Surrey massage therapist suspended for bringing ‘gift’ to patient’s house, making sexual remarks

A massage therapist in Surrey was suspended for two weeks after two separate disciplinary action notices says he admitted to making “remarks of a sexual nature” to a patient, and after he used a patient’s records to go to their house with a “gift.”

The first suspension is in connection to an incident in August of 2021. The College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) says Craig Hall admitted to saying the following:

• He asked the Patient, “you’ve never had bondage therapy?” while he used a strap around the Patient’s thigh to perform a hip distraction.
• He introduced the topic of massage parlours and referred to them as “rub-and-tug” establishments.
• He told the Patient that RMTs (registered massage therapists) are not permitted to date their patients.
• He used the words “hell” and “bats—t nuts” while he conversed with the Patient.

The CMTBC says the comments fall under professional misconduct, and says Hall admitted to “making remarks of a sexual nature to the Patient.”

“An RMT must never sexualize a treatment environment or therapeutic relationship through words, touch, or any other form of explicit or implicit sexual conduct. An RMT must refrain from engaging in sexual misconduct with a patient,” the disciplinary action statement reads.

The second suspension is related to an incident in November of the same year when the CMTBC says he accessed a patient’s records to “confirm the street number of the Patient’s place of residence.”

“He put together a gift of a bottle of wine and a liquor store gift card for the Patient, and dog treats for the Patient’s dogs (the “Gift”). He intended the Gift to be an apology to the Patient because he had arrived late for her massage therapy appointment with him that morning,” a notice reads.

The CMTBC says he then went to the house to bring the gift.

“He rang the doorbell, but the Patient did not answer the door. He then telephoned the Patient; however, the Patient did not answer the telephone. He then opened the gate to the Patient’s residence and left the Gift on the Patient’s porch,” the notice reads.

The CMTBC says in regard to the first incident, Hall agreed to take “extensive remedial education on professional ethics and boundaries.”

In both cases, he admitted to committing professional misconduct, and agreed to “undertaking not to repeat the conduct.” He also faced fees of $500 in both cases.

He has also agreed to “undertakings not to repeat the conduct,” in both cases, the CMTBC says.

The CMTBC says Hall admitted to committing professional misconduct in the incident as well.

In both cases, the notice adds that “The Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the terms of the undertaking and consent agreement will protect the public interest.”

The notices were posted online on May 5 and April 24 of this year.