CE INSTITUTE LLC BLOG

By Selena Belisle, CE Institute LLC Founder & Instructor

Please note that our professional evaluations do not name practitioner's or establishments. Any identifying information is purposely not shared. This is solely a learning example for to improve practices, and should not be used to embarass or cause harm to others: 

I recently enjoyed a hot stone massage on a Mediterranean cruise.  Here are some of the pros and cons that can be used to evaluate or hone hot stone massage skills:

The hot stone massage appointment started with a written health intake, followed by an oral review of medical conditions by the massage therapist. The LMT then asked me to undress to my bottom underwear and lie prone on the massage table:

CON:  The massage table had a very small hole for my face instead of an adjustable face cradle. The hole felt cramped, and I feared that it was not properly sanitized between sessions.  When I rolled from the pronated to supinated position later in the hot stone massage appointment, my neck felt still from lying on flat, nonadjustable “support”.

CON: I asked for an ankle bolster prior to the therapist leaving to start in a pronated position. The therapist then proceeded to place dirty rolled up towels on the table which I refused to use, so she provided a new clean towel as an ankle bolster.

PRO: When the massage therapist re-entered the room, she washed her hands.  Demonstrating proper hand hygiene before any massage appointment is a great start!

PRO: She then started the massage with hot towels on my feet to sanitize them. This again showed great sanitation, and feels lovely at the same time.

PRO: Full body compressions through the towel covering my body as draping was provided. She then proceeded to apply hot towels on my feet. This is a great way to scan the body for tension and areas to focus the massage for rest and relaxation, and then sanitize the feet before touching

CON: Applying full body compressions through the towel without viewing the area first may lead a practitioner to pressing on unknown bruises or other contraindications.  It is always best to visually inspect the skin of any area before pressing upon it.

PRO: The hands-on hot stone massage with oil started on the legs. Only one leg was undraped at a time, and the therapist warmed up the tissue with Swedish massage and an adequate amount of oil, which is a little greater than the average Swedish session, because greater oil is required to allow smooth gliding with the hot stones.

CON: I believe the stones for the massage were kept in a hot towel cabi.  Hot towel cabinet temperatures range around 150 degrees fahrenheit, which is too hot for hot stone massage application.  130 degrees fahrenheit is an approximate average maximum temperature that should be used for hot stone massage.  

MIXED: The massage therapist did allow the stones to cool once she removed them from the hot towel cabi.  This is better than massaging a client with 150 degree stones that could burn both the therapist and client. However, when allowing a black lava stone to cool in open air, ice or other cooler environments, the outside of the stone cools faster than the internal core.  Having an unbalanced heated stone with a cooler outside can still result in burns to the therapist and/or client once the inner core heats the outer surface of the stone again, if the stone has not entirely cooled off.

MIXED: It's best to keep stones immersed in a hot water bath for universal heating purposes as shown in the picture below. It's less desirable to when stones are less evenly heated than on a dry surface such as a hot towel cabi or griddle, it does take longer to properly sanitize a hot water bath stone service.  That’s because the bath container itself must be washed after each service when the stones are returned to the water bath for reheating.  Once the stones touch the client they are contaminated, so the water bath liner itself is contaminated when the stones are returned to the bath, and must be washed after every surface.  

PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION: It would be important to keep the hot stone bath electricity OFF, and not heated while sitting in a treatment room, in case a client touches it and burns themselves. We recommend turning the hot bath equipment on at least 30-minutes prior to starting a hot stone massage service, so that the stones can be evenly heated. We also recommend keeping the stone equipment off when hot stone service is not in use, to avoid overheating the treatment room given the equipment itself can be very hot and emit excessive heat. And in the case of cruise ship hot stone massage, if the ship is rocky, a client could accidentally bump into the hot stone heater and burn themselves which is why it is recommended to only turn on the stone heater about 30-minutes prior to service, and to unplug it when approximately 10-minutes of hot stone service remain, to allow the bath to start to cool itself for easier handling during sanitation once the service concludes.

PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION: While it’s best to use a hot water bath to heat stones, it does take longer between clients due to sanitation. This is regularly why the price of hot stone massage should be more than regular massage.  Hot stone massage should be charged at an increased price because:

• There is an added equipment expenses that should be recovered with each service.

• There is added time for labor, to properly sanitize stone equipment after each service.

• It usually takes more energy or is more exhaustive for the LMT, to handle and apply hot stones in this thermal therapy.

PRO: The massage therapist only used one thin two inch stone at a time to massage my leg. The thermal therapy of the singular stone was more than adequate, if not more appropriate to help avoid the bony landmarks of the epicondyles of the femur and the greater trochanter.  Using one stone at a time also allows longer use with less stones for hot stone massage application.

CON: The hot stone massage was what I call “dead fish” application.  I just lied there during the almost hour long appointment.  No range of motion was incorporated with the hot stone application, which usually feels better with thermal therapy application. This of course is a subjective evaluation; however, with over 30 years of experience, managing hundreds and training thousands of other hot stone massage therapists, the consensus is incorporating movement with hot stone massage is usually preferred.

PRO: Appropriate draping. Both legs were massaged individually prior to moving onto my back. Both legs were covered before my back was exposed for back massage application.

CON: The therapist started her hot stone massage on my low back.  The low back area is the most sensitive of the entire back area, so we recommend starting a hot stone massage on the upper back while the stone cools. Once the stones are cooler, then it would be appropriate to move into the lower back area that’s more sensitive to thermal applications such as hot stones.

PRO: Two stones were used when massaging the back, which felt cohesive when the stones were on both sides of the spine.  The two stones were also the same size, so the temperature also matched from one side of the back to the other.  When massaging the back or any area with two hot stones at a time, the stones should be of similar size and shape so they feel succinct and not distracting due to uneven temperatures or application.

PRO: The therapist had two different sized palm stones which is traditional of a polished lava hot stone massage kit.  When working on the back, the therapist removed the stones from the heating device, then after cooling, she used the smaller stones first before finishing the hot stone back massage with the thicker stones.  Thicker stones will retain heat longest while thinner stones will cool quicker.  If she had used the thicker stones first, then the thinner stones would not have had much heat in them to be enjoyable for a hot stone massage application.  Afterall, it’s the heated thermal therapy with appropriate application that makes hot stone massage enjoyable.

PRO: During the mostly Swedish massage strokes used to apply sufficient oil required for hot stone massage, the therapist practiced some type of percussion, or clapping of her hands to end a stroke. This didn’t happen after every stroke, and it was enjoyable.  It was almost like a feeling of completeness at the end of certain strokes.

PRO: The therapist lined the sink with towels, so that when the stones were cool, she placed them in the sink to sanitize later, and the towels in the sink prevented the noise of a hard stone clinging against the hardness of the sink. Lining the inside of a hot stone bath with a towel is also recommended to reduce the noise of the stones during treatment.

The supinated version of the hot stone massage was unremarkable.  All of the normal standards were met.

Overall the appointment was enjoyable, aside from the few CONS noted here in this article.  For greater hot stone massage information, please view our hot stone massage training available at: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/hot-stone

By Selena Belisle, CE Institute LLC Founder & Instructor

I have been practicing and receiving massages for nearly 40 years.  One of the few modalities that’s always interested me, but I do not practice, is Bamboo massage.  I’m always a little nervous with massage tools after seeing some therapist be less sanitary than others with them.  Nevertheless, I’d really like to love this modality, and have had a handful of these sessions before today. Unfortunately, today I stopped the bamboo massage, and asked for something else, once I realized it really wasn’t what I wanted or needed! I wish the therapist would have suggested changing the session for me instead, but we were both relieved and happy once I asked for change. Here’s how it went:

I have a lot of inflammation in my body. I’m getting older in my mid-50s. I have survived a major motorcycle accident for the past three decades as well as encountering new impediments, such as bilateral labral tears in my hips, bilateral meniscus tears in my knees, a few different types of arthritis and an overall achy body. I also competed on the world stage as a world class athlete in my teens into my 30s, so I’ve got some pretty good wear and tear on my bones and joints as well. The last thing I want right now is any sort of deep tissue when I already have so many aches and pains every few inches from the top to the bottom of my body.  I’d simply like to relax and enjoy a nice soothing massage, and feel good in my body for however long the session may last and longer.

