I have been an LMT for seven years now and have work on cruise ship, Las Vegas, Utah, and Jackson Hole, WY. I have to say no matter where you are and how "classy" the place there has and always will be problems with Clients and Therapist. Unfortunately, there are are Therapist out there that draw far past the line during Massages. For example, I have worked with a few male therapists that have bragged that they have had sexual encounters with female and male clients. But I have also worked with male therapists that have been accused of wrongful touch during massage, and I personally don't think the accusations were true being that a couple of the male therapists are flamboyantly gay and these were female clients that made the accusations. I think that people have realized how much companies insure their therapists for and see $$$$. Being that therapist are not protected from their clients both with clients being unprofessional during massages and clients accusing therapists of wrongful touch. It's a lose lose situation. When you go and see your doctor for a physical there is always a nurse in the room. As therapists we have our clients naked under a sheet for sometimes two hours. Unfortunately, we don't have a nurse or what have you by our side to protect us from wrongful accusations. We need to see some major change in this industry there is no doubt about that. I am not saying that I think the therapist is innocent or guilty, just what I have seen and experienced. If you are a therapist reading this, remember don't put up with anything from your clients. You are the one in control of the massage, don't let it go the other way. If you feel uncomfortable in anyway what so ever end the massage, it's your career and livelihood, not theirs.

have been an LMT for seven years now and have work on cruise ship, Las Vegas, Utah, and Jackson Hole, WY. I have to say no matter where you are and how "classy" the place there has and always will be problems with Clients and Therapist. Unfortunately, there are are Therapist out there that draw far past the line during Massages. For example, I have worked with a few male therapists that have bragged that they have had sexual encounters with female and male clients. But I have also worked with male therapists that have been accused of wrongful touch during massage, and I personally don't think the accusations were true being that a couple of the male therapists are flamboyantly gay and these were female clients that made the accusations. I think that people have realized how much companies insure their therapists for and see $$$$. Being that therapist are not protected from their clients both with clients being unprofessional during massages and clients accusing therapists of wrongful touch. It's a lose lose situation. When you go and see your doctor for a physical there is always a nurse in the room. As therapists we have our clients naked under a sheet for sometimes two hours. Unfortunately, we don't have a nurse or what have you by our side to protect us from wrongful accusations. We need to see some major change in this industry there is no doubt about that. I am not saying that I think the therapist is innocent or guilty, just what I have seen and experienced

I was once a therapist at Matrix and the only thing that shocked me about this story was that it was therapists assaulting clients and not the other way around. This business was run in a way where the therapists were put in danger on an everyday basis, left all alone in the building with men coming in to get massage drawn by advertisements like, "We specialize in outcall" "Open late" "Come to the Experience" and it was once spelled Matrixx with 2 x's, just some subtle advertising that attracted men who thought it was questionable and wanted a happy ending. I had to kick men off my table constantly, I was nearly assaulted doing outcall, and the owner did nothing to ensure our safety at all. As for the breast massage I'm honestly not sure if that was meant to be sexual. There IS a technique called lymphatic drainage where the breasts are massaged along with other areas to move the lymphatic fluid. This is very beneficial and commonly practiced in other countries and its possible that the therapists were just too into their craft to ask for consent. Which would be very stupid, especially in such a conservative place, but not sexually assault.

thats horrible

Some people just don't get it, either. An Arabian man came into a day spa where my LMT friend worked; she asked him to undress and lay between the sheets while she went to the other room to wash her hands. When she returned, he was face-up naked on top of the sheets. She handled it professionally, asking again for him to get between the sheets. He complied. She gave the massage, draping conservatively because of the obvious expectations this man had. After she finished the massage, this man complained that he was "Not satisfied with my therapist's services". A different friend had a similar experience. She was working at a spa, when one of her regular clients came in. She felt uneasy about working on him that day, but he was a frequent client and she assuaged herself, "It's only Ray". Not long before the massage was to end, he grabbed her arm and said, "What do you say we finish this my way?!" She promptly told him, "We can do this, and I can report you for rape and prostitution, or you can leave and never come back!" He chose the latter. (Except that he returned to the spa and this whole scenario played out again with another therapist!) In both of these situations, the spas were rude to the therapists, asking them what they had done to upset the clients. That's ridiculous! It is in the Utah laws regarding massage therapists that we will do everything possible to prevent counter-transference (which has to do with emotional energy), because it's possible to give/take anger, sexual frustration, etc. from another person. My point: The client has to come in with a wholesome idea about massage as well. Obviously, the therapist is responsible for his/her actions, but we reserve the right to deny service to anyone looking for a "happy ending". Have some respect; if you're looking for that, go to a prostitute!

As a massage Therapist I'm glad that these 2 men have been caught. Whether they are guilty or not it makes people aware to what is out there. Unfortunatly these kind of "massage theripst" give others that are helping the public with their talents and skills give the rest of us a very bad wrap! Unfortunatly there are people that go into massage therapy thinking it is a way to take care of there sexual desires but at UCMT they drum it into you that if that is what your intent is to get out of the perfession! As a massage therapist it should be an experience of healing and safety. To the women that have had this happen to them at a session I strongly encourage you to come forward and not allow this to happen any futher to anyone else!!

I have been a close friend of Robert Barella's for over 12 years and I know these allegations are false, anybody who knows Robert knows that he is a caring and devoted father, husband, and friend. He cares about the health of people, that is why he became a massage therapist, he is very dedicated to his career. this is not in his nature to do something like this he would never rape anyone he is not a forcible kind of guy. It really upsets me that the stories are being ran as if he's a monster he is a wonderful guy and he hasn't been convicted of anything, isn't it supposed to be innocent until prove guilty, which he will not be cuz he did not rape anyone.

"Buyer Beware" is not a useless catch phrase. A massage class I attended allowed inappropriate commentary and behavior by a student that was supported by the school in the context of "free speech" and because that person "paid the same money every student did and should be allowed to complete the course too". Various types of schools have been noted to ignore doing what's right, so you have to look out for yourself. People will continue to need massage. It only makes sense not to assume every massage therapist is safe just because they have a license, no more than any other medical professional. Not that they probably care, but it's a real shame men like these two put other male massage therapists in a bad light that is totally undeserved. If these events gain momentum, public tandem massage with male/female teams might be more business like and better overall for clients and reputable massage therapists.

Also, this article points out the importance of going to a reputable massage place. If you visit www.indeed.com you will find over 1,500 posts about Massage Envy, more so than any other massage place. Massage Envy has been undermining the field of massage by paying, on average, 50 % or less than the traditinal compensation for the skilled work that professional massage therapists do bringing the industry down. Talented massage therapists quit after working there and the ones and Massage Envy threatens the public. I used to work in one and I was denied ice by management for use in a medical massage. I performed the medical massage and gave him ice to use at home, but Massage Envy was unethical.

As a massage student, I have to say (assuming these guys are guilty, which it seems they are), I'm glad they got caught! That's 2 fewer people making my job harder... 2 fewer destroyers of the good reputation we're trying to build for massage, which can be a powerful tool in emotional recovery (from physical abuse, etc.), especially in this modern time characterized by touch depravity. Not to mention its rehabilitive and training purposes for sports. And then there's the fluff-and-buff feel good stuff. Massage really is great, and I hope people will realize that there are people with unlawful and unprofessional conduct in all fields of work... Feel safe - the laws about these kinds of things are quite clear, and these 2 men won't be practicing again. Stephanie Jackson soon-to-be LMT