For Immediate Release Media Contact:
September 22, 2004 Ron Precht 
847-905-1649

Massage Therapists Hold Annual Convention in Nashville, TN

Evanston, IL — The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) will hold its Annual Convention at the Nashville Convention Center, October 6-9, 2004. More than 900 members of the international organization for professional massage therapists will convene for educational workshops and news on developments in the field.

Scheduled keynote speaker is Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen (professor of clinical medicine at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine), founder and director of a program for graduate physicians who wish to develop a greater personal capacity for empathy, compassion, understanding and communication.

Also scheduled is information on the current state of massage therapy research, sponsored by the Massage Therapy Foundation. The session will feature information on recent research studies on the efficacy of massage and community outreach massage projects.

AMTA’s President, Laurel J. Freeman, will welcome association members to twenty educational sessions that focus on massage techniques to improve the health of clients and information on issues facing massage therapists. Sessions focus on such topics as massage for TMJ and headaches, and for frozen shoulder syndrome.

October 24-30 is National Massage Therapy Awareness Week, sponsored each year by AMTA, to educate the public on the benefits of massage. The theme for National Massage Therapy Awareness Week 2004 is “Manage Pain with Massage.” On October 21, 2004 AMTA will release results of its annual consumer survey on use of massage.

With over 50,000 members, the American Massage Therapy Association has a Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and an active law and legislation program. The association promotes the development and advancement of the art, science and practice of massage therapy in a caring, professional and ethical manner, and the association supports massage research through the Massage Therapy Foundation.

AMTA also offers a free Find A Massage Therapist national locator service to help consumers find qualified massage therapists throughout the U.S. The service is available via AMTA’s Web site at www.amtamassage.org and toll-free at telephone number 888-843-2682 (888-THE-AMTA).

A downloadable press kit and press releases for National Massage Therapy Awareness Week are available in the News Room section of the AMTA Web site. Also available are Tips for Getting a Massage.

See attached Media Highlights.

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