President's Message

Michael Roberson, President -- AMTA California Chapter

September 2026

Hello All …

Who has been inspirational in your professional life? 

Has that person changed over your career? What made the change? 

You have to know that after 40 years of being a massage therapist, much has changed for me. I have had so many teachers over the course of my career. Some have even become extended family. But those that inspire me were not just the teachers, some were colleagues and others were my patients! Yes, my patients. (And I will come back to that.)

Teachers are easy to name. They were most likely the ones who taught you your craft. I have had many, many, amazing teachers! I always try to come to a class with an empty cup and hope to leave with it overflowing! 

Have you ever had a class that left you pondering how you could incorporate what you learned into your practice and started creating a list of patients you think would be a great match for what you learned? Me: Every time! Every time. More often than not, I took a class because I had a patient in mind, hoping what I would learn would fill that missing piece of the puzzle in their treatment plan and meet the goals we established when we began our trip together.

Colleagues are another source of inspiration. I love talking to my colleagues about my patients (keeping confidentiality) about challenges and success stories. I love to hear about their approaches to an issue and sharing the great success of what I did to an issue my patient had. It is never bragging - let’s keep this real - I am just as amazed what works with these unique bodies we get to touch and change the life by OUR touch! Seriously, I am gob smacked with results. I am always anticipating results, but when it all comes together, gob smacked! every time! 

Now to my patients. I get so excited, inspired, motivated, and humbled all at the same time! 

Do you have patients who come to you as their last resort? They have tried so many treatments, lotions, potions, medications, devices, foods, crystals, essential oils, exercises, Dr Google or Dr Wikipedia, other allied health professionals, and even other massage therapists, but nothing worked? Now they come to you with hope, hope that what you offer will finally make a difference in the quality of their life.

I look forward these patients. Not to feed a “god-complex,” but to actually listen where they are, and where they would like to go (goal) in working with me. To provide a different approach to their issue(s) and with them, see if we can make changes towards those goals. 

We all have stories we can share, right? 

Let me begin to wind this message down. I am just getting back from our National Convention in Denver. I was inspired by the teachers I had. I want to learn more. I have a thirst for more … more knowledge… more situations… more results … more potential of how I can apply this in my practice. 

I was surrounded by thousands of massage therapists - MY PEOPLE- and to share a table, a meal, a drink with them and to hear their success stories inspired me to do more. Do you have that person in your life? 

Raising the bar is no joke! I have to thank my teachers, my colleagues, and my patients for challenging me to meet that bar and, if successful, raise it up a bit more.

So to you, my colleagues, let us be the inspiration and motivation someone needs, as we raise the bar in this profession we love so much!

Until the next time …

Michael Roberson,

California Chapter President