I also am a licensed massage therapist. I like to include body work along with massage. Recently I helped cleanup a flood damaged basement. I took my massage chair. I did not offer the crew a massage; I offered to do some “work” on their shoulders and backs of those who are doing some heavy work lifting and hammering. The muscles and minds respond much better to ” some muscle work” than a massage in this instance. So am I a bodyworkist or a bod worker or a bodyseuse?

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Times have changed - in the state in which I am professionally-licensed and in the city and county in which I am business-licensed, we can only refer to ourselves as “licensed massage therapists” - this is stated clearly in the law to reflect our scope of practice. If we refer to ourselves in any other way, we are breaking law. If the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork were to audit or investigate its certificant (for which MTs are increasingly required to hold in most professionally regulated jurisdictions across the country), and the certificant were found to be using other than the prescribed “NCTMB” or “NCTM” title, to which the certificant agrees to use by default of certification, then the certificant is in violation of the NCBTMB’s Standards of Practice, which is subject to consequences outlined to include up to suspension or revocation of credential.
Technically, the term masseuse or masseur is less used these days because it lacks focus and specific connotation for a scope that needs to be defined in an ever-growing and -diversifying CAM industry, of which massage therapy is a part.
Your term is not wrong if the jurisdiction in which you are licensed allows it specifically in the code written for standards of practice, which is written into all professionally-related business license law.

I call myself massage therapist when people ask what I do for a living. I do not mind being called masseur, because although it originated in the French language, it is an English word now, too. I do correct people with humor when they say masseuse, though.

My diplomas and certificates all say Massage Therapist on them, so that is what I call my profession, but I do not take offense as the word masseur. I do correct people when they inject sexual innuendo into what I do, but even this is done with kindness.

I understand why (mostly women) take offense at masseuse, as it does bring up the seedy history of massage in the United States to many, but if we act with compassion, kindness, and a liberal dose of humor, we can re-claim that word from its sexual overtone.

It’s only a word. More important is how we behave.

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Hi Bob,

I call myself a massage therapist since that is what I was trained to call myself through schooling. I have been called a masseuse by several people, but for the most part I’m not offended. In general, from my experience, people are just asking questions or making general comments. In any conversation, I just call myself a massage therapist. People usually pick it up and correct themselves or ask me why I don’t use the word massuese. When asked I let them know it’s not offensive to me, but it tends to carry a negative connotation. (Which, BTW, I have not really personally experienced; it’s something I was “taught” in school.)

I get more offended by friends who, dispite my title and professional demeanor, make sexual remarks and comments to me or others in my presence about the my line of work.

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M. Viesselman reply on April 4, 2008:

I assume, since you are a “masseur” that you are not a Certified and Licensed Massage Therapist, If you are a CMT and/or a LMT then you are legally, ethically, and logically, miss identifying yourself, which is a breach of professional ethics. If you are not…go for it. In this country the title you have choosen denotes a lack of credentialling and education…as well as the other less savory conotations.

Your assumptions are totally incorrect. I am a fully licensed masseur and fully certified in a number of modalities. In my licensing state I am in no way legally, ethically, or logically misidentifying myself nor am I breaching any professional ethics (nor are the licensed masseuses I work with). It’s amazing how you feel qualified to speak for “this country” when in fact you are quite ignorant about the subject.

I’m happy to see other LMT’s in the State of Ohio that correct clients on the word “masseuse”. The term “masseuse” was hammered into mine and other students in school on the negative stereotypes that were afflicted with “masseuse”. Also, why lower my credentials from having a Medical License to “nothing”?

I’ve also had many clients tell me that massage school couldn’t be that hard. I tell them that I’ve spent 5 semesters learning Anatomy and Physiology for massage, versus the 1 semester at KSU for Nursing. I also let all my clients know that in order for us to call it “massage therapy” or as a “massage therapist”, that we have to be licensed by the OMB (Ohio State Medical Board).

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No one can offend us without our cooperation. To often we look to the external for justification or compelement when it is only our reflexion of our inner selves. When we find something offends us, we need to look internally to see why. Yes there are offensive things out there, but we take on way more than we need to and it is reflected in our lives and our happiness.

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My license indicates that I am a Massage Therapist, and yes…I too correct (gently) the term masseuse. That may a term the French use, but I live in the US and I am licensed and also a massage therapist. Therefore, I take offense to anything else.