Which organization certifies Massage Therapy programs?

Which organization certifies Massage Therapy programs?

• A. Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• B. American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)
• C. National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB)
• D. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAEP)

Answer: (C)

Understanding which body handles credentialing in massage therapy is the key. The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork is the national certifying board for massage therapy and bodywork; it establishes education and examination standards and issues certification to individual therapists, which is the organization most closely tied to massage therapy credentials within these options. The other organizations apply to different areas: CACREP accredits counseling-related educational programs, AMTA serves as a professional association for music therapy, and CAAEP accredits allied health education programs in general. (There is a specialized massage therapy accreditor, COMTA, but it isn’t listed here.)

Understanding which body handles credentialing in massage therapy is the key. The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork is the national certifying board for massage therapy and bodywork; it establishes education and examination standards and issues certification to individual therapists, which is the organization most closely tied to massage therapy credentials within these options. The other organizations apply to different areas: CACREP accredits counseling-related educational programs, AMTA serves as a professional association for music therapy, and CAAEP accredits allied health education programs in general. (There is a specialized massage therapy accreditor, COMTA, but it isn’t listed here.)