American Massage Therapy Association 
New Mexico Chapter
The Chapter is now accepting advertisements for continuing education and other educational classes in our newsletter. We have prepared an Advertising Rate Sheet for all newsletter ads. The newsletter is published 3 times per year. The deadlines for ads are February 3rd, May 15th, and September 27th. Please contact Amy C. Zampella, Communications Director should you have any questions.
October 2011 Newsletter
Please click here to read and/or print our October Newsletter in PDF format. There are some great events coming - Renaissance Faire in Las Cruces, Emergency Response Training (for free!), and a joint conference with the Colorado Chapter.
June 2011 Newsletter
Our June Newsletter has been published. To read about the EMS Region III event, upcoming CO/NM Conference, and see a list of our wonderful new members, click here.
March 2011 Newsletter
Our March Newsletter has been published. To read about our upcoming events, government relations report, and see our newest members, click here.
Our Chapter's Annual Meeting will be held in beautiful Ruidoso, NM on Saturday March 26th and Sunday March 27th, 2011. We will have 8 credits of continuing education, a business meeting, annual board elections, and many excellent door prizes. This event is FREE for AMTA members; we just ask that you show your membership card at the door. Non-AMTA members are welcome at $60 for Saturday or Sunday, or $120 for the entire weekend. Non-AMTA members - please bring exact cash or a check at the door.
The meeting and conference will be held downtown at the Hotel Ruidoso, close to restaurants and shopping. For those traveling from out of town, special rates are being offered at the Hotel Ruidoso ($109) and the Comfort Inn ($99). Please reserve your room by calling 866-734-5197 by March 4th to get the special rate, which includes a hot breakfast. Ruidoso is a beautiful mountain town, perfect for a weekend getaway. The Hotel Ruidoso is within walking distance of great restaurants and shopping. Try your luck at the casino at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, or watch The Charlie Daniels Band perform on Sunday March 27th.
Schedule of Events:
Saturday March 26
8:00-10:00 - Blood Pressure: The why, how and meaning for massage therapists (Rick Wiles)
if you have a blood pressure monitor, please bring it for hands-on instruction
10:00-12:00 - Ethics (Rick Wiles)
12:00-2:00 - Lunch on your own
2:00-4:00 - Board Meeting and Elections
Sunday March 27
8:00-12:00 - Prenatal Massage Primer (Christine E. Thompson) participants are requested to bring a massage table, shorts and a sports bra for hands-on instruction
This is a great chance to earn your 8 FREE CEUs. Earning your FREE CEUs can pay for half your annual AMTA membership! Come talk to the AMTA-NM Board about massage in your area, what you envision for the Chapter's future, and network with your colleagues. You might even go home with some great door prizes.
Please RSVP for this great event to Rick Wiles by March 20th.
Instructors Bios:
Rick Wiles, LMT #5436 NM, RMTI# I-0402
Rick Wiles has been an emergency medical technician (EMT) for 30 years with the Artesia fire department & ambulance service. He is a retired fire department training officer now serving as the Chief of the volunteer fire department. Owner of Artesia Family Wellness Center (training gym) and Massage Therapy School, Rick is a fitness trainer and educator. He is a licensed massage therapist and registered instructor in New Mexico and Texas; and certified Nationally by the NCTMB. Rick has served as the AMTA-NM Chapter's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd vice presidents and is currently serving as President.
Christine E. Thompson, LMT #4722, RMTI #S-0344, MOTHERMASSAGE® Certified
Christine has a private practice in Las Cruces at the Full Circle Health Center. She is MOTHERMASSAGE® Certified, taught personally by Elaine Stillerman who first developed that training. Christine has been an LMT since 2003, graduating from a 1000 hr. program at the Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage in Syracuse, NY. She holds licensure in both New Mexico and New York. Christine has taught at Massage Therapy Training Institute (MTTI) since 2005. The prenatal class has been popular at MTTI, and she has held the CEU classes 3 times now. Besides being a professional member of AMTA since the day she was officially deemed an LMT in NY (2003), Christine is Nationally Certified through NCBTMB.
Prenatal Massage Primer Outline:
Combination of lecture with hands-on tips for addressing common complaints of pregnant clients.
Massage and the reduction of stress
Benefits of Prenatal Massage
Myths of Prenatal Massage
Myth #1 A massage can cause a miscarriage.
Myth #2 A massage is contraindicated in the first trimester.
Myth #3 The abdomen should never be massaged during the first trimester.
Myth #4 The feet and hands should not be massage during pregnancy.
Myth #5 A pregnant woman should lie only on her left side, whether in bed or on the massage table.
