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Join The Premier Community Of Educators
Become An Approved Provider

Approved Providers meet the highest standards for delivering continuing education in the profession.

Why should you become an Approved Provider?

✓ Attract More Students
✓ Demonstrate Your Commitment to Excellence
✓ Provide the Best Continuing Education in the Profession

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Get Access To Board Certificants-the Most Highly Credentialed Therapists In The Profession

Becoming an Approved Provider opens you to a community of educators who, like you, are dedicated to offering the best continuing education in the profession. Approved Providers demonstrate to students that they are committed to the highest standards in education. In addition, many state boards require that continuing education for re-licensure be earned from an Approved Provider.

Who We Are & Our Mission

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) is an independent, private, nonprofit organization founded in 1992. NCBTMB’s mission:

Elevating the massage therapy profession nationwide by establishing and advancing the highest credentials and standards of excellence.

Through its accredited status, NCBTMB creates, promotes, and sustains a culture in which the highest quality of professional credentialing and standards are advanced in the massage therapy profession.

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The NCBTMB Board Certification program is proud to be accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), an independent resource recognized as the authority on accreditation standards for professional certification programs.

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How Do I Become an Approved Provider?

Approved Providers must:

  • Review the Approved Provider Handbook here
  • Meet NCBTMB’s instructor qualifications
  • Submit an AP application that includes at least one course
  • Agree to uphold NCBTMB’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics
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Approved Provider FAQs

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    What are the requirements to become an Approved Provider?

    Once you master a particular modality or subject, the next progressive step is to become an NCBTMB-approved CE Provider. You must have full knowledge of the course you wish to teach, as well as the necessary documentation created before teaching the course, including:

    • Proof of meeting the NCBTMB AP Instructor Qualifications
    • Course title and number of CEs (your title must be clear)
    • Course description
    • Learning objectives & outcomes
    • Course outline

    Before submitting an application to NCBTMB for approval, you must have taught the course at least one time within the last year to a group of five or more participants. You must provide the participants with an evaluation requesting feedback on the course, instruction, and material. You may retrieve an evaluation form in the Approved Provider Handbook and Resources section on the webpage here.

    Once the AP and course have been approved, Certificate of Achievement (home study courses or courses which require a passing score on an exam upon completion) or a Certificate of Completion (live courses which simply require full participation) may be retroactively given to participants who have completed the course in the past year (365 days) from the date of approval.

    Course Description: Your course description should offer an idea of what subject matter is being shared, and how that information is presented while describing a little idea about the environment.  For instance, it should indicate what percentage of the class is lecture based, and what percentage is practice with hands-on.  This should provide an image of what will be taught, the purpose for this course, the projected benefits for learning this subject matter, and how you intend to teach this course.

    Sample Course Outline:

    Day 1 – Shoulder Girdle Work = 8 Hours

    8:00 – 8:20 Meet and greet, introduction to course and what to expect, students receive class materials
    8:20 – 10:00 One-on-one bodywork: Rotator Cuff Muscles, Rhomboids, Trapezius, Levator Scapula, Erector Spinae Group
    10:00 – 10:20 Break
    10:20 – 12:00 Students switch table time and Group 2 and repeat the techniques taught before break
    12:00 – 1:00 Lunch break
    1:00 – 2:40 One-on-bodywork: Latissimus Dorsi, Pectorals, Biceps, Deltoid, Triceps, SCM, Splenius Capitis, Suboccipitals
    2:40 – 3:00 Break
    3:00 – 4:40 Students switch table time and Group 2 practices the techniques taught before break.
    4:40 – 5:00 Verbal review of course content, question & answer session.

    Day 2 – Pelvic Girdle Work =8 Hours

    8:00 – 8:20 Meet and greet, introduction to course and what to expect, students receive class materials
    8:20 – 10:00 One-on-one bodywork: Iliopsoas, Quadriceps, Iliotibial Tract, Gluteals, Piriformis
    10:00 – 10:20 Break
    10:20 – 12:00 Students switch table time and repeat the techniques taught before break
    12:00 – 1:00 Lunch break
    1:00 – 2:40 One-on-bodywork: Hamstrings, Quadratus Lumborum, Adductors, Erector Spinae Group
    2:40 – 3:00 Break
    3:00 – 4:40 Students switch table time and repeat the techniques taught before break
    4:40 – 4:50 Final review, question & answer session.
    4:50 – 5:00 Students fill out evaluation forms

    Learning Objectives and Outcomes:  One (1) Objective should be achieved per one (1) hour of course with one (1) to a few Outcomes for the course.

    Learning Objectives should be specific, measurable, and achievable take-a-ways or proofs of learning that each participant will be able to expect to gain.  These are not items participants will learn about, but rather things they can do as a result of having learned something new.  Think in terms of action related demonstrations of knowledge.

    Basically, each learning objective just needs to be something each participant can; list, explain, describe, state, perform, compare, name, define, recognize, identify, choose, implement, assess, evaluate, or demonstrate within the subject matter of the class.  Most times, an hour of discussion or practice could lead to several pieces of information being absorbed, however, we just need one.

    Learning Objectives and Outcomes Example:  If the first hour of class included discussion about what Lymphatic Shiatsu for Degenerative Disease is, how it is performed, and how it may help benefit people with those conditions, then:

    It would make sense that each person could:

    • Name a few degenerative diseases which could benefit from Lymphatic Shiatsu
    • List structures of the lymphatic system
    • Explain how Shiatsu applications or pressure is applied
    • Name a few conditions which are contra-indicated for Lymphatic Shiatsu
    • Explain how this application benefits people with degenerative diseases

    This would yield 5 learning objectives.

    Learning Outcomes should be a broader more general accomplishment or take-a-way each participant can do as a result of mastering each of the smaller, more specific learned tasks.  This would look like the following.

    Each participant will be able to;

    • Demonstrate how to position a person for a lymphatic shiatsu massage
    • Perform a lymphatic shiatsu massage

    Please Note: As an Approved CE Provider, each course must be submitted, reviewed, and approved prior to offering NCBTMB continuing education hours.

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    How do I apply to become an Approved Provider?

    To apply to become an NCBTMB Approved Provider, follow the steps listed below:

    • Review the Approved Provider Handbook on the NCBTMB website here prior to applying. After reviewing, reach out to ce@ncbtmb.org if you have questions.
    • Create an account or sign into your existing account at ncbtmb.org
    • Scroll down to Credentialing Options and Select Apply Now in the Approved Provider area
    • Click sole provider or organization (only organization accounts can have multiple instructors)
    • Complete application wizard and submit.

    Note: It is required to upload documents to this website during this process. Click here for assistance if needed.

    Review of applications takes 6-8 weeks.

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    What Standards do Approved Providers adhere to?

    The Approved Provider Standards of Practice, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics can be found in the Approved Provider Handbook, downloadable in the Approved Provider Resources section here.