Are You the Kind of Practitioner Doctors Want to Work With?

In 1900, most people died from tuberculosis or influenza. By 2000, 60% of all Americans were dying from a lifestyle illness such as heart disease or cancer, and the trend is growing.

As energy medicine practitioners and holistic healers, you’re very aware of this sad truth. As professionals, we stay within our scope of practice, we don’t say that we ‘diagnose, treat or cure’ our clients using medical terms that are the provenance of the healthcare community. But the truth is, we see and feel the energy patterns of lifestyle illnesses, and we know what they are.

So this brings up the question: How do I build a referral network and collaborate with mainstream healthcare as an energy medicine practitioner?

Whether our client tells us they have an illness or condition, or we recognize a pattern that may need medical attention – our referral network becomes a priority. And because of the proliferation of lifestyle illnesses, our referrals may become a new frontier for collaboration with mainstream healthcare!

Let’s explore more below about how to build a referral network, what doctors may be looking for in a collaboration, and how to position yourself as a trusted, professional partner in integrative care.

Are Medical Professionals Open to Energy Medicine?

When you recognize patterns that might mean a serious illness or condition, it’s time to talk with your client and review your scope of practice, emphasizing that your services don’t treat or cure conditions or illnesses, but can help the “whole person” by allowing the body to heal in partnership with the right medical treatment.

“Natural medicine in general and energy medicine specifically, treats people not conditions. If it is possible to overcome a disease or an illness, then it is up to the body to do the healing. Putting the body in a position to do this is what the practice of Energy Medicine is all about. Another way of putting it is — this type of medicine treats people not symptoms.”
—Dr. Ron Cherubino, DC, AMD, Cherubino Health Center

Doctors and psychologists are publishing their experiences and embracing new techniques.

“If I put on my hard-core scientist hat, we don’t know what’s happening. But with Healing Touch, we see positive changes in mood and physiology that matter for patients.”
—Shamini Jain, Psychologist at the University of California, San Diego, and founder of the Consciousness and Healing Initiative. “Grappling with the Science of Touch-Based Healing Practices”

“I have studied medicine and science since the age of four and I am now 66. I have practiced medicine for over 33 years working with people who are extremely ill and dying of diseases that cannot be addressed by standard Western medicine at all. There is no question in my mind that energy medicine techniques are not only effective but extremely easy...”
—Dr. William Robert Schroeder, DO, MCDB, “A Doctor and Energy Healer!”

“The bottom line here is that holistic medicine works!”
—Dr. Ron Cherubino, DC, AMD, Energy Medicine – Healing for the 21st Century

It’s exciting to find doctors talking about energy medicine and holistic healing, but did it ever cross your mind that they might be trying to find you?

Could a Doctor Be Searching for Someone Like You?

Since doctors are beginning to accept energy medicine and holistic healing, they may not only be open to collaboration, but they may also be looking for it!

Many doctors have developed criteria for practitioners they work with. Most are looking for practitioners with skills in multiple areas because they believe the practitioner can combine techniques to offer greater services for a wider range of people and conditions. They also emphasize ethics.

The four main questions doctors have about a practitioner are:

• Do they have multi-technique training?
• Is their spirituality in tune?
• Do they behave in ways that are ethical and moral?
• Do they demonstrate professionalism?

Steps to Connect with Doctors and Other Providers

A robust referral network will include professionals in all areas of energy, holistic, and allopathic medicine. While you may find it relatively easy to find peers who provide modalities to complement yours, finding mainstream healthcare professionals for your network faces old barriers and new challenges.

Here are some ways to get started:

• Create a list of healthcare professionals in your area that covers a broad range of treatments, including primary care providers, specialists (particularly for lifestyle illnesses) such as nutritionists, endocrinologists, and licensed therapists – mental and physical.
• Ask your clients if they can recommend any of these professionals that you should put on your list to try to develop a relationship. Ask them if they ever share information with their doctor or therapist about their energy medicine sessions; this will give you an idea of how open the healthcare provider might be to talking with you.
• Attend networking events where you can find like-minded individuals.
• Develop relationships with other professionals in your community through social media, email, or in person.
• Offer to collaborate on events like a Meet-Up group to help local health and wellness professionals get to know each other.

When a Simple Referral Becomes Something More

Mainstream healthcare is beginning to embrace energy medicine and holistic healing. We see evidence of this everywhere. Energy Medicine Specialists, founded by our beloved Janna Moll, offers specific energy medicine classes for doctors, nurses, psychotherapists, and other healthcare professionals to help them discern and develop their intuitive skills, and use energy medicine in surgery.

Not every practitioner is going to feel ready for collaboration. But with the growth of lifestyle illnesses and shifting attitudes, it might be time to think about it.

Being the Kind of Practitioner Doctors Want to Work With

First, review all your safe practice elements. Everything about your verbal or written communications must adhere to your code of ethics, scope of practice, confidentiality guidelines, and state and local regulations. Review your client agreement, intake forms, session notes, and even your disclaimers to be sure the language is clear and does not include any medical terms outside your scope, such as ‘diagnose, treat, cure, heal, or prescribe.’

It’s a good idea to be aware of HIPAA laws regarding personal health information (PHI) if you are going to communicate with the healthcare community, as they are regulated by these laws.

EMPA provides a training class that covers this kind of communication through their Safe Practice Certificate Course.

Second, prepare a presentation package that includes your training credentials, code of ethics, scope of practice, and testimonials if you have them. Be sure the testimonials don’t include those forbidden medical terms, either. If you use something a client says about you for marketing, you are responsible for their language. You might also include a copy of a published article from a doctor who has expressed success working with a practitioner.

Target healthcare professionals you feel may be open to collaboration and stop by their office to drop off your presentation folder or have it available at networking events. Of course, you can create an electronic version to share through email, but developing a relationship is best done in person.

Offer to meet and provide a demonstration for the healthcare professionals and their staff. Be selective, and approach those who, through your research, have shown some indication of interest in energy medicine or holistic healing.

Finally, be sure your liability insurance is up to date. This not only protects your practice from misunderstandings from clients, doctors, or medical boards, but it also demonstrates your level of professionalism and business acumen. Healthcare professionals must deal with insurance issues every day, so showing your understanding and professional handling of liability will be a sign to them that you understand risk management and can practice with confidence.

Not sure if your current insurance is the right fit? EMPA specializes in coverage for energy and holistic practitioners—learn more about our practitioner packages here.

What’s Next: Referrals to Real Collaboration

Making a referral is standard practice, whereas collaboration is a new frontier for many practitioners. But with the refreshing change in attitudes, it’s a perfect time for us to step up and be those practitioners ready to work alongside healthcare partners so our clients get the benefit of truly integrated medicine.

What a tremendous opportunity to share the golden light of health and healing!

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not provide legal, financial, or medical advice. The examples are general, and coverage may vary by policy. Always refer to your insurance provider or policy language for specific details, as the policy terms take precedence. For legal concerns related to your practice, consult an attorney.