The difference between aLicensed Massage Therapist and a

Certified Massage TherapistMassage therapy is a booming profession! The number of people wanting to become Massage Therapists has increased. Like other allied health courses, massage therapy is subject to licensing in Trinidad and Tobago. There is still a misunderstanding in the difference between a licensed massage therapist and certified massage therapist. We hope this article helps in explaining the difference:

Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT):Licensure is a mandatory process of professional regulation by a government body (usually a State or National office). A student who graduates from a massage therapy college should have a license in order for him or her to practice massage therapy. Bottom line, if you do not have a license you are not allowed to receive payment for your work.

Certified Massage Therapist (CMT):Certified means being authorized or officially attested in meeting specified standards in the field of massage. A Massage Therapist who has received a graduation certificate of massage therapy must take the licensure exam administered by “The Board” of the Massage Therapy Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Dangers of PatronizingUnlicensed Massage Therapists

Potential InjuriesSince unlicensed Massage Therapists do not receive rigorous training, they are more likely to accidentally harm you with poor technique. It is also possible to receive an entirely new injury from an unlicensed therapist who ‘tweaks’ your muscles incorrectly.

You get what you pay forThe age-old saying dictates that cheaper services usually result in lower quality work. If you are considering receiving an unlicensed massage because it costs less, rethink your decision. A poor massage and a possible injury are not worth the money you end up saving.

The PrincipleThink about other licensed professions, such as doctors or lawyers. It is safe to say that you would avoid unlicensed practitioners of those professions.

A lawyer who has not passed the Bar Examination is not qualified to practice law. Similarly, unlicensed massage therapists lack the credentials earned by licensed ones. Massage can be extremely valuable for both the mind and the body.

Credentials for theMassage Therapy Profession

Credentials help inform a consumer about the qualifica-tions and competency of a massage therapist.Massage therapy credentials include: • Licensing • Education and Training with a Registered or Accredited School • Membership in a Professional Association

LicensingLicensing is the most rigorous form of professional regulation, making it illegal for anyone to work as a massage therapist unless he or she has a license.

Massage Therapists may choose to become licensed. The license is awarded by the Massage Therapy Board of Trinidad and Tobago.

Why use a Licensed Massage Therapist?

Individuals who meet standards of education and pass the Licensure examination are entitled to use the designation LMT initials at the end of their names.

Education and Training with aRegistered School

Standards for education and training can assist the consum-er to know whether a Massage Therapist has adequate preparation to practice massage therapy. A specific number of hours of in-class initial massage therapy training, which must include the study of Anatomy and Physiology, the theory and practice of Massage Therapy. The total number of hours required is 1073 hours (60 credits) for initial education in Trinidad and Tobago.

One method of knowing whether a program or massage school provides a nationally-recognized standard level of education is to contact the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT).

Membership in a Professional Massage Therapy Association

Membership in a credible Professional Association indicates professional preparation and accountability. The Trinidad and Tobago Massage Therapy Association (TMTATT) is a non-profit, professional association representing massage therapists and was inaugurated on the 30th of October 1994. TMTATT requires members to meet minimum education requirements, pursue continuing education and uphold its Code of Ethics.

What are the differences between Certification versus Licensing in the

Massage Profession?When an individual meets the standard, he or she receives certification from a registered Institution with the national certifying body. The credibility and integrity of the certifying body determines whether the Institution’s certification means anything to the public, and therefore, ultimately, its value.

Licensing is a process which regulates a profession. It grants permission to an individual to engage in an occupa-tion if the applicant has attained the degree of competency required to ensure that the public health, safety, and welfare will be reasonably protected. Licensing is always based on the action of a legislative body. Once a licensing law has been passed it becomes illegal for anyone to engage in that occupation unless he or she has a license. Healthcare professions are typically licensed at the local level.

Certification differs from licensing in that certification is nearly always offered by a private, non-governmental Institution. Another contrast with licensure is that, under a licensing law, practitioners of the licensed occupation must have a license in order to practice.