I didn’t realize until today that something like bamboo massage is really best applied for those who want deeper pressure despite having decades of massage experience, in addition to being a massage therapy CE provider.  I’m writing all of this because LMTs must ask, how do clients know what’s best for them when even I couldn’t tell earlier today, when I booked the wrong type of massage appointment for my own personal needs?

Simply rolling and rubbing a bamboo stick up and down soft tissue doesn’t feel that great, when compared to a great set of hands.  Somehow I thought this massage tool of a bamboo stick was going to magically feel great at any pressure, but it didn’t. Bamboo sticks give a therapist leverage to simply push down with extra weight into the muscles for a deeper tissue massage.  But to me, they’re not great when a client simply wants to relax with something that feels softer, nevermind the power of human touch which is superior to all. That’s not to say that the therapist didn’t apply her bamboo sticks properly.  It’s just to say when a client wants to relax and is already suffering with many aches, pains and soreness, perhaps applying a hard tool to the soft tissue wouldn’t be their best option for relief.

Massage tools, whether they’re cups, scrapers, stones, bamboo or other implements are usually hard surfaces. One of the softest and gentlest tools a massage therapist can employ is their own hands!  So when a client asks to relax but has booked a massage with a tool, perhaps it's best to review their goals in a little bit more detail, and explain that they will be massaged or have their soft tissue manipulated with a hard object.  While stones can be gently applied to the body with various thermal therapies from hot to cold, other massage tools such as cups might require a good amount of suction that is not always gentle to create suction or be effective.

I’m not saying that bamboo massage is bad - it is not.  I have had wonderful bamboo massages in the past when I had different objectives, such as wanting more stretching, increased circulation and manipulation of soft tissue. 

There are many different massage modalities available to meet client goals, and while some therapists like to use the same modality regardless of client’s needs because that’s their specialty, it’s really up to a therapist to learn different modalities to provide the best one that will create the best result.  

After less than ten minutes of having a bamboo stick rubbed up and down my hamstrings and calves, I asked the massage therapist to switch to a Swedish massage instead, which she gladly did.  I had to ask her to use less pressure a few times during her bamboo application, and I could tell she didn’t really enjoy applying the bamboo with such little pressure either.  So if a client is repeatedly asking for something different than what is being provided, please take a moment to think or ask if the right modality is being used?  Sometimes the right therapist is simply using the wrong modality to get the job done.

This is just a sampling of ideas when using tools for massage practice. To learn more professional massage therapy practices and ideas, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/

By Selena Belisle, CE Institute LLC Founder & Instructor

One question I hear occasionally is how short should a massage therapist, reflexologist or bodyworker’s fingernails be?  Fingernails should not be trimmed too short, because this could be painful and possibly even expose vulnerable tissue under an overexposed fingernail to bacteria or disease.

At the same time, fingernails cannot be too long, because a client’s skin or soft tissue could be cut by a sharp fingernail, which is exactly what happened to me today during a foot reflexology treatment.

Massage Therapist Fingernail Length Depends on the Practitioner

My rule for my own personal practice is I never want the whites of fingernails showing.  I have never had a client say they felt my fingernail in their session after almost 40 years of practice when all white of fingernails has either been filed or cut away. On the other hand, I have had occasional remarks every few years where a client might have felt a fingernail, and when I check, I realize that I’m overdue on a trim.  So my golden rule has always been to maintain my fingernails during practice without the white of the fingernails being apparent.

