Continuing Education Tips

Continuing education courses that contain core curriculum content will not be accepted. The criterion by which the NCBTMB determines a course to be continuing education in scope is that it covers material not usually taught in the core 500-hour curriculum that is covered by the National Certification Exams (the NCETMB and the NCETM) administered by NCBTMB.²

² 500 hours reflected in the National Certification Exams (the NCETMB and the NCETM) administered by NCBTMB:

1. 125 hours of instruction in the body's systems and anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology
2. 200 hours of in-class, supervised hands-on instruction in massage and bodywork assessment, theory, and application instruction
3. 40 hours of pathology
4. 10 hours of business and ethics instruction (a minimum of 6 hours in ethics)
5. 125 hours of instruction in an area or related field that theoretically completes your massage program of study

Continuing education courses must expand and enhance the knowledge base of NCBTMB participants by addressing not only soft tissue manipulation, energy fields, body movement and business practices, but also acknowledge and demonstrate a holistic approach to care of the client and self with the ethical use of adjunct therapies and modalities that impact and support a level of wellness of the body, mind, and spirit. 

Acceptable content includes, but is not limited to:

1. Applications of massage and bodywork therapy for specific needs, conditions, or client populations.
2. Client assessment protocols, skills for client record keeping, strategies for interfacing with other healthcare providers
3. Use of external agents such as water, light, sound, heat, cold or topical applications of plant or mineral-based substances
4. Body-centered or somatic psychology, psychophysiology, interpersonal skills - which may include communication skills, boundary functions, phenomena of transference, countertransference and projection
5. Standards of practice, professional ethics or state laws
6. Strategies for the marketing of massage and bodywork therapy practices
7. Theory or practice of ergonomics as applied to therapists or clients
8. Hygiene, methods of infectious disease control, organization and management of the treatment environment

Inappropriate content includes, but is not limited to:

1. Diagnose (allopathic-based) clinical conditions
2. Implement allopathic medical/surgical procedures
3. Physically invasive, e.g., ear candling, colonics, etc.
4. Incorporate chiropractic/osteopathic, e.g., ballistic, thrust oriented or other services and procedures which require additional licensure or certification, i.e., yoga or pilates instructor certification, physical therapy, personal training, weight training
5. Prescribe herbs, nutritional supplements, and/or pharmaceuticals
6. Perform hypnosis
7. Perform a aesthetician facial
8. Perform electrical stimulation, ultrasound
9. Psychological counseling
10. Psychic, clairvoyance, telepathic, astrology, religious or spiritual practices
11. Acupuncture

Exceptions

Courses that will be allowed only when the course is designed/outlined and titled as strictly for the therapist's personal self-care and not to be taught to others or performed on clients.

1. Perform active strengthening/physical training to others (acceptable for therapist's self-care only)
2. Perform yoga (acceptable for therapist's self-care only)

Promoting a product

Programs specifically designed to promote a product or commodity that must be purchased by the participant for use or resale to the public are not acceptable. (The NCBTMB does not endorse any particular products or services and the use of the trademarked NCBTMB logo in such a manner as to imply this is strictly prohibited.) 

Disclaimer

NCBTMB is not responsible for any course information, course title and hours not submitted within the provider's application for review. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Continuing Team at ce@ncbtmb.org or call 800-296-0664.