Endorsement of Insurance formOnly a Licensed Massage Therapist is authorized to endorse Insurance Forms for an Insurance claim. An official stamp of your clinic must be placed on the form (see page 20 of the rules and regulations of TMTATT).

It is against the rules and regulations of TMTATT for anyone to practice without license and other credentials approved by The Association (see page 17 of the RR).

A copy of the RR of the TMTATT can be purchased at the registered office for a fee of $200 dollars.

Article Written by:Mr. Pravin Gopaul LMT

Pearl Gopaul 001Rose Rajbansee 002Pravin Gopaul 003Linda Tang Yew 004Ferdinand Bibby 005Quintina Huggins 008Anthony Walcott 014Curtis Guy 016Amir Ali 017Robert Chan Soo 020Lenwyn Headley 021Sandra Seepaul 022Magdalene Yee Kin Pereira 025John Davis 030Brent Pierre 032Hasra Mohammed 036Earl Joseph 038Otis Hislop 044Angela Gruny 047Simone G. James 048Helen Rennie - Ellis 049Vanessa Jones 050Fredericka Phillip Haynes 052Barbara Olumide - Alleyne 053Gillian Lovelace 057Abdul Khaleen Mohammed 058Nicole Smart - Taylor 059Sookdeo Ramsumair 060Elizabeth Paul - Abdul 066Jenny Boysie 067Maureen Reynold 068Isabel Cecelia Jackson 069Abdul Khabeer Mohammed 076Amy Kattick 079Clifton Bernard Paul 081Savitri Rampersad 085Ravindra Ramlal 090Ramona Rampersad 092Shawn Marshall 093Carol Belmar 094Roddy Charles 095Gail Bartley - Figueroa 096`Edwin Roett 098Simone Pantin 100Shurlan Bonas 102Nicole Fuentes 104Crystal Seupersad - Garraway 108Elsia Williams 109Kelly-Ann Ryan 110Arthur Robinson 112Ratree Boodansingh 118Nathalie Charles 119Shavini Ramdin 122Antosha Khadaroo 128Natalie Prout - Inniss 129Julia Alexander Sancho 130Yannicka Brown 132Esther Daniel 133Marcelina Sheri White 134Kurlyn Smith - Nicholas 136Shemilla Sharpe 137Ashaki Dore 140Iscah Dahlia Emanuel 141Karen Villaruel Wall 145Michelle Bartholomew 146Heimatee Rampaul 147Ian Sharpe 151Estelle Martin 153Steve Hall 154Shermaine St. Bernard 155Dara Lyons 156Donna Fossett 164Rhonda Chandler Rohansingh 165Basker Ramsubhag 171Deonath Goora 172Patrice Reis 177Lyncia Hall 178Roshadaye John 180Brendon Strong 181Annette Lalgee Ramkissoon 182

Abbreviations-LMT – Licensed Massage Therapist CMT – Certified Massage TherapistTMTATT – The Massage Therapy Association of Trinidad and Tobago RR - Rules and Regulations of The Massage Association

