Hi All,
There are recent postings to web sites, blogs and facebook about legislation of the energy community. Most of the information on external sites is incorrect or incomplete. The regulatory process was initiated by the Federal government in 2010. Both NAOEP and NCCOEP were started so that the energy healing community would write the regulations rather than Federal or State governments. We invite you to become involved.

If you have questions about what actions are being taken in support of the community and would like the correct information please click here for our Frequently Asked Questions.

Policy & FAQ

Policy Statement On Legislation:

There are recent postings to web sites, blogs and Facebook about legislation of the energy community. Most of the information on external sites is incorrect or incomplete. The regulatory process was initiated by the Federal government in 2010. Both NAOEP and NCCOEP were started so that the energy healing community would write the regulations rather than Federal or State governments. We invite you to become involved.

Policy Statement On Reiki Distance Attunements:

At this time there has been insufficient study done on the accuracy and success of distance attunements for Reiki practitioners. Until good quality scientific assessment of the success of those attunements have been done it is the policy of this organization that a Reiki practitioner must be attuned in person. We invite the Reiki community and particularly those individuals and groups that are supporting distance attunements to fund, develop and participate in studies so that this serious lack of information can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. If the community needs assistance in this area please feel free to contact any of the members of our scientific advisory board for assistance in developing the appropriate studies and the costs to do so.

Thank you,
The Alliance Board

Policy statement on Remote Viewing:

After many hours of dialogue with founding members of the remote viewing community it was decided that remote viewing only be used for scientific and research purposes and only within the appropriate federally approved guidelines for human studies research and animal studies research. The Alliance will be happy to revisit this decision if and when the members of the remote viewing community ask for a new decision.

For more information on this issue please contact:
the International Remote Viewing Association at www.irva.org

Frequently Asked Questions:

Because representatives, beginning in 2010 contacted the ISSSEEM community leadership. Contact has continued through more than one administration of the Federal Government. Members of our community felt that it was better that we as a community defined the appropriate aspects, limits and regulations from within the community instead of the government doing it for us. None of us wanted formal legislation and we have tried to find a better solution but we have not found one yet. However, having a representative who knows nothing about our industry give us the rules and regulations would be a recipe for disaster. We believe it is better for regulation to come from within the community.
We are trying to be the bridge between what consumers need, what practitioners need, what health care clinics and hospitals need, what state legislation requires and what federal agencies are asking to have in place. If we are a bridge, we have the opportunity to shape how legislation gets written to support the larger community.
NAOEP is an information and education organization. It is made up of training programs from across the country. We are here to help the public to learn about and understand more about energy healing of many types.
Any energy healing training program may join for free. NAOEP is not an individual practitioner organization.
Good question! All of the board members of both boards have a minimum of ten years clinical experience each as an energy practitioner or they cannot be on the boards. It is not about us making money. As board members, we are not allowed to be paid by the organization. We all work for free and in fact every board member has put in their own money to move this process forward.

The NAOEP is made up of training programs that teach energy healing in the various divisions. So they are the experts in their kind of training.  The NCCOEP division members are leaders in their form of energy healing.

Yes, if you go to the NAOEP web site you will find links to 15000+ research studies both positive and negative about our industry. We are building an evidence base.

Our position is that energy healing, when done correctly is safe. However, anything in health care which can help if managed improperly or done by someone who is improperly trained has a potential to create harm.

There are lots of people advertising on the web that are making claims that they can solve all sorts of health care, emotional and spiritual issues.  Raising awareness on how to practice properly is part of this process.

They are not supposed to do so but we have found that many do. Unless the person is a properly trained health care practitioner and it is within their scope of practice energy healing practitioners are not allowed to diagnose or prescribe. We are trying to raise practitioner awareness of this issue.

Very true. We have taken down the list because people and training programs were being harassed. If you have a question about whether your training program is included please talk with that program or contact us. We would be delighted check and if they are not included, to include as many training programs as want to be involved. It is free to be included.

No. Any program may join. However, one of the ways your students can receive a discount from the NCCOEP for national certification is that you must submit paperwork for a curriculum review. We want to see that people are actually teaching not just pretending. In addition, some divisions have set division standards for training programs. For example: there are no consistent training standards for Reiki and Spiritual Healing at this time but there are formal standards for Cognitive Somatic, Clinical Qigong and Full Spectrum training which were set by their community.

Not true. Neither organization offers training in these areas. The two organizations and certification and licensing process have been mixed here. Again, neither NCCOEP or NAOEP provides these classes listed above.
NAOEP’s members provide energy healing classes of a variety of styles and types. Many other energy healing training programs include ethics training. Please ask your training program if they include ethics training. Most local universities offer ethics courses and there are a number of great books out that cover training in ethics on CAM and on Energy Healing.
NCCOEP does have an ethics test for practitioners. That test is standard across all divisions. Everyone takes the same ethics test. It is done the same way for physicians, nurses, etc. Everyone does and ethics test at the national level. All members of that profession take the same test that year.
For licensing most states require CPR, child and elder abuse reporting and some training on suicide assessment and referral for all health care practitioners and many states also require them of pastors who are working with the public and not just members of the religious community. They are not requirements for national certification.
Some divisions include anatomy and physiology as a requirement. The practitioner can take a college or university class, a training in a health care discipline such as Massage, Nursing, Chiropractic which includes anatomy and physiology. We also have posted an online course that is accepted at most hospitals in the country. Please note that NAOEP and NCCOEP do not receive any money from any course or agency that we recommend.
We have talked with experts and our experts say that in most states there is no conflict. Please check with your attorney to get the specifics for the area in which you live.
Here are the key points: 1. The constitution gives people the right to worship in the house of worship that they choose. That is not the same thing as doing a healing any way you want and wherever you want. There is lots of legislation across the US that backs that up.
2. Healings that are done in houses of worship are specifically exempted from the bill as they are done under federal law which already exists.
3. In most states being ordained is not enough to protect you legally. The way most of the laws are written you would have to be doing regular services, be working on a member of your congregation and in a congregational setting. You cannot be doing the work and get paid. If you are paid and you have no official congregation or you are working on someone who is not a member of your congregation then you probably come under the same issue as pastoral counseling which in most states also requires licensing as a therapist.
We recommend that you read Attorney Michael Cohen’s book: Healing at the Borderland of Medicine and Religion and check with a local expert.
For more information about the specific process of National Certification and the bills being submitted on licensing practitioners please see the www.NCCCOEP.org web site.