Massage Therapy Nexus

The national hub for reform, education, and advocacy.

A gathering place for massage therapists building the future of our profession.

pl: nex·us·es or: nexus [-səs, -süs]
[Latin, bond, tie, from nectere to bind]
: a connection or link between things, persons, or events esp. that is or is part of a chain of causation

Nexus = Connection Point

In biology, a nexus is a place where things are linked. In the nervous system, it’s often used to describe intercellular junctions, especially:

🔸 Gap Junction Nexus

• Found between neurons and glial cells
• Allow direct electrical and chemical communication
  • Enable synchronized activity (important in things like heartbeat and reflexes)

So a nexus in the nervous system is where information flows quickly and directly, without needing a complicated chemical handoff like in synapses.

The word nexus refers to a central point or connection where multiple elements converge. In the context of massage therapy, the nexus is where the many issues, challenges, and opportunities in our profession intersect.

This community serves as the meeting point for discussions around the key concerns shaping the future of massage therapy: dwindling numbers of schools and therapists, low pay rates, the struggle for health insurance reimbursement, lack of a unified professional framework, and the internal divisions between associations. These challenges don’t exist in isolation—they form a web of interconnected factors that must be addressed holistically for our profession to evolve and thrive.

Here at Massage Therapy Nexus, we’ll explore these converging issues, offering insights, historical context, and actionable ideas to inspire change. This is not just a platform for observation, but a catalyst for transforming the profession, uniting diverse voices and perspectives in a shared mission to shape its future.