William Greenberg, AMTA Board of Directors, former chair, AMTA Grievance Committee

One of the most significant dilemmas that we members of the AMTA Grievance Committee have with nearly every one of the complaints that we receive, is the lack of communication between the parties of the grievance. Many of the grievances begin because there was not clear communication between therapist and client. Others have developed because of lack of clear communication between massage school teachers and students. Yet others have come to us because of lack of clarity between licensing officials and therapy applicants.

Clear, concise communication is the basis for understanding. Without it, there is only separation, chaos, anger, conflict and pain. Often we hear of the breakdown in communication and would like to mediate between the two parties, only to learn that they have so completely alienated themselves that communication cannot take place.

A classic example of communication breakdown took place about a year ago, while I was coaching a pair of clients who have been married to each other for more than 30 years. They are each other's best friend, as well as business partners. Even though they have been communicating all those years, they haven't been communicating clearly with each other.

A crisis arose when she said that she needed more passion in her life. He took this to mean that he was not enough for her any longer and that she was going to start looking for a replacement relationship. What she was saying was that she needed to attack her activities with more passion, giving 110 percent to her goals.

When I pointed out to them that they had been speaking in half sentences (only half of the thought), they were able to communicate to each other the reality of their thoughts. Now he is supportive of her needs to bring passion to her goals. She is also able to invite him to share her passions. They are communicating again. What at first looked like the end of the relationship is now a wonderful new commitment to clear communication, a continued growing together.

Psychological studies indicate that as much as 94 percent of communication is nonverbal. So even if we are trying to speak distinctly and clearly to the other party, if our mannerisms, body language, or touch are not in communication with us, there is a breakdown in the message that we are trying to convey. The following are just a few of the situations that have been brought to the attention of the committee:

     1) A therapist was negotiating for a position in a facility with a senior therapist. Based on a lack of clear communication, and the laying of ground rules, there developed a great misunderstanding, which ended the professional relationship, and brought a grievance to the committee.

     2) When a therapist did not clearly discuss with her client the difference between adult entertainment and therapeutic touch, the client made an inappropriate pass. The therapist promptly ended the session 30 minutes early, and dismissed the client. The client filed a grievance based on the fact that he felt that he had been overcharged, and not given a full session.

     3) A client did not tell her therapist about her history of sexual and physical abuse. The therapist did not see the nonverbal communication coming from the client and was very insensitive to the needs of the client at that time. This was perceived as another abusive encounter.

     4) An officer/member was asked about the qualification of another member, by their local licensing board. The officer made a statement that sounded as if the member was unqualified, which placed the member in a very difficult position. It required a year of work and legal fees, to correct the misstatement.

     5) A sports massage therapist treated a client, who was locked into the John Wayne Syndrome and did not communicate the fact that the treatment was very painful. Even though the client was grimacing and showing signs of bruising, the therapist remained insensitive to the client's pain.

     6) A therapist did not tell her staff that she believed the office mailing list to be her personal property. When one of the staff took a copy of the list, a grievance came to us.

     7) A student in a massage school was afraid to tell the director that he was dyslexic. The director decided to make him a throwaway because of what she judged to be his poor comprehension skills. Before the final exam, several of the students asked if they would be marked down on spelling error. The director said, No, then changed her mind without telling the class. Even though the student was very intelligent, his dyslexia got in the way of his spelling, and the director failed him from the course. This lead to a lawsuit and the director was made to refund the student's full tuition.

     8) At a sporting event one day, a therapist volunteer came up to me, and said that another therapist at the event kept walking up behind volunteers and without asking, began to massage their necks and shoulders. The volunteer was a survivor of abuse, and said, If he touches me without my permission one more time, I'm going to deck him! About that time the touch-deprived volunteer came up behind her and once again began to massage her neck. I intervened by taking the touching volunteer aside and explaining to him the need to ask permission, instead of sneaking up behind people. He finally got the message.