Can U.S. States Require Energy Healing Practitioners to be Licensed?

Midge Murphy, JD, PhD • March 16, 2022

As the use of energy healing methods by the public has grown significantly, both the federal government and a number of states have steadily moved toward considering regulating energy healing practitioners. Currently, Massachusetts has referred House Bill #350 and Senate Bill #221, respectively, to the Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee. These bills, if passed, would require energy healing practitioners to be licensed in Massachusetts in order to practice. Other states are also making rumblings about licensing energy healing practitioners or at the very least, requiring energy healing practitioners to be registered. 


This article is meant to provide a basic understanding of the legal and regulatory system that governs professionals who offer health care services to the public, including energy healing practitioners. It’s also intended to provide an understanding of how energy healing methods fit into the current health care field. 


It’s critical to know that under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, each state has the right to pass laws and regulations to protect the safety and welfare of its citizens. A primary method of safeguarding the health and well-being of citizens is to license professions to ensure that basic levels of education, competency, and skills are established and maintained. All fifty states have medical and psychology practice acts, as well as other types of practice acts including, social workers, chiropractors, and nurses. The underlying regulatory value for health care licensing laws is the safety, protection, and welfare of citizens.


Energy healing methods fall under the umbrella of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which is defined as a consensus term for healing methods, techniques, processes, and systems that have historically fallen outside established, recognized Western medicine. CAM methods are considered complementary or alternative healing arts in the United States. CAM includes both licensed healing arts practitioners such as chiropractors and non-licensed alternative healing arts practitioners such as Therapeutic Touch practitioners. Therefore, CAM methods fall into two categories, those that are regulated by state licensing laws and those that are not regulated. Chiropractic medicine is regulated in all fifty states in that chiropractors must be licensed in order to practice. There are other CAM methods that are regulated in some states but not in other states. These states require nutritionists (i.e., registered dietitians), massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, and acupuncturists to be licensed in order to practice. There are a multitude of unregulated CAM methods, including Reiki, Quantum Touch, the Emotion Code/Body Code, EFT/Tapping, shamanism, etc. The only exception to these being unregulated practices is that some states, such as Tennessee, require energy healing practitioners that incorporate touch to be licensed as massage therapists. 


Over the past 100 years, medical licensing statutes have been construed broadly by the legal system resulting in licensing boards and courts finding that just about any type of healing work is considered the practice of medicine. This finding has occurred if the practitioner is addressing physical issues with a client. For example, courts have historically affirmed convictions of “laying-on-of-hands” healers for unlawfully practicing medicine. Psychotherapy licensing statutes have also been construed broadly resulting in licensing boards and courts finding that just about any kind of emotional work is considered the practice of psychotherapy. Thus, the legal paradigm mirrors Biomedicine’s historical view that alternative practices, such as energy healing methods, are deviant, suspect, or “on the fringe.” Therefore, a non-licensed energy healing practitioner faces the risk of being charged with the crime of practicing a licensed profession such as medicine or psychotherapy without a license. While this may be considered unfair by some energy healing practitioners, they still must operate under the current legal and regulatory framework that governs health care providers. 


Besides the safety and welfare issues regarding licensure, there is another catalyst pushing states towards requiring licensure. Some states are reporting that sex traffickers have established energy healing practices such as Reiki as fronts for illicit businesses. For example, the Massachusetts’s state attorney general’s office reported seeing countless cases of these illicit businesses. Health and law enforcement officials say traffickers are able to avoid detection by taking advantage of the loophole in Massachusetts’s Massage Practice Act that exempts bodyworkers (i.e., energy healing practitioners) from licensure which allows their practices to be unregulated. So besides protecting the health, safety and welfare of citizens, licensing unregulated energy healing practitioners can give law enforcement a means to crack down on sex traffickers. 


Whether or not you feel licensing of energy healing practitioners is appropriate or needed, states do have the right to license practitioners, such as energy healing practitioners, who offer their health care services to the public.


Author

Midge Murphy JD, PhD (Energy Medicine) is a long time ACEP member and is the author of Practice Energy Healing in Integrity; the Joy of Offering Your Gifts Legally & Ethically. Her book and related exam on ethics, legal issues, and risk management strategies in the practice of energy healing methods are an essential resource for all practitioners and training organizations . www.midgemurphy.com

By Ted Blickwedel, LICSW, MSW, MEd April 9, 2025
After retiring from the military, I conducted individual and group therapy with combat veterans as a clinical social worker for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the VET Center in Warwick, RI. In my work, I've had many experiences showing the power of energy psychology to help heal trauma . One of these amazing stories occurred during my tenure at the VA. Veteran suffers from PTSD A 70-year old Vietnam Veteran suffered for 45 years from chronic PTSD as a result of life-threatening events he endured and injuries he sustained during combat. Let's call him Joe (not his real name). His symptoms included nightmares and waking up profusely sweating every night since he returned from the war 45 years ago. Joe also had insomnia and anger issues. Conventional therapies and medication were not able to alleviate the adverse impact of his trauma. Unfortunately, Joe's experience is common among a vast number of Veterans receiving treatment for PTSD at the VA. Energy psychology resolves trauma-related symptoms In the first energy psychology session, I introduced Joe to Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and explained the process and its efficacy. During the next 6 sessions, he tapped on the EFT meridian points for 2-3 rounds on each combat trauma we addressed. While he tapped, I guided him to verbally release related negative emotions. We did this until he no longer experienced any disturbance associated with these challenging events, as determined by muscle testing. The results were inspiring. At the end of six 50-minute sessions, Joe reported that his nightmares and night sweats completely stopped, and he felt more rested, peaceful, and significantly less anxious. Joe was even able to stop taking most of his anxiety and depression medication. His wife said she noticed a huge positive shift in his demeanor. Lasting results Over the next 3 years, Joe used EFT on his own to clear other developmental traumas and negative core beliefs. During this time, he only had four nightmares during one two-week period, which were triggered by watching a war movie. Afterwards, he did not have any recurrence of PTSD symptoms. Joe felt joy that he did not experience previously, and he was more emotionally open and affectionate with his wife. This heart-warming story shows the power of EFT to heal rapidly and effectively, with results that last. It's why I love using it. Going forward What a difference could be made with Veterans and their families if the VA and Department of Defense (DOD) used energy psychology techniques like these! They would be free of the devastating impact of PTSD, have better relationships and an improved quality of life. Many ACEP members have stories of hope and healing. Let’s share them! When we tell our stories, we can help inspire practitioners to adopt energy psychology methods that are powerfully grounded in effective healingwith long-lasting outcomes. Get trained and make a difference Are you a teacher or school employee? If so, get trained to bring powerful energy psychology techniques to your school by enrolling in ACEP’s free Mind Body Tools for Children training. If you are a clinician or stakeholder wanting to offer energy psychology to your community, enroll in ACEP’s free Emotional First Aid training . If you would like to get trained in using Emotional Freedom Techniques with clients, sign up for ACEP’s online training that begins with EFT Professional Skills 1 . Author Ted Blickwedel, LICSW, MSW, MEd, is an ACEP member and recipient of ACEP's 2021 Special Recognition Award. He is a retired Marine, combat veteran, former VA VET Center counselor, VA whistleblower, and author of Broken Promises: Marine Combat Veteran Turns Whistleblower Exposing Compromised Mental Health Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Photo by RDNE Stock Project
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