Goal Setting

What is your main goal this year as a massage therapist? Is it to break into a new market of clientele? Maybe you want to become certified in a new modality. Or do you have plans to land a few new referral relationships with other healthcare providers? I think we have all heard the tenet of “writing down your goals” as a way to actually reach them. Visualization leads to actualization. We write down our goals as a reminder that we have goals, that there is a reason for our hard work, that dreams don’t have to be only that – dreams.

Our chapter board came together last June to revise our Strategic Plan for the first time since 2006. Our goals boiled down to four key concepts:

• Expand our membership base.
• Encourage overall participation in chapter events, continuing education and networking opportunities.
• Increase our presence in schools.
• Provide a legislative presence at the state and local level to meet new challenges the chapter may face.

Our chapter has slowly been realizing these goals over the last eight months.

Membership – Our chapter has seen a steady increase in membership, up 17% since June 2012.  We are now 362 strong.  Over 1800 massage therapists were licensed by the Idaho State Massage Therapy Board in 2013 and we hope to call many of them members soon and welcome them to our community.

Participation – The 2014 State Convention in Sun Valley will be one of our largest on record, with over 40 participants confirmed by February 1st alone!  Unit leaders have endeavored to hold social meet and greets in their units over the last year with promising results.  Our Facebook presence has increased, our website has and will continue to evolve into a vibrant point of contact and information, our newsletter has gone electronic and now comes to members in vivid color with more articles and information than ever.

Schools – Chapter leaders are working with National to spread the word about AMTA’s new school membership, allowing any AMTA school’s students to join AMTA with a student membership of just $20.

Government Relations – Chapter leaders have maintained a steady presence at nearly every Idaho State Board of Massage Therapy meeting since the passage of the licensing act and the inception of the board.  We continue to monitor changes in state and local legislation and work to make our voices and your voices heard by lawmakers to protect the industry and the public we serve.

As president, I am very proud of my fellow chapter leaders and all they have accomplished in the last two years.  Their dedication to our members and to AMTA has met the challenge of growth and change head on.  As they forge forward into 2014, I have every confidence that they will continue to work to achieve the goals put forth to serve our members.  Likewise, I look forward to welcoming new chapter leaders as our elections commence in May and bring new members to our leadership, happy to serve.

To quote our chapter’s mission:  To support our members and promote the highest professional standards.  That is why, as chapter leaders, we work hard.  Your continued and increasing involvement drives us to reach your goals.

Be well,

Suzie Lindberg, LMT

AMTA-Idaho Chapter President