Ben E. Benjamin holds a Ph.D. in Education and Sports Medicine. He is the founder and President of the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has been in private practice for 40 years. He is the author of the widely-used books Listen To Your Pain, Are You Tense? and Exercise Without Injury. He has also written many professional articles on working with pain and injury problems and has been a regular columnist for the AMTA Massage Therapy Journal since 1986.
Dr. Benjamin was the initiator and chairperson of the AMTA Council of Schools Professional and Sexual Ethics Task Force for four years and is considered an authority on ethics and boundaries in the body therapy field. He was one of the first to write extensively about boundaries, ethical issues, and sexual abuse in alternative health care, and since the early 1990's has published many articles on these topics in professional journals. Among the workshops he teaches throughout North America are Creating Healthy Boundaries in Health Care Settings, Working with Survivors of Trauma and Abuse, Assertiveness and Effective Communication, and Sexuality and Dual Relationships.
Long recognized for his contributions to the field, Dr. Benjamin's honors include the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) President's Award for the year 2000, the highest honorary recognition given by the organization; and the Distinguished Service to the Profession award, given in recognition of leadership and commitment to the massage profession and the AMTA. He has received awards naming him as one of the most influential people in the field by the AMTA and the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). He now maintains a private practice, trains teachers to be the best they can be, and coaches individuals toward success in both their personal and professional lives.
Cherie Sohnen-Moe is an author, business coach, international workshop leader, and successful business owner since 1978. Before shifting her focus to education and coaching, she was in private practice for many years as a massage practitioner and holistic health educator. Cherie is the president of Sohnen-Moe Associates, Inc., a publishing, training, coaching, and catalog company. She holds a degree in psychology from UCLA and has extensive experience in the areas of business management, marketing, training, and creative problem solving -- all of which combine well with her ability to support others to achieve what they want in life.
Ms. Sohnen-Moe is the author of Present Yourself Powerfully and Business Mastery; the latter is a required text in 425+ schools. She has written more than 100 articles that have been published in over 15 national and international magazines. Her most popular workshops are Marketing from Your Heart, The Four Keys to Publicity, The Ethics of Touch, Therapeutic Communications, Present Yourself Powerfully, and Creative Teaching Techniques.
Cherie is active in many professional and community organizations. Among her honors
she has received the Distinguished Service Award and the Professional Achievement
Award from the American Society for Training and
Development (ASTD), and the Outstanding Instructor Award at the
Desert Institute of the Healing Arts.
She is listed in several editions of Who's Who.
Cherie is dedicated to supporting people reach the levels of success they desire:
personally, financially and professionally.
The Ethics of Touch book has been a work in progress for a decade. We had both been focusing our attention and expertise on different aspects of ethical behavior and realized that combining our backgrounds, education, and experience would create a dynamic, useful resource.
In the process of research and writing we sought the assistance of experts in a variety of fields to give breadth and depth to this book. Many people contributed ideas and stories, and several wrote major sections. Along with our original writing we blended the contributed materials to fit the style, tone and focus of this book. We are grateful for all the support from our colleagues and their permission to adapt and expand their writings. We are true believers in collaboration and this book is the synergistic result of many creative minds.
Douglas Bolton, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and certified school psychologist. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Vermont and is currently working in a therapeutic school for students with severe emotional and behavioral problems.
Robert and Douglas Bolton are the primary authors of the Dynamics of Effective Communication chapter.
Robert Bolton, Ph.D, is the co-founder of Ridge Associates, Inc., a consulting firm that serves Fortune 500 companies. He has designed training programs for the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene and co-founded a psychiatric outpatient clinic. He is the author of People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others and Resolve Conflicts, and People Styles at Work.
Robert and Douglas Bolton are the primary authors of the Dynamics of Effective Communication chapter.
Nancy Bridges, M.S.W., is a supervisor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Cambridge Health Alliance, an instructor at the Harvard Medical School, and lecturer at Smith College School for Social Work. Ms. Bridges has written numerous articles and has presents widely on the therapeutic process and relationship.
She is the primary author of the Supervision chapter.
Daphne Chellos, M.A., is a psychotherapist, sex therapist, and former massage therapist with 20 years of experience in teaching sexuality, ethics, and communication. She holds a masters in counseling and directs the outreach program at the Naropa Institute in Colorado.
Ms. Chellos is the primary author of the Sex, Touch and Intimacy chapter.
Rebecca Gwynne, B.A., L.M.T., is a Reiki Master/Teacher and has been practicing Reiki for ten years, and massage for nearly seven years. Ms. Gwynne works at Sohnen-Moe Associates, Inc..
She contributed to the energy information in the Boundaries chapter.
Steven Hassan, M.A., is one of America's leading cult mind abuse counselors. He has been involved in educating the public about destructive cults in America for more than twenty-six years. He is a licensed mental health counselor and holds a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College. He is the author of Combatting Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults and Releasing The Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves.
He can be reached at www.freedomofmind.com, and (voice) 617-628-9918.