Contraindications for massage including shiatsu points
Essential oils/herbs and prenatal massage (handout)
We would love to have your feedback. Please contact the Editor, Stacy Green with comments, or to submit an article for the February 2011 Newsletter.
Volunteer at the New Mexico Mission of Mercy - Oct. 15-16, 2010
The New Mexico Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association is working with the UNM School of Medicine, Center for Disaster Medicine to coordinate massage therapy at the upcoming NM Mission of Mercy (NMMOM). This even will take place on Friday October 15th & Saturday October 16th, 2010 at Expo New Mexico's Manual Lujan Building. NM MOM is a large-scale dental clinic where more than 100 portable dental stations are set up in a public arena, and dental screenings and services are provided at no charge to those who attend. Patients are treated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Massage therapists will provide chair and table massage to the volunteer dentists, dental hygienists, and nurses. These volunteers will be working long hours on their feet to provide a range of free dental services such as teeth cleaning, fillings, root canals, gum treatments, partial dentures, and/or surgical procedures. The hours of complimentary massage will be from 10 am to 6 pm. We are asking for therapists to sign up for a four hour shift, either 10 am-2 pm or 2-6 pm. Tables and/or massage chairs are needed, as well as any other supplies that you need for your work (hand sanitizer, paper towels, stool, etc.)
This event will be a great opportunity to network with dentists & hygienists from around the State, and promote the benefits of massage therapy for them and their patients. Bring your cards and your business pitch! All volunteers will be given a t-shirt, and FREE meals. Click here for more volunteer details. http://www.nmdentalfoundation.org/volunteer.php
If you are available to volunteer, please contact Bruce Crawford or Amy Zampella. You do not need to be an AMTA member to volunteer. If you have any collegues that might be interested, please forward this information.
New Mexico Association of Family Physicians Annual Conference
July 2010
We spent our 3rd year at the Family Physicians Conference, held at the Sagebrush Inn & Conference Center from July 27-August 1, 2010. The chapter board members hosted an exhibit to educated the physicians on the importance and benefits of massage therapy for their patients. The doctors enjoyed complimentary chair massage between the conference presentations on the latest in medicine. We presented them with AMTA brochures and the "Find a Massage Therapist" locator service website to provide to their patients.
Three gift certificates for one hour massage treatments were raffled to the doctors. Each certificate can be redeemed for a session with any NM therapist listed in the AMTA's Find a Massage Therapist Locator service. The NM Chapter will pay the local therapist $50 for each certificate. If you receive a request to redeem one of the gift certificates, please contact Bruce Crawford, treasurer for reimbursement. We hope that these certificates will result in continued business for our chapter therapists.
July 2010
Bruce Crawford, treasurer, and Sharon White, 3rd VP attended the The Chapter Volunteer Orientation Program (CVOP) at the AMTA headquarters in Evanston, Illinois. To support AMTA Chapter officers in delivering a positive experience to members, AMTA will held the 9th CVOP from July 8-11, 2010. The event included an introduction to the world of non-profit boards and volunteer responsibilities, sessions about volunteer roles and responsibilities particular to AMTA, how to access the resources available from AMTA and some time for networking and FUN!
CVOP was created to
-Combine practical skills for use within the Chapters,
-Provide familiarity with Association basics and policies,
-Offer different techniques and suggestions for activities that Chapters can offer their members.
CVOP developed with certain beliefs.
-Volunteers are accountable
-We act locally & think globally
-We always remember the Member
Sharon and Bruce shared the great sense of community, team building and fun that they experienced at CVOP. They hope to carry over these themes to the chapter members this year.
Chapter Newsletter Now On-LIne!
We are looking for members to write articles for future newsletters. If you would like to submit something that is educational for our members, please contact Stacy Green, Editor.
June 2010 Newsletter
Renaissance ArtsFaire - Las Crucas, NM
Our sixth annual participation with the Renaissance Faire was held on November 3rd and 4th, 2007. We had over 26 volunteers in attendance giving wonderful chair massage to Faire attendees. Everyone had a great time. This annual event has been an effective fundraising event for MERT and chapter community service events. We are already looking forward to next year's event!
Cami Anderson, event coordinator Look at this group effort!
showing how it's done.
EMS Region 3 Conference April 2008
Virginia Anthony Barrow participating with the goal of "helping those who help others", specifically, attendees at the EMT Region 3 Conference
July 2008
Rick Wiles, 2nd VP and Stacy Green, 3rd VP attending this years' CVOP Training in Chicago, Illinois.
Long time member Resa Sheffler assisting a fellow participant at the Nurturing the Nurturer retreat in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains.