Below is a photo of fingernails with a little bit of white showing, and the second photo shows the little bit of white cut or trimmed away.  Notice how the fingertips are longer than the nails, which will help prevent a fingernail from cutting a client's soft tissues.  Shorter fingernails also provides greater prevention from harboring harmful pathogens under the nail:

Each practitioner must create their own standard.  Some therapists might have larger fingertips that allow the white of their fingernails to show without the client feeling or being injured by it.  Others can’t.  The anatomy of fingernails and fingertips can be slightly different from person to person.  

To evaluate how long or short your fingernails should be as a massage therapist or bodyworker, think about how you apply your fingerpads or fingertips into the client’s soft tissue, then press that part of the finger into your own tissue with the same amount of pressure you would use on your client, on yourself. If you can’t feel your fingernail with this method, then the client probably won’t either.

The Dangers of Inappropriate Fingernail Length for Massage Therapist and Bodyworkers

Cutting the client’s skin or soft tissue with your fingernail(s) exposes real danger to both the practitioner and the client. First is there could be blood exposure with various diseases when human tissue is broken for any reason.  Second is, the client could develop an infection once their tissue has been broken.  Worst is, if the client has diabetic neuropathy or other healing impediments, that broken tissue could develop into something much worse, such as sepsis, amputation or even death!

Most massage and bodywork is supposed to be an enjoyment of healing, so a medical error has occurred when a client leaves with a treatment with a new injury. If the practitioner accepts gratuities as part of their income, they might be tipped less, or a client might even stop or refuse to pay for the service when it hurts or they become injured for any reason.

When fingernails are too long, they can also harbor viruses, bacteria and other harmful pathogens, which is another reason why fingernails should be kept clean and short.

Avoid Jagged Fingernails

I personally like to cut my fingernails straight across, however, this can sometimes leave a jagged fingernail, or an edge that could cut a client’s soft tissues.  

Below is an example of a fingernail cut square with a jagged edge, and then the photo below that shows that jagged edge cut away, to help prevent soft tissue injuries to the client.

A Bad Experience with a Reflexologist Long Thumbnail

I had a reflexology appointment today where the therapist used excessive pressure to stimulate various reflex points in my feet.  I asked her at least six times to lessen the pressure, which they heeded for about a second before resuming unacceptable pressure. I endured this for less than ten minutes, but what I realized too late, was part of the pain I was feeling with their reflexology was their thumbnail was also slightly cutting my foot, specifically when they moved to my toes. Once I realized this, I asked them to stop their treatment immediately.  Not only was it very painful with too much pressure, but they were also cutting my feet with their exposed thumbnail application.

I sat up and took the reflexologist's thumbnail and pressed their straight thumb into their pinky fingerpad on the opposite hand, to show them their thumbnail was sharp and exposed when they applied the side of their thumb on my toes. I told them I did not want to continue the reflexology appointment, and would prefer the remainder of my appointment time to be used with a different modality and body area.

The reflexologist immediately realized their thumbnail was too long once I showed them on their own hands. They conceded they had been sick and were not feeling 100%, hence the mistake of practicing with nails that were too long. I offered to cancel but they wanted to continue, of course so they could be paid, so I accepted a different service for the remainder of the session. They did offer to file their nails to a shorten length to continue the reflexology, but with one foot and several toes already in pain from too much pressure and sharp thumbnail, I declined and opted for a different service.

So please let this be a lesson learned.  It’s important to maintain proper hand hygiene including fingernail maintenance for any type of massage therapy or bodywork service.  Client satisfaction, overall wellness and even compensation depend on it!

This is just a sampling of self-care ideas. To learn more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/

By Selena Belisle, CE Institute LLC Founder & Instructor

After practicing for almost 40 years, it can be challenging to find new methods to share with students. One of the ways I obtain new knowledge is to travel the world, trialling and experiencing massage and bodywork from others, in various cultures.  

After working nearly one hundred hour work weeks during COVID, where I mostly sat at a computer, documenting and importing our knowledge into an online training format, I allowed my own health and well-being to be neglected, which is unacceptable. To teach wellness, it would be good to be the epitome of wellness which I was no longer. When the COVID pandemic hit, we did not have any hands-on education available online.  So I personally had an intensive time period of years, sitting at a computer creating visuals to share online through photography and video, which was a massive production.

