The Risk of Saying Too Much: How to Use Intuition Responsibly in Energy Healing

“Intuition is a natural by-product of flowering of a mature self-esteem and a sense of empowerment – not power over, but power to be.” – Caroline Myss

Talk of intuition surrounds the energy medicine and holistic healing professional community. All of our industry leaders teach, speak, and write about how to develop intuition, how to become more intuitive – and how to heighten and expand our senses to see and hear what the energy biofield is ready to tell us.

We’re reminded that everyone has intuition, so we can all learn to listen better and more deeply – and use it as an integral part of our healing services with our clients.

But here’s the part that doesn’t always get talked about: when we receive intuitive information, how do we know what’s safe—and appropriate—to say out loud?

As we grow and reach new levels of awareness, we may not realize that along with the additional information we are receiving, comes additional risk for our business.

While our inner voice whispers new wisdom to us, there can be filters we need to put in place before we share the information with our clients.

Let’s look at two real-world situations that show why using intuition in session takes more than just good instincts. These are the kinds of moments that catch even experienced practitioners off guard!

Enthusiasm Leads to Overstep

The desire to learn, grow our practice, and offer more help to our clients is an inherent part of a holistic healer! As our intuition becomes more powerful – it’s wonderful to have additional information to share.

However….

Sometimes our enthusiasm might get away from us! Has something like this ever happened to you?

Susan Discovers New Intuitive Abilities

Susan had only been practicing for about two years, and she had a client who had been complaining about how they felt for weeks. Susan was frustrated that she was not getting clear answers about what the source might be.

After a new masterclass during which she worked to enhance her intuitive skills, she was thrilled and excited to pinpoint the problem and deliver the news – and blurted out: “I know what’s wrong – you have diabetes!”

Susan was naturally sorry her client was suffering, yet so excited about getting the information, that she didn’t think it was a big deal that she said something. At least now the client was aware of the problem and they could go to the doctor for treatment, right?

Oops. Maybe not so simple.

• Susan just diagnosed a client with an illness and was at risk of losing her business for practicing medicine without a license. The dominion of mainstream medicine includes anyone who claims to “treat, heal, cure, diagnose, prevent illness, or prescribe medication.”
• Next, consider what Susan’s client might have shared when the doctor asked why they believed they were diabetic. Worse, what might the doctor say or do about Susan telling this person that they were diabetic?
• Even if Susan was right, that information is best filtered before delivering it to a client. It’s not within our scope of practice to put something into the mind of a client in the form of a medical diagnosis.
• In addition to being in the line of fire from the medical board, Susan could also be found guilty of negligence for knowing this person was ill and not properly referring them to a healthcare provider.
• Finally, what if Susan was wrong? She would have stepped outside her scope of practice. What’s worse for poor Susan: liability insurance doesn’t cover willful misrepresentation.

Susan realized her mistake and spoke with her client, explaining that she was not a doctor and could not diagnose, she was just concerned by the pattern she saw, clarified that everyone was different, and asked her client to check with her doctor.

Fortunately, neither the client nor the doctor accused her of misconduct. She made a mistake and did not willfully misrepresent herself as practicing medicine.

Because we are working with people, we are under scrutiny of  mainstream healthcare. Our intuitive skills may provide us with health information about our client that we are convinced is correct, but we can’t write or say it without liability risk.

So, what do you do?

Validate and check your information as you follow the energy. File it in your mind as something to watch – and ask your client gentle leading questions that might get them to offer information that can lead them to understand they need to check with their physician. (Without labeling the issue yourself.)

Rather than try to battle these barriers, we can use our healing nature to find other ways to communicate and provide the help our clients need.

When the Inner Floodgates Open

Powerful intuitiveness can also lead to a deluge of information that needs sorting out.

Sarah has been practicing holistic healing for years, and her intuition has become highly attuned. But, as she told me, even an experienced practitioner can be caught off guard….

Sarah’s Intuition Delivers Overwhelming Information

Sarah trained in multiple modalities, and she found that as she added to her skills, her intuition became more and more enhanced.

After working with a client for several weeks, she was surprised when she started to receive a multitude of confusing images and messages… trouble at work, trauma from childhood, an energy blockage, a friend with cancer?

Even though very experienced, Sarah was a bit overwhelmed by so many messages and she started to ask her client to explain what she was seeing – but something made her pause.

Letting your client know that you are receiving diverse information clearly demonstrates your intuition, and you want them to know you are a highly skilled practitioner, so why pause?

• Clients may be coming to you for specific energy healing and not be open to sharing or discussing personal or work trauma.
• If we seem to be offering any type of therapy related to mental or emotional issues, again we are out of our scope of practice. This is another area best handled by questions of concern, such as “How’s work?” or “Are you spending time with friends?” – let the client clarify the information they are willing to share.
• Receiving information about people closely attached to your client is an issue of confidentiality. It’s best not to share that information at all. What you might say about your client’s friend and their issues can be outside your scope of practice, and said without their permission.
• Getting a lot of information can be hard on the practitioner, too. Remember your self-care and keep your boundaries intact. Don’t entangle with your client’s energy or carry their problems with you.

Sarah was right to stop, think, and filter what she was receiving.

She told me that a few casual questions she asked her client gave her a lot of insight into what was happening. It also helped her relax, keep her own energy clear, and make notes on what to watch for in the future.

Trust your intuition, but also trust your professionalism. Ask open-ended questions instead of sharing sensitive impressions directly.

What’s Next: Discernment as Your Guide

As your intuition grows stronger, your responsibility grows with it. You can absolutely use what you sense to guide your sessions—but how you share that insight matters.

Telling a client what you intuitively believe is “wrong” can easily cross a legal or ethical line, even if you’re coming from a place of compassion. That’s why learning to pause, filter, and ask instead of tell is one of the most important professional skills you can develop.

Want to stay protected as your practice evolves? Now is the time to review your scope of practice, revisit your informed consent, and make sure your insurance matches the intuitive, thoughtful work you offer.

At EMPA, we’re here to support your gifts—safely and sustainably. Explore our member benefits or check your coverage today.

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.