June 6, 2003

AMTA has sent the following statement to selected news organizations that have brought the massage therapy profession into the Laci Peterson murder case and statements made about Amber Frey, a massage therapist from Fresno, CA.

Statement from Brenda L. Griffith, President of the American Massage Therapy Association

AMTA OUTRAGED AT DEFAMATION OF MASSAGE THERAPY PROFESSION

American Massage Therapy Association urges media to depict profession and practitioners accurately

The high-profile, ongoing media coverage of Amber Frey’s involvement in the Laci Peterson case has resulted in some media and others misrepresenting the massage therapy profession. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) is outraged with this inaccurate characterization of the profession and is urging the media covering this story to refrain from describing Ms. Frey’s profession in a demeaning manner.

“We require that our 46,000 members uphold the AMTA professional code of ethics and standards of practice, they are required to have a minimum of 500 classroom hours of massage training and complete ongoing continuing education courses,” said Brenda L. Griffith, president of AMTA. “Depicting massage therapists in a negative manner does a disservice to the public, many of whom recognize the benefits of massage for helping reduce blood pressure, promoting faster healing of muscle strains, enhancing immune system function, and easing symptoms of arthritis,” she added.

Since 1943 AMTA, the largest organization representing the massage profession, has worked to advance the profession of massage therapy that is now widely accepted by physicians, other healthcare providers many insurance companies and the public. Massage therapy is an integral component in the maintenance of good health and complementary to other health care. Over the last six years the number of Americans who say they had a massage from a massage therapist more than doubled, and surveys show that the average American adult recognizes the value of massage for a variety of health needs.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to regulate and/or license massage therapy. AMTA supports accreditation of massage schools, clinical research on the efficacy of massage and fair regulation of massage therapy by the states. AMTA also proactively educates the public about the massage therapy profession and the benefits of massage therapy.

To contact AMTA, please call 847-864-0123 or visit its Web site at www.amtamassage.org.