Now in 2026, the COVID pandemic is long over. And in an effort to get back to where I started, or even practice what you preach approach, I enrolled in a stretching class first thing this morning with an RN who was sailing with me. I wanted to share this experience to show that even some of the most experienced instructors need reminders of how important self-care is.  I was amazed at how much flexibility I had lost since the pandemic, and how unhealthy my lack of self awareness and self care had been during that period.

The Importance of Self-care for Health Care Workers

Massage therapists, bodyworkers and overall health care workers often take on client’s physical and emotional baggage, so it’s important to employ solid boundaries with clients, and make sure your own needs are not neglected too. Most licensing and certification boards now accept self-care CE credit. That’s how important self-care is. It’s critical! According to one AMTA study, massage therapists have an extremely high burn-out rate. Neglecting self-care contributes to this.

Bodyworkers, massage therapists RNs and other health care workers regularly enter this industry to care for others. Afterall, it makes most of us feel good when we help others feel better. But, it’s hard to help others feel better when you do not feel well yourself. 

I recently had to stop a reflexology appointment with a reflexologist who did not have enough self-care.  We were on a cruise ship and had both been suffering extreme allergies, especially as we sailed through a mass of sahara dust in the Mediterranean sea. Unfortunately, she failed to observe how long her fingernails had grown while she was ill, and left the soles and toes of my feet with several miniscule cuts while we were both preoccupied with headaches and sinus issues. So this is an example where medical errors can occur at work when we neglect ourselves. It is a real work hazard!

Using Self-care for Better Work and a Better Life

When I took this morning's stretch class, it wasn’t just about increasing ROM (range of motion) to my neglected joints.  It also gave me time to inspect my own body.  I saw a small infection I had on a toenail that was coming back, which I hadn’t noticed until the stretch class. I also found one side of my body had lost little ROM while the other had lost a lot, since the last time I had stretched, years ago.  This new awareness will help me realize I need to make better bilateral efforts while working in my new fruit forest, and to stop singular unilateral movements, but use my body as an equal whole.  

Allowing yourself some time for self-care can create awareness to continue better care for yourself throughout your day, to hopefully prolong your career.  You might find an unknown skin cut or rash that should be protected until healed, or realize new medical issues in yourself such as vision or hearing losses that can be addressed. Self-care activities provide a moment in time to reflect and get with the program, or realize issues that might be overlooked without that break.  

It’s important to care for yourself, especially if you’re trying to care for others.  Caring for others starts with yourself, so think about ways where you can initiate your own healthy practices for career longevity and better overall health.

Ten self-care suggestions for massage therapists, bodyworkers and overall health care workers:

1. Stretching, yoga and other like practices: keep your joints flexible and in good repair.  This can help practitioners properly lunge and use body mechanics that are important to help avoid work injuries. No one likes to go home after work in pain, because they haven’t properly cared for themself to work.

2. Meditation or Chanting: take time to think about yourself and reflect within your own body. Sometimes we’re thinking so much about our clients that it’s easy to neglect our own personal needs.

3. Establish or Spend Time with Enjoyable Hobbies: is there something you love but haven't had the time to enjoy? Do you enjoy music, reading, talk groups, etc.? Incorporating something you love away from every day work that can provide that mini-mental vacation. This can allow better focus and excitement when it's time to get back to work! 

4. Tai Chi, Dancing and Physical Exercise: anything where you can take a moment of time for yourself and your own needs, in reflection and silence. Maybe you like long walks, bicycle rides or running?  While this can be wearing on the joints, some enjoy that solitary healthy exercise, so why shouldn't you? Group exercise is great too, whether it's dancing or a gym class. Anything you enjoy should be the ticket.

5. Rest: are you getting enough sleep?  Napping isn’t a bad thing unless it’s preventing a good night’s sleep.  It’s okay to take a break when tired. In fact, it’s necessary to be good and strong.

