t know” and a passion and determination to learn how has epitomised my identity as a practitioner. My message of, and for, massage is being able to design treatments that clients understand and have included voice in considering outcomes and implications.
I conclude with words that resonate with my philosophy of practice. These words come from Amanda Gorman’s poem, read with intention and purpose, at Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president.
“It is not what lies between us that matters, but rather what lies in front of us”. Together we need to learn with and from colleagues and design a massage future that addresses issues that matter most. Our skillsets are shared across disciplines but find a unique home in considering our clients holistically. It this holistic approach that sets us apart, yet brings us together.
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