Supporting the Whole Person: Safe Practice Tools for Emotional and Energy Healing

As energy medicine and holistic practitioners, we know that healing is a journey. While our desire for the client’s wellbeing and our commitment to support are consistent, the specifics of the path are unique to each client. And that path becomes increasingly complex, and often commensurately rewarding, when working with those experiencing mental and emotional health challenges.

In the years following the 2020 pandemic, the visibility, prevalence, and impact of mental and emotional health issues have never been higher. We know you are seeing more of this in your practice.

While compassion is – and will always be inherent to energy medicine – you may need to consider that your professional safe practice procedures, when looked at through a new perspective, can not only fulfill their traditional roles in keeping clients safe, but become actual tools that create a highway to healing.

What do these special clients need? Calm, relaxation, less stress, understanding, care, clear communications, safety, stability, a sense of peace, balance…and compassion.

It sounds simple enough, isn’t this what energy healing is all about?

Likely, you already provide these things in many of your relationships and sessions. But what if it’s more nuanced for this group and you have powerful tools you aren’t even aware of?

Let’s explore some areas where you will want to take special care with these clients - both in terms of the comfort and consideration you provide, and the ways you navigate the heightened liability risk. You’ll be glad to see that some of your safe-practice tools can do double duty, and make this journey safer and smoother for you both.

Setting the Stage for a Secure Space

When you’re the driver, you want your passenger buckled up safely, and to have confidence in your driving skills. The way you show confidence, check your mirrors, and see to their comfort are all signals to them that you have their best interest at heart.

When people have mental or emotional issues, they need these same signals. You may want to take more time, use calming techniques and help them slow the chatter in their mind.

The intake forms you present may seem scary or overwhelming. While you need to understand what is hiding in their minds, they may feel shy or ashamed.

They may suffer from trauma like abuse or a severe accident, or have a recent devastating loss through death or divorce. They may even suffer inherited emotional issues from their family without even knowing the source of the trauma.

You know that to maintain safe practice procedures, you need information.

If cues alert you to hesitation, such as leaving important parts of the form blank – shift to an intake discussion and talk through the information needed. Reassure them that these questions are normal and calmly talk to them.

Use your active listening skills, and stay steady yourself no matter what they share. This demonstrates acceptance, non-judgement, and creates a safe space where they are more likely to share.

Emphasize that everything you talk about is confidential and only for their benefit. The combination of caring and adapting to their needs while still maintaining the professional structure for a session and maintaining clear practitioner-client boundaries is the perfect balance to reduce their stress.

Reassure them that they are in good hands, and build the trust that allows you to take the next step together.

Helping Clients Feel Seen, Heard, and Safe

Now as you start to travel forward, you can decide – together – where you want to go.

What is the destination? What are the client’s goals and expectations? What modalities will you use? How frequently will you meet?

In our traditional sense, we are building the client agreement or informed consent. In the case of mental and emotional health complexities, we are addressing fears, shame, worry, and even deeply kept secrets.

Your itinerary will need to remain flexible, as the information may remain spotty, and surprises may appear at any time in the form of releases, outbursts, silences, or other unexpected expressions.

While the heart of every energy medicine and holistic healer wants to help and heal – this is the time to pull off the road for a moment and think about your safety.

If for any reason the situation with a client has given you pause – whether you think they should be referred out to a licensed provider, or you don’t feel safe – trust your instincts and gather the information you need to make a decision.

Safe practices are about keeping both you and your clients safe. Gathering and documenting all the necessary information will safeguard against potential bumps in the road. It is the right thing, the safe thing, and the best thing for a client if you say a clear “no” when you know this journey is not in your scope of practice, or feels uncomfortable for any reason.

If, however, you get a green light to go forward, you’ll be thinking about explaining your scope of practice, boundaries, modalities, etc.

Your passenger, especially if new to energy methods, may be wondering what you are going to be doing, nervous about what they might experience, and ashamed that they might break down or lose emotional control.

