Ethics for Massage Therapy

Most professions have ethical guidelines about how a person in that profession should or should not behave. Professional massage organizations and laws regulating massage often set down ethics for proper massage therapy.

Purpose

• The purpose of massage ethics is to protect both clients and massage therapists from situations that can compromise the therapeutic relationship.

Ethical Principles

• Ethical principles are general guidelines rather than specific rules. The principles of massage ethics endorsed by the American Massage Therapy Association are a commitment to quality massage therapy, avoiding discrimination, striving for excellence, maintaining confidentiality, having a professional image and doing no harm.

Ethical Rules

• Ethical rules are specific about what a massage therapist should or should not do. Common rules that are part of codes of ethics for massage therapy include working within the scope of practicing massage, refraining from sexual contact with clients, being truthful in marketing and avoiding conflicts of interest.

Professional Organizations

• Professional massage organizations require that massage therapists agree to abide by the organization's code of ethics and often provide a grievance process that the public can use to file complaints.

Considerations

• People often do not agree on what does and does not constitute ethical behavior. Ethics can be fluid and changing.