There were three exceptional clinical contributions to JMS in 2025:

  1. Kimberly Merryman, LMT, CMMP: MEDICAL MASSAGE THERAPY vs. RETT SYNDROME
  2. Madison Mawson, LMT: MEDICAL MASSAGE vs. THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME OR NOT?
  3. Sandra Abbott, LMT, CMMP: MEDICAL MASSAGE vs. SEVERE NECK AND SHOULDER DYSFUNCTION

 

          71% of our readers voted for the clinical case sent to JMS by Kimberly Merryman, LMT, CMMP.

Our CONGRATULATIONS!

          I would also like to mention that all three contributions were equally amazing, and the Editorial Board also has great respect for Sandra’s and Madison’s work. They demonstrated a deep understanding and clinical reasoning in the Medical Massage application. Thank you!

 

Dr. Ross Turchaninov, Editor in Chief

 

          Here is our interview with the Winner of JMS’ 2025 International Competition for the Best Case of the Month:

Kimberly Merryman, LMT, CMMP

JMS: Our congratulations on being the winner of the 2025 JMS International Case of the Month Competition!

Kimberly: Thank you very much! The other two cases submitted to JMS were exceptional. I learned a great deal from Sandra’s and Madison’s contributions.

 

JMS: How did you get into massage therapy?

Kimberly: In 2019, my yoga instructor read my Vedic chart, and it showed that I would be in the medical field, which made no sense to me at the time.

          Fast forward two years, and a friend of mine, who is a massage therapist, needed help with her neck and hip. She was in her mid-60s at the time. After I worked on her, she told me I was so good that I should become a massage therapist. Of course, I laughed it off at first.

          But as I sat with the thought, I realized that I had been using massage to help many people in my life for more than a decade, and it had never once crossed my mind that I could become a therapist. As I accepted her words, I could feel in my heart that this was my true path, and I pursued it from there.

 

JMS: Please tell our readers about your practice.

Kimberly: Texas Medical Massage, PLLC, opened its doors in April 2024 after I graduated from SOMI’s Medical Massage Certification Program. I slowly pursued the medical side of massage therapy and started my journey toward becoming credentialed with health insurance companies and the VA.

          In the summer of 2025, everything took off very quickly. I was seeing 20 clients a week, even though I only wanted to work three days a week to avoid burnout and still have time for my family. By September 2025, I had hired my first therapist to help with the workload.

          This year, I moved into a larger office with five treatment rooms. I expect to continue expanding my business and eventually hire a chiropractor. Currently, with just two therapists, we see anywhere from 30 to 45 patients a week. Sometimes we are booked two weeks out. Insurance is definitely a rollercoaster.

          I am still keeping my three-day workweek, and my therapist works three and a half days. My office has helped a great number of patients using Medical Massage. Many of them had been let down by our broken healthcare system.

          We are always looking for new technologies to promote faster healing, but we always rely on       Dr. Ross’s publications and teachings. I have made several doctors believers by helping their patients. Now those doctors send me all their patients.

          Texas Medical Massage is thriving and growing thanks to the knowledge and guidance of Dr. Ross and SOMI.

 

JMS: What is your opinion of Medical Massage, and how has it helped your practice?

Kimberly: I believe the future of Medical Massage depends on stronger integration with healthcare providers, proper clinical documentation, ethical treatment planning, and making therapeutic care more accessible for patients who truly need it.

 

Kimberly: SOMI’s Medical Massage is changing the massage therapy industry, one CMMP at a time. It has helped me grow my practice in a way I never thought possible.

          The acceptance and disbelief I see in my clients is so much fun. They are always skeptical at first, but once it works and they feel better, they start telling everyone.

 

JMS: You graduated from SOMI’s Medical Massage Certification Program. Did our program help you build your practice?

Kimberly: SOMI helped me build my practice by giving me the tools and resources I needed. I would have never known about credentialing with insurance companies or the VA if I had not been part of SOMI’s community.

JMS: You are a successful Medical Massage practitioner, and we also know you are deeply involved in the local medical community. You obtained your own National Provider Identification (NPI) number, which means your work is recognized and respected within the healthcare system. Could you share with our readers how you obtained your NPI number?

Kimberly: As a Medical Massage practitioner and owner of Texas Medical Massage, PLLC, I wanted my work to be recognized within the healthcare system as part of an integrative, evidence-based approach to patient care. Obtaining my National Provider Identification (NPI) number was an important step in helping bridge the gap between therapeutic massage and the medical community.

          I obtained my NPI number through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), which is managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The process involved applying as a healthcare provider, submitting my professional and business information, including my state licensure and practice details, and selecting the healthcare taxonomy that best aligned with Medical Massage services. Once approved, I received my individual NPI number, which allows me to operate within a more professional healthcare framework and collaborate more effectively with physicians, chiropractors, and other healthcare providers.

          Having an NPI number has strengthened communication with referring providers and supports proper documentation and continuity of care for clients seeking medically necessary therapeutic treatment. It has also helped position Medical Massage as a legitimate part of a patient’s wellness and recovery plan.

          In addition to running my practice, I also work closely with the healthcare and insurance side of the industry through Rite Claims. Rite Claims helps massage therapists become credentialed with insurance companies and provides billing services for therapists who want to operate within a medical and insurance-based model. Many talented therapists want to work with medically necessary cases but feel overwhelmed by the credentialing and billing process. Through Rite Claims, we help simplify that process so therapists can focus on patient care while still operating professionally within the healthcare system. All therapists who are interested in branching out into the medical field may contact our professional service in this matter: www.riteclaims.com 

JMS: What is your favorite type of bodywork?

Kimberly: My favorite type of bodywork is a toss-up between neck pain and lower back pain. I had one client who came to me walking with a cane, falling all the time, and living in chronic pain. Now she can go on long walks and has started her fitness journey. That gives me so much joy.

           More people than I ever realized are walking around with Anterior Scalene Muscle Syndrome.

 

JMS: Any professional advice for therapists who are new to the field?

Kimberly: If you are serious about getting into Medical Massage and growing your business, I would consider Rite Claims for medical billing and credentialing. I do not have to worry about my billing at all. I simply collect checks every week and accept cash payments when offered.

          Also, be sure to complete your Medical Massage Certification through SOMI. It gives you the ultimate understanding of the science behind Medical Massage, proper hands-on training in a variety of techniques and modalities, and scientific data to build credibility with physicians.

          Most importantly, it helps you become a real healer!

 

Kimberly Merryman, LMT, CMMP
merryman.iym@gmail.com
346-200-2565
Cypress, Texas


Category: Person of the Month

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