Intro Letter to the AOBTA
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
 
A Letter from the New CRD Dear AOBTA® members:   I would like to take this time to introduce myself to the membership of the AOBTA®.  My name is Terry Norman.  I have recently become your new Central Regional Director, and would like to tell you something about myself, and my thoughts on how I might be able to help the organization in its growth and development.   I have been studying and performing ABT and TCM for more than 36 years.  I’ve been an adult education instructor in these subjects for more than 27 years, offering classes at area colleges, universities, massage therapy schools and TCM schools both in the U.S. and Canada.  My particular specialty is Tuina and Sports Tuina, but I have had extensive training in both Western and Asian medical sciences totaling more than 6600 hours.  My studies come from several schools and well-known teachers in this country.   In addition, I have made several trips to China where I have had the privilege to study at the medical school in Shanghai and the National Olympic Training Center in Beijing, along with working in outpatient clinics on members of several Olympic teams and the general public alike.  I would encourage you to learn more about me by going to my website at www.tuinasports.com.   During the last 28 years I have worked hand in hand with massage therapists to strengthen that industry to become more professional by establishing schools for massage training that offer curriculums in higher levels of education in both manual therapeutic techniques and western sciences.  In addition, I encouraged and helped to develop classes and programs in ABT and TCM within their curriculums and helped to establish state regulation for massage therapy in Texas.  I was constantly working to network with other therapists, and to educate the medical profession and the general public as to who we, as ABTs, are and how we could help, along with clarifying that we are professional therapists not “body-rubbers,” “club-rubbers,” or “prostitutes”.  I’ve served on local and State Boards for massage therapy, as well as national committees working hard to develop high standards of education, professionalism, and ethics that would become a strong foundation to build upon.  Because of this, I feel that I can bring a fresh viewpoint to our organization that can make it become even stronger still.   Over the last several years, there’s been a decline in interest among physical medicine practitioners to study any form of Asian bodywork.   This places the AOBTA® in a pivotal position to educate schools, organizations, and therapists about the validity and importance of learning these therapies and incorporating Asian bodywork techniques and procedures into their treatment protocols.    I charge all of you to work with me, and the other Board members, to reach out to other manual therapists in a cooperative manner to educate them about the power of our craft.  We need to become more visible and active in our community and to let others know exactly who we are, just as the massage therapists have been doing for the last 30 years.  Interest in what we do has been dwindling.   It’s up to us to rekindle that interest.  We must begin to bring forth Yang Qi in our efforts to succeed.   I will soon be contacting all the members within my region.  I welcome your thoughts, suggestions and correspondence.  I’m asking for your active participation in building this organization and to help spread the word about us.   Many therapists I’ve spoken to have never heard of the AOBTA®.  Many more have heard of us, but are unaware of what exactly we represent.  I know that most of you have been and are still actively educating others as to who we are and how ABT can bring about a higher state of health and well-being.  Your efforts are, as always, greatly appreciated and needed.  They have been like nourishment to a starving man.  Keep watering the tree.  Remember, we are all together.    I’m looking forward to working for you and with you.  Let me hear from you.   Sincerely,   Terry Norman, BME, LMT, MTI, CEP, NCTMB, NCBTMB-CE Provider, AOBTA-CIhttp://www.tuinasports.com/shapeimage_2_link_0