Six Professional Therapy Organizations to Know

Professional therapy organizations provide a great avenue for people to stay connected within their field. They exist for all types of people in all types of situations; whether you're a recent college graduate on the hunt for your first job, or a veteran in the field with a steady place in the industry.

Professional therapy organizations serve as great ways to stay up to date on the latest trends within the industry, can be a source of new ideas via seminars and conferences, and -- of most importance to many -- serve as an excellent networking tool.

Your experience with professional therapy organizations truly is what you choose to make it; becoming involved can pay great dividends down the road. Here are six professional therapy organizations that set a fine standard for other organizations to model after:

1) American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

The APTA aims at advancing the practice, education, research and overall awareness of physical therapy. Its goal is to improve the health and overall quality of life of individuals in society. There are more the 77,000 members, ranging from physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students of physical therapy.

2) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

The ASHA's vision is "Making effective communication, a human right, accessible and achievable for all." They attempt to make this vision a reality by promoting effective communication, advancing communication science and advocating for people with communication disorders. There are 145,000 speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists who are members or affiliates.

3) American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)

The AMTA spreads the message that massages are a benefit to all people while advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy. They endorse professional standards and work for fair licensing in all 50 states. There are 56,000 massage therapists and students who are members.

4) American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

The AOTA believes that the application of occupational therapy helps lead to good health and quality of life for people in society. Main goals of this organization include helping members grow as professionals, and allowing consumers to have easier access to health care services. The AOTA has nearly 42,000 members, most of whom are occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, or occupational therapy students.

5) American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

The ASCA serves school counselors in all stages and settings, from elementary schools, to schools with religious affiliations, and all the way to college campuses. Their vision is to provide school counselors with all the tools necessary to ensure that their students excel in the classroom, at home, and throughout every other environment of their lives. The ASCA currently has a membership of over 28,000 school counseling professionals.

6) American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

The AAMFT aims to constantly better the field of marriage and family therapy by growing the understanding, research and education in the field. They help develop standards in areas of the field such as clinical supervision and professional ethics. Their membership consists of over 24,000 family therapists.