6. Mini Mental Vacation: are you feeling overwhelmed to the point that staying still in meditation or silent in tai chi doesn’t feel possible? No problem! Can you take a few hours to watch a really good (non-violent) movie, broadway show or concert, where you can mentally escape away from home and work for a few hours?  Allowing your mind to rest from your current worries may allow you to come back to those pressing issues with a new perspective and energy.

7. Journaling: do you feel like you need to express yourself but do not feel you have anyone to talk to?  Especially with HIPAA, which should never be violated?  Have you thought about writing down or documenting your thoughts to help process what you’re thinking or feeling?  When stressed, I like to try to put all that stress from pen to paper in documenting it, and then burn the paper as a way to release whatever negative energy is associated with whatever I’ve documented. When I’m in a stressful situation and feel little way out of it, I feel that the documenting and burning process can be cathartic and help create closure when there are few other options.

8. Creature Comforts: Whether it’s enjoying a good cup of tea at your favorite window, taking a long shower or bath, savoring a great meal at your favorite restaurant, enjoying a cup of coffee at the local cafe, or whatever moment in time makes you happy. Just remember: you deserve it.

9. Healthy Habbits: Making time to enjoy healthy foods, whether it's cutting fresh fruit, having access to healthy food and staying fit is all important for self-care. 
   Eating junk food and becoming a couch potato is bad both physically and mentally.  Discard the guilt of not taking care of yourself by making a dedication to a happy healthy lifestyle. 

10. Engage the Senses: are you listening to Enya all day and no longer like it? Are they burning lavender or eucalyptus candles at your establishment and you do not like the scent? Over time, little things that we don’t like can start to bother us, or weigh heavy on our minds and souls. Over my decades of teaching, I’ve heard hundreds of LMTs express dislikes with common practice, probably due to overexposure to the same thing over and over again.  So, if you have to listen to the same music all day, or smell the same scent, or if there’s anything that is repeatedly annoying you, make sure to employ something different when it is YOUR time.  Remember, this is YOUR life, so enjoy it to the maximum so that you can help others enjoy theirs.

Moderation is Key to Self-care

Now, when I say please take in a movie for a mini mental vacation, or practice some yoga, etc., this is encouraged with moderation.  If you find yourself practically living at the movies or in a yoga studio because you don’t want to go back to work or your own life, then it’s time for some professional intervention to address those feelings. 

Professional Intervention is Needed Sometimes

Neglecting ourselves, especially as care takers can be a serious issue that leads to poor service, medical errors and even self harm.  This could be a sign of something more serious such as depression or other illness. Seeking professional intervention whether it be through group therapy or with an individual psychologist can also be beneficial as a part of self-care, especially if you ever feel like you’re only taking care of others and never yourself. And please remember, if you seek professional help but it doesn’t seem to help, there might be other professionals in the same line of work that are a better fit for you.  Sometimes we’re not just a great fit with others, whether it’s taking care of our clients or working with others to take care of ourselves.  It’s always important to recognize when the fit isn’t there, and responsibly move onto something that feels better or is more successful so that we can reach our maximum potential.

This is just a sampling of self-care ideas. To learn more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/

by: Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

Due to the prevalence of human trafficking in the massage industry, House Bill 197 was enacted to help prevent this atrocious modern day slavery.  

HB197 requires that  each licensed massage therapist or establishment shall include their license number in any massage therapy service advertisements, including anything on the internet, newspaper, radio, podcast, airwave transmission, phone book and all other advertising mediums.

The advertisement must also include the physical address of the massage establishment and the telephone number that has been provided to the department as part of the licensing of the establishment. An exception to this rule is when the physical address and telephone number are not required for a massage establishment advertisement when the owner operates more than five locations of the same establishment within Florida. 

Any advertising that states prostitution services, escort services, or sexual services are available is prohibited, regardless of who posts or publishes the ad.

A person operating a massage establishment may not use or permit the establishment to be used as a principal or temporary domicile for, to shelter or harbor, or as sleeping or napping quarters for any person unless the establishment is zoned for residential use under a local ordinance. 

