HB 81, House Labor and Commerce Committee — Testimony on House Bill 81 (May 24, 2021)

Summary

Testimony on House Bill 81, a bill to revise laws governing massage establishments and massage therapy, dated May 24, 2021, to the House Labor and Commerce Committee from Russell Hall, GCFT, a teacher of the Feldenkrais Method of somatic education. It states concern that the bill could be read to limit the right to practice in Ohio, and asks for language that clarifies the Feldenkrais Method is excluded from the definition of massage. It states that in most of the states that regulate massage therapy there are exemptions of Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teachers from massage therapy licensure requirements. It describes a class taught for 8 years at The Cleveland Institute of Music.

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HB 81
House Labor and Commerce Committee
May 24, 2021

Chair Stein, Vice Chair Johnson, Ranking Member Lepore-Hagan and members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on House Bill 81, a bill to revise laws
governing massage establishments and massage therapy.

I am concerned that HB 81 could be interpreted in a way that would limit my right to practice as
a teacher of the Feldenkrais Methodâ of somatic education (movement education) in Ohio. To
assure that this won't happen, the bill needs language that clarifies that the Feldenkrais
Method is excluded from the definition of massage. Such an exemption will not interfere with
the ability of this bill to address the significant problems of prostitution and human trafficking.
In most of the states that regulate massage therapy, there are exemptions of Guild Certified
Feldenkrais Teachersâ from massage therapy licensure requirements.

A list of certified teachers of the Feldenkrais Method is readily available to all from the
Feldenkrais Guildâ of North America, which actively enforces ethical and professional
standards. I completed the four-year training in 2001, and I have been re-certified annually
since 2001, staying current with continuing education requirements. Of particular relevance
here, the organization's rules forbid behaviors that constitute sexual impropriety, and
Feldenkrais teachers must refrain from engaging in a sexual relationship with any student,
client or trainee while in a professional relationship with that person.

The Feldenkrais Guild of North America has had and will continue to enforce effective
regulation of professional and ethical standards of practice by its members. These apply
equally to work done with individual clients and with groups of clients. Working with groups
(having 'classes') is a very important of my work and it is essentially the same as work done with
individuals. I think this highlights the fact that it is something very different from massage.

An important part of my own work is a class I've been teaching for 8 years now at The Cleveland
Institute of Music. These Awareness Through Movementâ lessons help the young musicians
enrich their experience of nuances and possibilities in their movement, helping them get more
benefit from their instrumental instruction. Increased awareness also helps them to safely
maintain their regime of long hours of practice. The school and these students are very clear
that the Feldenkrais Methodâ is not 'massage' or 'therapy', nor is it competing with them. The
students learn observational skills that help them both in the practice room and on stage.

I hope you will amend HB 81 to add an exemption for people who practice movement
education and whose adherence to the training, competency and ethical standards of their
respective professional organizations can be readily documented. Uncertainty about this is, I
can assure you, an unpleasant burden. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

Russell Hall, GCFT
The following are service marks, trademarks or certification marks of the Feldenkrais Guild of North Americaâ: Feldenkrais
Methodâ, Awareness Through Movementâ, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacherâ


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