Steven Hassan contributed the information on Cult Mind Control in the Special Considerations in Cases of Trauma chapter.
Linda Mabus Jorgenson, M.A., J.D., has considerable legal experience in the area of sexual exploitation by professionals. Ms. Jorgenson is a partner in the plaintiffs' law firm, Spero & Jorgenson, P.C. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has handled over 400 cases of therapist-patient sexual abuse allegations as well as numerous cases involving non-sexual boundary violations. Ms. Jorgenson has published extensively in this area in numerous law reviews and mental health journals including the American Journal of Psychiatry, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, and Psychiatric Annals.
Ms. Jorgenson co-authored a book titled Sexual Abuse by Professionals: a Legal Guide, published by the Michie Company. She is a frequent presenter at the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Bar Association annual meetings.
Ms. Jorgenson contributed the Legal Issues information for the Business Ethics chapter.
Fred N. Lerner, D.C., Ph.D., F.A.C.O., has been in practice for over twenty-two years. He is a chiropractic orthopedist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center -- The Pain Center. Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai Dr. Lerner served as Director of Physical Therapy at the Spring Orthopedic Rehabilitative Therapy in Beverly Hills, CA, USA.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists and the American Academy of Pain Management. In addition, he is a fellow of the Academy of Forensic and Industrial Chiropractic Consultants and the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists.
Dr. Lerner received his bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto and his doctorate in chiropractic from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He also earned a doctorate in philosophy in electromedical sciences from the City University Los Angeles School of Electromedical Sciences. See also: www.LernerEducation.com
Dr. Lerner wrote the section on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the Ethical Practice Management chapter.
Jodi A. Lewis, M.S., M.B.A., R.N., L.M.T., has been a licensed and nationally certified massage therapist since 1998, a registered nurse since 1988, and has worked in case management since 1992. She worked as a consultant with many hospitals nationwide in implementing case management programs. She co-authored "Nursing Case Management and Quality" section in the Handbook of Nursing Case Management, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1996.
Ms. Lewis and Dr. Kathleen Stephens co-wrote the Case Management section in the Ethical Practice Management chapter.
Shaye Moore is a teacher, writer and nationally certified bodyworker whose practice is devoted to children and families. She was the recipient of a grant from the Community Health Program Fund of Children's Hospital Boston to bring infant massage instruction to disadvantaged young parents.
Ms. Moore helped write the sections on Dual Relationships, Working with Minors, Boundaries, and the definitions covered in chapter one.
Dianne Polseno, L.M.T., is the former chair of the AMTA National Ethics Subcommittee, is a practicing massage therapist, practical nurse, academic director and teacher at the Bancroft School of Massage Therapy. She also leads ethics workshops and has authored numerous articles on ethics.
Ms. Polseno contributed information to sections on Sexual Misconduct, Informed Consent, and Scope of Practice.
Stuart N. Simon, L.I.C.S.W., B.C.D., has been a psychotherapist for 25 years experience working with couples, families and adults and organizations. He is a member of the core faculty of Gestalt International Study Center's, Center for the Study of Intimate Systems, and a contributing author to several books on psychotherapy.
Mr. Simon was a contributing author to the Boundaries chapter.
Kathleen N. Stephens, D.C., L.M.T., has been involved in the Alternative Health field since 1977. She holds two Bachelor of Science Degrees, a Chiropractic Physician Degree, as well as Massage Therapist and Instructor Certificates. Dr. Stephens is the founder of the Stephens Method of Manual Therapy and teaches her recognized technique nationally. She is the author of The Stephens Method of Manual Therapy and serves as a consultant in Case Management in private practices.
Dr. Kathleen Stephens and Ms. Lewis co-wrote the Case Management section in the Ethical Practice Management chapter.
Nancy Tam, B.ED., B.F.A., B.S.W., is a human relations consultant, educational policy analyst, trainer and writer. Her company, Creative Neurons, specializes in mediation, organizational change and adult education with a division (Blackhound Graphics) focused on communications, graphic design and marketing. A former high school English/drama teacher, bodyworker and massage therapy school director, she now lives with her partner, Guy, on a small farm outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. In addition to her interest in writing children's books, Nancy continues to explore the concept of a "dreamingbody" in the field of somatic mythology by facilitating workshops; she believes that every "body" has a story to tell that is meaningful and that one's "bodystory" can bring insight and purpose into people's lives.
She wrote the section on Process Recordings in the Dynamics of Effective Communication chapter.
Diana Thompson, L.M.P., is the author of Hands Heal: Communication, Documentation and Insurance Billing for Manual Therapists.
She wrote the section on Insurance Issues for the Business Ethics chapter.
Ruth Werner, L.M.T., has been a massage therapist and instructor since 1984. She is the author of A Massage Therapist's Guide to Pathology as well as many other articles that have appeared in a variety of publications. She currently lives in Utah, and she enjoys sharing the wonders of the human body with anyone who has the patience to listen.
Ms. Werner contributed to the Touch section in the Sex, Touch and Intimacy chapter.