This rule will likely make it more difficult for licensed massage therapists to be able to get an establishment license at their home or a primary residence. It has been common for human traffickers to house their victims by posing them as massage therapists within a licensed massage establishment. These rules exist to help prevent human trafficking, especially when traffickers have their victims working and living in the same place of business. 

The State Surgeon General is the government office, or board, which can make a legal determination when safety to the public is jeopardized. A massage establishment that operates in violation of certain laws and rules is declared a nuisance and may be abated or enjoined, in addition to possible criminal charges.

These are just some of the highlights of Florida's House Bill 197 to help prevent trafficking victims with the massage therapy industry.  To learn more rules, laws, human trafficking prevention and more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/mandatory

by: Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

House Bill 197 aka HB197 was enacted in 2024 to help "clean up" the Florida massage therapy industry.  In order to provide our government and law enforcement agencies the means to more effectively identify persons engaging in human trafficking at massage establishments, the following are now strictly enforced with HB197: 

• Sexual activity in a massage establishment is prohibited. An establishment owner or employee may not engage in or allow any person to engage in sexual activity in the establishment or use the establishment to make arrangements to engage in sexual activity in another location.
• Used or unused condoms are prohibited in a massage establishment.
• If there is an outside window or windows into the massage establishment’s reception area, the outside window or windows must allow for at least 35% light penetration.
• No more than 50% of the outside window(s) may be obstructed with signage, blinds, curtains, or other obstructions so that the public can see inside the establishment’s reception area.
• A sign must be posted on the front window of the establishment that includes the name and license number of the massage establishment and the telephone number that has been provided to the department as part of the licensure of the establishment.
• The window or signage requirement does not apply to a massage establishment within a public lodging establishment as defined by the board, nor to a massage establishment located within a county or municipality where following this requirement would result in other government noncompliance.
• All employees within the massage establishment must be fully clothed, and such clothing must be fully opaque and made of nontransparent material that does not expose the employee’s genitalia. This requirement does not apply to an employee, excluding a massage therapist, of a public lodging establishment, as defined in s. 509.013(4), that is licensed as a clothing-optional establishment and chartered with the American Association for Nude Recreation. 

These are just some of the highlights of Florida's House Bill 197 to require better identification practices amongst massage therapy establishments to help prevent human trafficking within the massage industry.  To learn more rules, laws, human trafficking prevention and more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/mandatory 

by: Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

In order to immediately respond to the most serious claims and concerns within Florida's massage industry, House Bill 197 was enacted in 2024 to provide our government the authority to immediately suspend a license under certain circumstances. 

The department shall issue an emergency order suspending the license if there has been an arrest for committing or attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit, or convicted or found guilty of, or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a violation of any of the following felony offenses:

• Relating to kidnapping;
• Relating to false imprisonment;
• Relating to luring or enticing a child;
• Relating to human trafficking;
• Relating to human smuggling;
• Relating to sexual battery; 
• Relating to female genital mutilation;
• Relating to procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution;
• Relating to the selling or buying of minors into prostitution;
• Relating to forcing, compelling, or coercing another to become a prostitute;
• Relating to deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution;
• Relating to a felony of the third degree for a third or subsequent violation relating to prostitution and related acts; 
• Relating to lewd or lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years of age;
• Relating to lewd or lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of an elderly or disabled person;
• Relating to sexual performance by a child; 
  Relating to the protection of minors;
• Relating to computer pornography;
• Relating to the transmission of material harmful to minors by electronic device or equipment; 
• Relating to the selling or buying of minors;

The department shall issue an emergency order suspending the license of any licensee upon a finding of the State Surgeon General that probable cause exists to believe that the licensee has committed sexual misconduct or other public hazard. The State Surgeon General is the government office, or board, which can make a legal determination when safety to the public is jeopardized. A massage establishment that operates in violation of certain laws and rules is declared a nuisance and may be abated or enjoined, in addition to possible criminal charges.

