Panel #3: The Future of Recognition & Regulation

Panel #3: The Future of Recognition & Regulation: Lessons From the Past

Panel Discussion • Sunday, May 24, 2025

Benjamin Freidlin
Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (R. TCMP, R. Ac) 

Candace Pichonsky
Practice Competency Manager, Natural Health Practitioners of Canada 

Tricia Weidenbacher
RMT, Executive Director, Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba

Across Canada, professions like reflexology, massage therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine have walked long, winding, and often courageous paths toward recognition and regulation. Each discipline has faced its own questions: Who are we? What do we stand for? How do we protect the public? How do we advance our profession? While each profession has had their own path, they have also shared many of the same challenges, hopes, and milestones.

In the spirit of our theme, “Back to the Future – Reflecting the Gold Spectrum of Reflexology,” this panel brings together leaders from the

1. Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC),
2. Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of Canada (TCMAC),
3. Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba (MTAM), and
4. Reflexology Association of Canada (RAC) and more for an honest, forward-looking conversation.

This is not a technical policy session, but real, human dialogue about what we’ve learned, what still needs to change, and how we can shape a more sustainable, respected future for reflexology therapy and complementary healthcare across Canada.

Whether you’re a long-time practitioner or new to the field, if you’ve ever wondered “Where is our profession headed?” This panel is for you.

➡️ What You’ll Learn:

By the end of the session, you’ll be able to:

• Understand the historical and ongoing struggles around recognition, regulation, ethics, and identity across multiple complementary healthcare professions.
• Spot the shared themes such as policy, public trust, credibility, ethics, etc. that shape our collective future.
• Reflect on what decades of advocacy have taught us… and how those lessons can guide where we go next.
• Imagine new pathways toward stronger professional recognition and deeper public trust.

This conversation is designed to empower you with clarity and perspective!

Format & Flow

Moderator: RAC Representative (to be announced soon)

Panelists:

• Benjamin Freidlin – TCMAC Representative
• Candace Pichonsky– NHPC Representative
• Tricia Weidenbacher– MTAM Representative
• Additional panelists to come!

Audience Q&A:
We close with a 15-minute open conversation — a chance for you to ask questions, voice your experiences, and join the dialogue about the future of our profession.

Why This Conversation Matters

Recognition doesn’t happen overnight. Regulation takes time. Progress comes through collaboration.

This panel is an opportunity for reflexology therapists, educators, practitioners, policymakers, and allies to learn from the past, speak honestly about the present, and imagine a healthier, more unified future for everyone practicing reflexology and complementary care in Canada.

Come be part of a conversation that truly moves us forward.