Rosalind Lutchman Narine 184Lochan Narine 187Raeann Kissoon Lee 192Rhonda Wilson 193Yola Jeffrey Heraldo 194Bevon Pereira 196Marina Meritt - Pierre 199Reena Bhatoo 201Myalisa Sonny 202Sharon Montoute 203Denise Seucharan 206Natalie Smith Yearwood 207Ruby Neeranjohn 208Nicole Lawrence 213Ron Adams 215Kathleen Joseph 217Joy Sergeant Nedd 221Tiand Levine Francois 225David Kelson Cromwell 226Stephanie Sonilal 230Sheldon Bruce 233Sunita Manickchand 236Karen Carreira 237Dwayne Charles 239Anthony Garette 242Josanne Narine 247Mavyer Ragbir 251Janine Harrinarine 252Sheldon Marcelle 254Melanee Byron 255Hamilkh Sampson 256Alison Siew 259Eartha Louler Nelson 260Brenda Deo 263Marina De Freitas 266Shackuntala Gina Mohammed 270Mc Kelly Bello 273Edward Harper 274Sharon Ramnarine - Lochan 275Talon Thomas 276Debra Peters – Riley 278Margaret Adams 280Declan Chin - King 281Dianne Blackman 282Ivana Hackshaw 285Pauline Henry 286Sheila Hilairie 287Karrifa Karim 289Leena Maharaj 292Safina Muhammed - Hallal 294Lizanne Maria Philemon 296Aleecia Aaron 297Tricia Ramsome 298Debbie Roberts 299Anil Roopnarine 301Bernadette Sobers 303Terri-Ann Wiggins 305Joanne Yates - Boopsingh 306Usha Harriram 307Earl Walters 308Tereze Douglas 311Indrani C. Sarasingh 313Vidya Amarsingh 314Christopher Collymore 316Angel Jarvis 320Nandini Mohammed 323Roger Moore 324Hemattee Ramnanan 326Kendra Rocke 328Denise Fletcher - Gopaul 331Zahra Baksh 336Shamin Dasswah-Rambharose 338Natalia Dell 339Khemrajee Deonarine 340Lord Lennard Eccles 342Keisha Simone Fraser 343Suzanne Hope 346Larry Inniss 347Kristy Illanos 348Cherelle John 351

Avinash Maharaj 354Roger Moore 357Tarrawattee Pustam 361Gangadaye Ramlal Balgobin 363Jennifer Ramsaroop 364Desiree Ramjohn 366Sarah Sampath 368Dharena Siewsankar 369Jillian Welles Knutt 370Sara Lee Hosten 372Augusta Sarah Worrell 373Vioneve V. Amadally 374Joy Ann Abrams 375Sumanta Bassant - Ali 377Shane Burnett 379 Denise Claverie Duke 380Durwin Colthrust 381Adina Cummings Clarke 382Kasey Edwards 384Katisha Gomez 386Ashmeed Hamid 387Ronald Harrison 388Natasha Joseph 389Faatimah Khan 390Nandanie Rajkumar 393Angela Ramesar 394Tricia Ramjohn 395 Shanice Singh 398Elsa St. Clair 399Greg Bernard 401Nigel Ramchan 402Soogandai Baboolal – Mohammed 407Nefta Baptiste 408Samuel Junior Dyeth 410Anya Aleina Jebodh 412Dara Lynch 413Clint Mc Kenzie 415Michelle White 420Christel Gajramsingh 421Coreen Andrews 422Sade Andrews 423Brian Bissessar 424Stephenson Boxill 425Richard Bourne 426Sion Cain 427Kirston Charles 428Avery Cozier 429Roland De Bourgh 430Gabriella Gayah 431Shenice Gittens 432Alison Gruny - Planchart 433Princess-Whitney Holder 434Tehilla Huggins 435Jenecia Joseph 436Jerome La Borde 437David Mack 438Garth Phillip 439Usha Radhalal 440Dillon Ramdass 441Ravina Ramsingh 442Kenika Roberts 443J’von Riley 444Clint Rivers 445Natalie E Scott 446Eleanor Stafford 447Bevon Vincent 448Dr. Christopher Bhagwandin 449Kenicia G. Borrell 450Christine Cabie-Cuffie 451Stefan M. Dipnarine 452Evans Francis 453Sarah Gangaram 454Hemant S. Pooran 455Juliet Premchand 456Chelsea Simmons 457Annette A. Spencer 458Lyndon Gordon 459

Current List of Licensed Massage Therapists 2020Name LMT# Name LMT# Name LMT#

The Massage Therapy Associationof Trinidad and Tobago (TMTATT) #68 Market Street Gopaul Lands, MarabellaTel: 221-5497, 770-8994 Fax: 1-868-658-3907Email: tmtattassociation@gmail.comWebsite: www.tmtatt.com