If you have legal questions about House Bill 197 details or Florida laws and rules in general, you should consult a licensed attorney for their legal opinion. This is just one abbreviated/translated excerpt of HB197. To help prevent human trafficking within the massage establishments and make the overall massage therapy industry safer, please register for rules, laws and human trafficking prevention training at: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/mandatory 

by: Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

House Bill 197 was enacted in 2024, to help prevent human trafficking abuses and sexual activity within the Florida massage industry.  The bill has a multitude of components to it, including defining sexual activity.

“Sexual activity” means any direct or indirect contact by any employee or person, or between any employees or persons, with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, arouse, or gratify the sexual desire of any employee or person.

This sexual activity is likely to cause such abuse, humiliation, harassment, degradation, arousal, or sexual gratification under the following circumstances: 

• With or without the consent of the employee or person;
• With or without verbal or nonverbal communication that the sexual activity is undesired;
• With or without the use of any device or object;
• With or without the occurrence of penetration, orgasm, or ejaculation;
• Including, but not limited to, intentional contact with the genitalia, groin, femoral triangle, anus, buttocks, gluteal cleft, breast or nipples, mouth, or tongue;
• Including, but not limited to, the intentional removal of any drape without specific written informed consent of the client or patient. 

It’s important to note that the “sexual activities" description (above) includes intentional contact with buttocks.  To interpret this law, one must observe this is about INTENT. Buttocks or hip work is prohibited if it causes:  abuse, humiliation, harassment, degradation, arousal, or sexual gratification.  Our interpretation is hip work is acceptable as long as the practitioner can demonstrate it does not fall under HB 197’s definition of “sexual activity” (i.e. post-surgical hip work for hip replacement, therapeutic sports massage, etc. should all be acceptable practices).  To learn more, we would recommend consulting an attorney for a legal interpretation of this language or law, so that you can be advised of your individual legal business rights and obligations.

The State Surgeon General is the government office, or board, which can make a legal determination when safety to the public is jeopardized. A massage establishment that operates in violation of certain laws and rules is declared a nuisance and may be abated or enjoined, in addition to possible criminal charges.

These are just some of the highlights of Florida's House Bill 197 to help prevent sexual activity and human trafficking within the massage therapy industry.  To learn more rules, laws, human trafficking prevention and more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/mandatory

by: Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

To provide the department and law enforcement agencies the means to more effectively identify, investigate, and arrest persons engaging in human trafficking, an employee or any person performing massage therapy in a massage establishment therein must immediately present, upon the request of an investigator of the department or a law enforcement officer, valid government identification while in the establishment. An investigator of the department must request valid government identification from all employees while in the establishment. A valid government identification includes:

• A valid, unexpired driver’s license issued by any state, territory, or district of the United States;
• A valid, unexpired identification card issued by any state, territory, or district of the United States;
• A valid, unexpired United States passport;
• A naturalization certificate issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security;
• A valid, unexpired alien registration receipt card (green card); or
• A valid, unexpired employment authorization card issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security. 

A massage establishment operator must immediately present a valid government identification while in the establishment when requested by the investigator. A documented copy of each employee and any person performing massage therapy in the establishment must be maintained by the establishment. 

The department shall notify a federal immigration office if a person operating a massage establishment, an employee, or any person performing massage therapy in a massage establishment fails to provide valid government identification as required under this section. 

Violations of these requirements could result in criminal misdemeanor or felony charges, punishable by law. If you would like legal details for any of these newly installed and/or revised rules, it is recommended to consult a licensed attorney for their legal opinion.

The State Surgeon General is the government office, or board, which can make a legal determination when safety to the public is jeopardized. A massage establishment that operates in violation of certain laws and rules is declared a nuisance and may be abated or enjoined, in addition to possible criminal charges.

These are just some of the highlights of Florida's House Bill 197 to require better identification practices amongst massage therapy establishments to help prevent human trafficking within the massage industry.  To learn more rules, laws, human trafficking prevention and more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/collections/mandatory