Massage Industry protests Lifetime Television’s new show “The Client List”.

Feb. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- The Client List is a new series airing in April on Lifetime Television that perpetuates the misconception that Massage Therapy includes inappropriate sexual contact. Massage Therapists are trained healthcare professionals and in 38 states (and D.C.) are licensed and regulated by state medical boards. They adhere to a code of ethics and in some cases are under higher ethical standards than other healthcare professionals - because of these very same misconceptions. Many therapists work in doctor's offices and hospitals and are providing valuable therapeutic services. The Client List is a huge step backwards to days of “Massage Parlors”.

Les Sweeney, NCTM, President of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals states:
"The majority of the massage profession is female•—and while a fictitious show may seem on its surface innocuous, promoting a caricature can bring unintended consequences that have the potential to harm hard-working professional women. This seems antithetical to Lifetime’s mission."

“Licensed Massage Therapists (LMT's), like chiropractors and other medical professionals, adhere to a strict code of professional conduct. A tremendous level of training is required to achieve the status of LMT as well as ongoing yearly continuing education requirements. The Client List directly attacks this profession, creating a negative, unsafe and unfair bias against LMT's by the same public that they strive
to serve.” says Shari Jacobson, one of Wellx's founders and owner of a major spa in Portland, Oregon.

“Lifetime Television in the past has exceled at promoting women’s right and women’s issues. This is why we are so surprised at the degrading theme of The Client List. It is equally surprising that Jennifer Love Hewitt would be okay with the show’s exploitation of women as well.” Says Steve Valiquette, LMT. He continues, “All we are looking for is to establish a dialog with Lifetime Television to see what can be done to ensure that the general public does not take away from this show the idea that sexual acts are an accepted practice for massage therapist professionals”.

See the show’s theme and promotional videos: http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/the-client-list/video.

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Massage Therapists Against The Client List is a group of concerned Licensed Massage Therapists and supports that are concerned over the degrading and inaccurate portrayal of massage therapists as sex providers - as depicted in Lifetime Television's new series "The Client List".