Please join us for our annual Continuing Education and Networking event in Orlando on February 21st and 22nd, 2026!!!

Schedule of Events

Friday, February 20th

7:00 - 8:00PM: Evening reception and "Meet & Greet" - appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided

Saturday, February 21st

7:00 AM: Registration/Sign-In begins

7:30-8:30AM: Continental breakfast (grab-and-go items, coffee, juice)

9:00AM - 12:00PM: Morning Sessions

12:30-1:30PM: Buffet Lunch

2:00 - 5:00PM: Afternoon Sessions

Sunday, February 22nd

7:00-8:00AM: Hot Buffet breakfast

8:00AM - 11:00AM: Morning Sessions

11:30AM - 12:30PM: Buffet Lunch

1:00 - 4:00PM: Afternoon Sessions

We have four exciting classes to choose from...You will choose 1 class for each day!

1. Marketing 101: 

Growing and Maintaining your Massage Business (6 CE)

>Marketing and learning how to grow your Massage business can have its challenges, however this course can help you fill your book with easy marketing strategies and keep your clients coming back by educating them..

2. PAIN! The other four letter word! (and three more classes to equal 6 CE's)

>This 2 hour course is designed to help therapists and the public gain a better understanding into our relationship to pain. Why do we try to avoid pain when time and time again it has been shown to be a beneficial and positive experience that is solely designed to protect us from harm. This 4 letter word has the potential to derail our daily lives but by gaining a clearer understanding of the mechanisms and behaviors around pain we can modify our experiences to incorporate pain and begin to reduce it.

2nd Class of the day: Is Touch Enough? Using Neuroplasticity To Treat Our Clients Through Language: 2 hours
>The more we learn about massage, pain and their interactions the more we are beginning to understand that touch alone is insufficient to help those living with chronic pain. In this 2 hour class we look into the non-touch related aspects of massage therapy and their effects on our clients.
3rd Class of the day: Placebo effects in massage therapy - 1 hour
>Understanding the mechanisms and factors influencing placebo effects is crucial for optimizing their use in pain management and improving client outcomes. By combining the benefits of manual therapy with the placebo effects, practitioners can create a supportive and empowering environment that fosters trust and collaboration between themselves and their clients. This proactive approach not only addresses immediate symptoms but also promotes long-term health and well-being. By integrating knowledge of placebo effects with evidence-based practices, healthcare practitioners can create a holistic approach to pain management that addresses both physical and psychological aspects of patient care, ultimately leading to improved outcomes and enhanced quality of life for individuals living with chronic pain.
4th Class of the day: Integrating evidence-based medicine and patient centered care - 1 hour
>For many years, evidence-based medicine (EBM) and patient-centered care (PCC) have been in opposition to each other. The reason for this conflict could be due to their underlying philosophies, or possibly due the profession's medical interpretation of these concepts, or even due to misconceptions.

3. Protecting Your Assets: Self Defense for the Massage Therapist (6 CE)

>There is much research where massage therapists are victims of verbal and physical abuse.  This class will help you avoid unwanted behavior and avoid a potential threat. It will give you the confidence to be alone with a new or existing client in your establishment or at their home or hotel. We will teach you specific massage techniques and how to set firm boundaries. You will learn the understanding of situational awareness, body language, communication threats, how anything can become a weapon and how to apply easy self-defense techniques to control any situation. In this class, the student will perform massage strokes and techniques, as well as ROM techniques on the table in a manner to help prevent an uncomfortable situation. Using these particular massage techniques, proper communication, and body assessment allows the massage therapist to be able to handle many situations in an effective style, and the ability to perform the massage with the desired intent. Prepare yourself to prevent unacceptable behaviors!!

This class is taught with my son, Johnny Matthews. A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer for over 12 years, Task Force and Defensive Tactic Instructor.  He brings not only a male perspective, but the Law Enforcement side to the “table” .

Whether you're a student or a seasoned therapist, this is your foundation for personal safety and confidence.

4. Upgrade Your Hands (6 CE)

>In this comprehensive training students will learn techniques, using Corestones, which will enhance your massage therapy sessions. Proper body mechanics are an integral part of this course and you will learn how to incorporate Corestones into your massage without compromising your wrists and hands. The contraindications/considerations of CoreStone massage will be reviewed and we will discuss ways to alter sessions to accommodate certain conditions. You will learn how to heat and cool corestones to the proper temperature to achieve our desired therapeutic outcome: deep muscle relief without causing tissue trauma and learn how to sanitize your stones for client safety.

Where:

DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Airport
5555 Hazeltine National Drive
Orlando, FL 32812

Please use the weblink below or call 1-800-HILTONS and request the 2026 AMTA Florida Annual Continuing Education & Networking Event room block.

2026 AMTA Florida Annual Continuing Education & Networking Event

Guests will have until Tuesday, January 20, 2026, to make reservations at the group rate. Once this date has passed, the group room rate will no longer be available.

FREE Airport Shuttle for those Arriving at MCO!

Register For Event HERE!