What I Wish I Had Known Before Starting My Energy Healing Practice

Are you building a healing practice—or accidentally ‘winging it?’

What’s the one thing no one told you about starting your energy healing business… that you wish they had?

In this article, we’re sharing five lessons from Katherine Krupka, a longtime energy and holistic practitioner and Executive Director of EMPA. These insights are the things she wishes she’d known earlier; they are the kind of tips that often only show up after trial and error…unless someone passes them along.

Whether you're just starting out, or feel like you might have missed a few steps, this article is here to help you bridge those gaps for a stronger foundation for your practice.

1. Your Energy Healing Practice Is a Business

Most new practitioners focus on learning their craft. The healing work is what draws people in. For many, the moment that healing becomes a profession is when you begin accepting clients—and with that comes responsibility.

Katherine wishes she had understood this sooner—not just in theory, but practically.

In the beginning, she didn’t think much about her business structure. Like many new practitioners, she defaulted to just doing the work, feeling that everything else could be figured out later.

That’s a common approach—and completely understandable. But at a certain point, “figuring it out later” becomes its own kind of stress. There’s a shift that needs to happen when you’re ready to stop treating your work like a side project and start holding it like a business.

That shift doesn’t have to be dramatic; it can be as simple as deciding: This is what I want to offer. I’m building something now.

Setting up your business formally—choosing a structure, putting a business name on something, even getting a permit (if applicable)—isn’t just about status. It’s about identity.

These steps signal to your future clients (and to yourself) that your work belongs in the professional space. That you take it seriously. That it’s no longer “something you’re trying”—it’s something you do.

When you start there, it makes every next step easier to take.

2. Get Clear Tax & Finance Details for Your Practice

The next step is understanding how the financial side works. This is where a lot of new practitioners freeze up, and that’s alright; most of us were not taught what financial organization in a small business should look like.

Some questions that may come up when you consider finances and tax: What’s the difference between being a sole proprietor and an LLC? Are you supposed to make quarterly tax payments? What counts as a business expense?

Katherine wishes she’d had someone to walk her through the basics of bookkeeping in the early days. Just a little guidance would have saved her a lot of stress—and likely some money, too.

If you’ve ever felt like avoiding this part, you’re in good company. It’s easy to put off when you’re not sure what to research or where to start.

But avoidance usually ends up being more expensive than information. You don’t have to tackle everything at once—but don’t put it off entirely. One of the best early moves is to speak with a small business accountant or finance professional. Ask what’s typical for someone in your position: how to set up your books, what to track, and how taxes work for your type of practice.

If hiring help isn’t realistic yet, you can still start strong. Tools like QuickBooks or FreshBooks can help you track income and expenses.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers free support through local Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). Some community colleges and city or county programs provide low-cost business classes.

You might also open a separate bank account and set a monthly reminder to stay on top of your records.

If you'd rather read, there are many books that break things down in plain language. Stop by your local bookstore and request a book on finances for entrepreneurs and see what’s available!

These small steps create clarity; and clarity builds confidence.

3. Talk About Energy Work Without Feeling Misunderstood

In the early days of her practice, Katherine didn’t talk much about her work. She had one foot in the professional world—surrounded by colleagues, business owners, and diplomats—and wasn’t sure how to explain what she did without raising eyebrows. So she kept it quiet. Energy work stayed behind closed doors.

Many new practitioners carry the same hesitation: What if people don’t take me seriously? What if they think this is weird? What if I lose credibility?

But what Katherine eventually discovered is that people are more curious and open than we give them credit for.

They may not always understand what energy healing is, but they’re interested in how it might help them feel better, process what they’re carrying, or simply feel more connected.

Your work is an opportunity to offer language that helps others experience it.

That might mean describing your work in grounded terms, without fear of misjudgment for your trade. It might mean sharing a simple example of what a session looks like, or what someone might feel.

Being visible doesn’t require full exposure. The more honest you are about your work, the easier it becomes to build confidence and acceptance of the field of energy medicine as a unified whole.

4. Finding Community as an Energy Healing Practitioner

“I wish I had known that I wasn’t on my own.”
– Katherine Krupka, Energy Practitioner & Executive Director of EMPA

When Katherine first started practicing, it often felt like she was out there by herself. There were moments of doubt: Was she doing things the “right” way? What forms was she supposed to use? Was she even allowed to call what she did a practice?

She spent hours hunting for answers on her own. Googling intake templates. Piecing together ethical guidelines from articles that didn’t quite apply. There was progress—but also a lot of second-guessing.

And underneath all of that effort, there was something else: a sense of loneliness.

But then….

Katherine discovered that professional associations existed for people doing exactly this kind of work. Actual communities of other energy and holistic practitioners! Ones that offered resources, language support, templates, and guidance designed specifically for this unique field.

That discovery didn’t just make things easier. It made her feel less alone.

If you’re in that same space now—researching by yourself, building from scratch, wondering if you’re missing something—you don’t have to keep doing it that way. Whether it’s EMPA or another trusted group, finding a professional community that understands your work can change everything. It gives you access to tools and support—but more than that, it gives you a sense of home.

💡If you feel ready to have guidance and community around you, EMPA is here. We’re the only association created specifically for energy and holistic practitioners that offers liability insurance, education, and a place to stay connected.
When you’re ready, we’re here to support your work.

5. Don’t Wait to Protect the Work You’ve Built

There’s a common thread that many people (dare we say most people?) share: if something seems complicated, expensive, or unpleasant, it gets pushed to the bottom of the list.

Insurance is often one of those things.

Katherine worried that getting her practice insured would be a slow, frustrating process with forms she wouldn’t understand and premiums she couldn’t afford. It felt like one of those “business things” she’d deal with eventually—once she had more clients, more income, or more time….

When she did take that leap, she found out just how far off her assumptions had been.

Getting coverage wasn’t hard. It didn’t take hours of paperwork. And best of all? It definitely didn’t break her budget!

What she expected to be a headache turned out to be—in her own words—“a piece of cake.” More importantly, it gave her peace of mind.

💡It’s easy to brush off the value of peace of mind—until something goes wrong. If you’re building a practice, consider giving yourself that support from day one. Click here to explore our coverage and pricing options.

Your professional liability insurance is a way to protect the work you’re building, the clients you serve, and the future you’re creating. Especially when your coverage comes from an organization that understands the kind of work you do!

What’s Next: Build Your Business Without Hesitation

There’s no single roadmap to becoming a professional energy healer—but there are lessons that can make the path a little clearer. From business structure and finances to visibility and protection, these early decisions shape your experience of doing the work you’re called to do.

Katherine shared these insights because they were hard-won. Like many practitioners, she started out unsure. She didn’t have models, language, or community—and spent a lot of time learning things the long way.

If you're in the early stages of your practice—or rebuilding it to be stronger— connect with an association like EMPA that understands where you are and where you're heading.

At EMPA, Katherine now helps practitioners avoid the confusion she faced. Through real-world tools, liability coverage, and professional guidance, EMPA is here to make sure you don’t have to figure it out on your own.