So, let’s look at how your client agreement/informed consent becomes the map that steers your relationship and journey in the right direction.

• Avoiding Stress – Often, clients with emotional or mental health issues exhibit high stress levels and have a harder time dealing with the unknown. When you calmly and clearly outline your scope of practice, your experience and training, and that you carry professional liability insurance that covers your work together, they can relax knowing that you are a true professional.
• Defining the Relationship – By defining your roles and boundaries, you give these clients more confidence that everyone is going to stay within the lines on the road. Reassuring them that your sessions will be professionally documented and understandable to any healthcare provider gives them confidence. And with a simple and specific written request, they can have your session records shared with their medical provider.
• Leave No Questions Unanswered – Client agreement details that cover cost, payment, cancellation policies, hold harmless and liability clauses, emergency contacts, etc. may seem mundane. But for them, these questions are already in their mind and with each answer, you are eliminating more potential stressors.
• Feeling Safe – Knowing how the information they share with you is used helps them feel safe. Explaining session notes and reinforcing boundaries is reassuring. When they feel safe, they relax, and they can start the healing process.

Make Room for Deeper Conversations

If the client is somehow left outside your language or lingo, their stress will elevate and their trust diminish.

Help them understand that energy and holistic practitioners don’t ‘treat’ or ‘cure’, or prevent disease or conditions. For example, explain why you avoid medical terminology like ‘condition,’ ’diagnosis,’ ‘cure,’ or ‘treatment.'

Let your client know that it’s okay for them to use those terms if they are expressing or sharing information from their licensed healthcare practitioner and that you will include them in your notes only as quoted information they have provided.

Here are just some examples of terms, phrases, and actions that can be especially beneficial to clients who are bringing emotional and mental health issues to their sessions:

• Relax
• Relieve stress
• Calm the mind
• Slow mental chatter
• Uplifting
• Bring greater balance
• Grounding
• Restore harmony
• Feel more in control
• Peace, understanding
• Safe

Compassion With Boundaries Is Powerful

If a client is very open about their mental health issues, listen with compassion, reflect back to them, and take notes. You’ve explained to them that your role is not to give advice, resolve their mental health issues, or take care of their problems.

Staying in your role as a practitioner and maintaining clear energy, not getting too close or involved, will lessen their stress and help them on their healing path.

Sometimes, a client’s mental or emotional health makes them unsuitable for your practice. In these cases, do not be afraid to refer them to another practitioner with modalities that might be better suited to their needs, or to the proper licensed healthcare professional.

• Use your referral network to connect clients with a mental health professional.
• Obtain a written release form from the client for permission to speak to their doctor or therapist.
• When you suspect a client’s issues are outside the scope of your practice, help them find a more suitable alternative. Sometimes you are required to – and you should be aware of your state laws and regulations around this issue.

Leaning into your professional safe practice tools throughout this client journey can bring an extra level of safety, stability, and ease.

Our EMPA membership includes a plethora of safe practice tools and resources. like this one! Check out our free guide: The 3 Biggest Mistakes Energy Healers and Holistic Practitioners Make That Expose You to Legal Issues. It’s a quick, practical resource to help you stay protected and professional—every step of the way.

Like getting the top safety package on a vehicle, you find that it is also more comfortable, and that you drive with more peace of mind and less worry.

What’s Next: Support to Sustain

Your professional presentation of your credentials, training and insurance; your use of intake forms, client agreements and session notes, are all proactive measures that allow your client to feel trust, comfort, and to relax into the path of your work together.

Knowing that you are both safe, and that your practice is protected, allows you to show up in full presence, compassion and service.

Together, these will help you both reap the particularly beautiful rewards of supporting mental and emotional wellness, and point you toward exciting new destinations for healing.

You’ve worked hard to create a safe, grounded practice. EMPA is here to support you with liability insurance tailored to energy work, and member resources like our Safe Practice Course to help you grow with confidence.

Explore what our membership can offer you as you continue your journey in healing.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not provide legal 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.