FAQs

A Student Massage Therapist member is someone who is currently enrolled in their first year or second year.

An Associate Massage Therapist member is someone who has completed first year, is continuing their education to obtain a minimum of a 2200 hour diploma, and has obtained professional liability insurance through the associations broker.

A Full Massage Therapist, Spa Therapist, or Registered Massage Therapist member has completed a 2200 hour program AND submitted all necessary documentation to the CMMOTA required to obtain and maintain their membership with the Association.

The current 3 year period is from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027. This period is the same for all members. The submission deadline for continuing education credits is December 31, 2027. All members are responsible for completing credits and for submitting proof of same within the required timeline. The courses must have been taken within the current submission cycle. For example courses taken in the year 2024 or prior would not count for credits. The required CE credits are prorated depending on your effective date for becoming a Full member:

By logging in to your Member Profile and editing your information. There are fields that you will not be able to access that only the CMMOTA can see. Be sure to click “Save” when you are done. The modalities that you specialize in are only reflected if you have sent in a certificate of completion for the corresponding course.

In accordance with CMMOTA Bylaws, and CMMOTA Policy, only Members, and special guests invited by motion of the Board of Directors may attend.

The due date for Membership and insurance renewal fees are set by the Board of Directors each year leading up to membership renewal, and are communicated to members with their invoice.

Both membership and insurance renewal fees are payable directly to the Association.*

*If you reside in Quebec – your membership renewal invoice will not include basic professional liability insurance. You are responsible to pay your insurance broker directly for your insurance and provide a copy of your insurance certificate directly to the Association as part of the renewal process.

You can refer to the “Credit Guidelines” on the website, if you are a member fill out an Appendix 22 – Member CEC Course Evaluation Form and submit it, or if you are course developer fill out an Appendix 23 – Course Developer CEC Course Evaluation Form and submit it.

If you have questions about whether a course has been previously approved please inquire by email to info@cmmota.com. If the course has not been approved, we may ask for additional information in order to evaluate it.

Manual Osteopathic Therapy is a gentle non-invasive hands-on therapy that focuses on bringing the body’s structure and function back to a state of whole-body optimal health. Through extensive intake notes and various hands-on assessments dysfunctional patterns are recognized that reside in the body causing structural and functional disruptions that may present as pain or dis-ease in the body. These disruptions are treated through various techniques. These may include Muscle Energy Techniques to balance musculoskeletal restrictions (skeletal and muscle), joint and fascial mobilizations aiding in releasing “stuck joints” by engaging with soft tissues and fascial manipulation that help increase range of motion along with Myofascial remodeling that allows the release of fascial restriction/adhesion to increase circulation. Lymphatic techniques aid to enhancing fluid flow releasing congested toxic areas to improve immunity and Cranial Sacral techniques to improve the Primary Respiratory Mechanism which includes mobility of cranial bones, skeletal structures, meninges (connective tissues), central nervous system and circulation of all fluids. Visceral techniques aid in increasing mobility and motility (function) of the organs of the body.

The goal of Manual Osteopathic Therapy is to restore health and balance by assessing and treating the imbalances that reside within the structures and functions of the body having an appreciation that the body works as a single unit, the body has an innate ability to heal itself, the musculoskeletal structures impacts function and the body has self-governing means.

Read our Blog Post about Manual Osteopathic Therapy – Click Here!

The benchmark for training in Manual Osteopathic Therapy has already been set by The World Health Organization – https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241599665 and is the standard which CMMOTA holds to.

In specific regard to our organization’s acceptance of Manual Osteopathic Therapists, all MOT members must have either completed a Type 1 program with a minimum of 4200 hours of instruction including 1000 hours of supervised practicum training from an approved school OR have completed a Type 2 program with a minimum of 1000 hours of instruction at an approved school. Additionally for those graduates of a Type 2 program, the Association requires a completed PLAR (prior learning assessment and recognition) to ensure that the therapist meets or exceeds the educational requirements to be considered at the same competency level as that of a Type 1 graduate.

To enquire whether an institution is an approved MOT program recognized by CMMOTA please contact the association at info@cmmota.com

This depends on the specific province/territory in which a therapist is practicing.

In the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario the term “Osteopath” is a protected title and refers to a Medical Doctor that has specialized training in Osteopath Therapy. In these 4 provinces the title is protected by their respective College of Physicians and Surgeons. There are currently no schools in Canada that provide this specialized training, rather most of these Medical Osteopaths are trained in the United States. In these provinces those trained in osteopathic manual therapy are referred to as Manual Osteopathic Therapists, Osteopathic Manual Therapists, or Osteopathic Manual Practitioners. These therapists are non-physicians who have been trained in a specialized school of Manual Osteopathic Therapy.

In the remaining provinces and territories in Canada, the terms Osteopath, Manual Osteopathic Therapist, Osteopathic Manual Therapist or Osteopathic Manual practitioners are interchangeable, as no title protection exists. Those who are Medical (Physician) Osteopaths will often use this language to describe themselves, leaving the other titles listed above to those who have been trained in the classic osteopathic manual therapy, either here in Canada or elsewhere around the globe.

In this respect, in accordance with the World Health Organization’s Benchmarks for Training in Osteopathy there are 2 different pathways to obtaining training to become a Manual Osteopathic Therapist.

The first training program – which is referred to as Type 1 – is “aimed at those with little or no prior health-care training, but who have completed high school education or equivalent. These programs typically are four-year, full-time programs. A typical type 1 program would take 4200 hours, including at least 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice and training.”

The second training program – which is referred to as Type 2 – is “aimed at those with prior training as health-care professionals. Type 2 programs have the same aims and content as the Type 1 programs, but the course content and length may be modified depending on the prior experience and training of individual applicants.” This program is typically around 1000 hours in length and is adapted depending on the individual’s prior training and knowledge.

Either pathway leads to the therapist having the same set of professional competencies. In that respect there is no difference between a Type 1 or Type 2 therapist.

You can view the entire World Health Organization Document – Benchmarks for Training in Osteopathy by visiting here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241599665