MH Vicars instructor teaching a class
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Accreditation is coming – and MH Vicars is leading the way!

We are about to devote many hours and quite a bit of money to earn a piece of paper that some other Alberta massage schools don’t even want. And we couldn’t be more delighted!

MH Vicars School has been chosen as a pilot school by the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation! You read that right: at long last, massage schools in Canada will be able to earn accreditation from a national body. And they’ve chosen MH Vicars School to help launch that process.

We have invited a group of CMTCA assessors to use our campuses to test their assessment process. It’s the latest step towards a full, nationwide accreditation system.

What is accreditation?

To put it very simply, accreditation will mean that a school can prove that it:

  • Meets the curriculum standards of the regulated provinces
  • Awards diplomas only to massage therapists who have proven themselves skilled, knowledgeable, and effective
  • Delivers what it promises: qualified instructors; relevant content; and a culture of continuous improvement

These are the same high standards that we have set for ourselves every day.

Why do we care so much about CMTCA accreditation?

Maybe we just like being ahead of the crowd! After all, we were the first private school in Alberta to upgrade our curriculum to meet the national standard (which is required of schools in BC and other regulated provinces, but still voluntary in Alberta). We also were the first massage school to be named to the MTAA’s Approved Program List.

Accreditation is an essential step for government regulation of the industry, which we still don’t have in Alberta. I have been pushing for Canada-wide accreditation of massage schools since I started MH Vicars School in 2001. Accreditation of massage therapy schools means that students will get the best education, and clients will get the best treatments.

So why wouldn’t everyone want this?

Politics. And profits. With regulation, some MTs would have to get more education, and many schools would have to get better– a lot better, in many cases. And upgrading a school is expensive and time-consuming. We spend hundreds of hours each year refining our curriculum to make sure that it covers the latest massage and education research. Many schools don’t bother. They won’t upgrade their programs until they are forced to by regulation, or by an educated public.

We are pursuing accreditation because it is the right thing to do. It will be benefit our alumni, who are already in demand by employers and clients. Once they are able to say that they have graduated from an accredited school, it will only be further proof that they are worth every penny!

It will also benefit the public. Clients should be able to count on competent, effective therapy. Being able to choose therapists from accredited schools will make it easier for them to find the best therapists (our therapists, obviously!).

Accreditation is the future for massage therapy in Alberta, and we are thrilled to be a part of this process with the CMTCA.

Best,

Maryhelen Vicars

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Welcome to the new school year!

Finally, after all of your anticipation and preparation, the new school year is here! We’re so excited to have you on campus (and for our second-year students, to have you on campus again).

Our Executive Director Denise Currie has written you a letter to extend her welcome. Enjoy!

 

Dear Students,

Here you are at the point of a new beginning. We are so glad that you have chosen MH Vicars School for your massage education. We look forward to working with you during this amazing journey as you change your career, and your life.

As you prepare to step through this portal, I wanted to offer a few words of guidance and encouragement.

As human beings we are in a constant search for meaning. Events, circumstances, and actions are imbued with meaning that we weave into our life story.

We have come to know that we are the authors of our story. When you recognize this you will be able to unleash your power to make the choices that will bring you closer to your goals.

All things are happening through you, not TO you. All things serve to expand you, refine you, and help you discover your potential. Nothing is wasted, even a traffic jam. Even a poor choice, a “mistake”, may serve to push you back on your path and show you a new aspect of yourself.

As the author of your own story, you are the one with the power to assign meaning to what is happening around you and within you. It’s all you, and your only limits are the ones you impose upon yourself. And even these fall at your feet from time to time as you exceed your own expectations! Because you don’t know what you are truly capable of until you take action. Not “try”. Take action. (In the words of Yoda, “Do, or do not; there is no try!”).

Look around you. What is your story? What meaning do you give what is occurring? Are you writing the story of your dreams? Are you dreaming big enough?

You are about to step through a portal. In truth, every moment is a portal, but stepping forward consciously and assigning a particular meaning will mark the moment in your story where you began. You took action. You stepped into your future, your chosen path, your dream.

Open your eyes and be awake. You are writing your story. Make it a good one!

Best Wishes,

Denise

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