Patricia Murphy (Butte, Mt) joined the BLMTB Board of Directors on September 10, 2006. Patty is a Massage Therapist and a Butte native. She is the mother of 3 children, Michael, Amber, and Ryan. Patty graduated from the Asten Center in Whitehall, Montana and has been practicing massage therapy for 5 years in the Butte area under the business name Mystic Massage. She's also worked at Fairmont Hot Springs for the last 4-1/2 years and just recently took over the spa under the business name Whispering Willow Spa. Before she became a massage therapist, Patty worked in the grocery business for 20+ years. Her background includes working in management positions, being responsible for negotiating union contracts, and participating on committees for training management and supervisory skills.
Lynne Ann Kogut (Kila, MT) joined the BLMTB Board of Directors on February 5, 2010. Lynne has been a massage & bodywork therapist since 1987. She completed her massage training with the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, which at the time was a 500 hour program. She has continued her studies in Polarity Therapy & Craniosacral Therapy. Lynne is a Registered Polarity Practitioner (RPP), a Certified Polarity Educator and a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist (BCST).
Lynne moved to Montana in 2003. She is the Director of Dancing Bear Center for Polarity Therapy & Energy Studies, which is an APP level of Polarity Training recognized by the American Polarity Therapy Association (APTA). This is the first recognized school by APTA for Polarity Therapy in the state of Montana. Prior to her career in massage & bodywork she managed various Health & Fitness facilities in the New York area.
Lynne has joined the BLMTB board because she has felt that the BLMTB has provided a very valuable service to Montana. She has felt that the organization has safeguarded our field of practice in massage & bodywork therapies. Lynne writes: "Not only has it been instrumental in informing us of important issues around protecting our right to practice, but the organization has helped in understanding the legislative process, keeping the language appropriate for practicing, & having a watchful eye on over-regulating the field of practice." Lynne has appreciated the BLMTB’s effort and knowledge offered to the community of bodywork therapists. She has joined the organization as another voice for freedom to practice and for a fair and just regulatory system that not only accepts education and professionalism but also protects the intuitive nature of the practice of massage & bodywork which keeps it fresh and exciting as the field evolves.
Lynne feels that: "Less is more when it comes to regulating a system that has an excellent track record for exceptional practitioners. This is the inherent nature of massage & bodywork therapists and you cannot put that in a box or on a piece of paper."