Celebrating the Massage Profession in Puerto Rico: AMTA’s Recent Community Event

AMTA was thrilled to host an event in Puerto Rico in October, bringing together massage therapists for connection, education, and celebration. The energy in the room was infectious and represents an important step forward in building the relationship between AMTA and massage practitioners in Puerto Rico.

The event was full of engagement, excitement, and even dancing -- we are looking forward to applying the insights gained from our time in Puerto Rico towards future initiatives. The impact of the event can best be described by attendees themselves:

“It was a wonderful activity that motivated me to continue studying the massage therapy profession and to know that there is an association that supports us.”

“Thank you for coming to Puerto Rico and making all of us feel important at this event. I hope this will not be the only event and that it will be held again.”

Key Highlights of the Event

Networking Session

The event began with a networking breakfast, allowing attendees to get to know each other and build community across the island and with AMTA staff.

AMTA Support Overview

Next, AMTA staff highlighted the various ways we help the massage community thrive in Puerto Rico including:

• • Membership information and COI available in Spanish
  • Student and School Scholarships
  • MBLEx® Study App (also available in Spanish) and Anatomy App (Spanish version coming soon)
  • Publications like Massage Therapy Journal^®, the newsfeed, and research report
  • Continuing Education library with 150+ online courses

Reset + Grounding + Meditation Workshop

Led by Annette Tomey Imbert, a co-owner and massage educator at Escuela de Artes Místicas, this session was the perfect opportunity for attendees to reset and reconnect with themselves. The workshop ended with the group coming together again for music and dancing.

Educational Panel

The day closed with a panel of experts including, Shanti Ragyi, Founder and Director of Artes Místicas; Susan Bogan, Diamond Point International Massage Inc.; Brenda Ruiz, Massage Therapy Business Inspector SARAFS; Antonia Mendez, President of the Puerto Rico Massage Examination Board; and Elizabeth Rioz Ramirez, Vice President of the Puerto Rico Massage Examination Board.

Looking Forward, Continuing to Support Puerto Rico Massage Therapists

AMTA was proud to host this event to learn more about massage therapists in Puerto Rico and how we can best support them throughout their careers. Together, we identified areas that therapists in Puerto Rico are most interested in strengthening: community connections, continuing education, and advocacy support. AMTA looks forward to advancing these initiatives as we continue to help massage therapists thrive throughout their careers!