• Reduced anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms
• Improved mood, vitality, and quality of life
• Better sleep and emotional regulation
• Reduced trauma-related stress symptoms
• Increased patient comfort and satisfaction
• Greater sense of peace and spiritual well-being
• Enhanced emotional resilience and calm
Healing Touch Program Professional Standards,
Ethics & Certification Governance
Credibility ~ Excellence ~ Compassionate Care
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Healing Touch is guided by clear standards, ethical practice, and professional integrity.
At the Healing Touch Program, we steward the Healing Touch modality with care - so students and practitioners can walk a path that is trusted, credible, and grounded.
Why Professional Standards Matter
Professional standards exist to protect clients, support practitioners, and ensure Healing Touch is taught and practiced with care, consistency, and integrity. Clear standards create a safe, meaningful learning experience—and help ensure that Healing Touch remains a trusted modality in healthcare and professional settings.
Whether you’re seeking a practitioner or training to become one, you can feel confident knowing that:
- Every class follows a standardized, evidence-informed curriculum
- Every practitioner is trained through a structured, reputable certification pathway
- Every session is grounded in ethics, safety, and compassionate care
Professionalism is what sets Healing Touch apart. It’s what builds trust with clients, hospitals, and integrative care teams—and why Healing Touch continues to be respected and relied upon in complementary and integrative health worldwide.Â
Professional standards for the Healing Touch modality are established by the Healing Touch Program and supported through independent certification and credentialing.
Accredited & Respected Worldwide
Healing Touch Program is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC).
What began as nursing continuing education in 1989 has grown into a globally recognized program grounded in credibility, ethical practice, and professional integrity in energy-based care.
What this means for students and practitioners:
• Standardized five-level curriculum with 108 hours of core training
• Rooted in self-care, energetic foundations, and clinical professionalism
• Taught and practiced in 30+ countries worldwide
Healing Touch Program is also peer-reviewed and endorsed by the American Holistic Nurses Association, the Canadian Holistic Nurses Association, and the Watson Caring Science Institute - affirming Healing Touch as a respected modality within integrative health.
These recognitions help ensure students can confidently share their training in both holistic and professional healthcare settings.
Healing Touch Research & Clinical Evidence
More than 30 years of clinical research.
Healing Touch has been studied internationally in hospitals, universities, and integrative healthcare settings. Over more than three decades, research continues to explore how energy-based approaches may support recovery, comfort, and emotional well-being when used alongside conventional care.
âžś View Research & Clinical Studies
Physiological Outcomes Observed in Clinical Settings
• Reduced pain & fatigue
• Support for post-surgical recovery
• Improved immune indicators in cancer patients
• Decreased length of hospital stays
• Support for wound healing & recovery
• Complementary support for individuals with chronic illness
• Support for nervous system regulation
• Activation of the physiological relaxation response
Well-Being Outcomes Observed in Clinical Settings
Ongoing Research & Emerging Science
Healing Touch continues to be explored through the lenses of integrative medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, and subtle energy research. Hospitals and academic institutions are studying how biofield-based therapies may influence nervous system regulation, immune function, recovery processes, and emotional resilience.
Healing Touch in Healthcare & Community Settings
Healing Touch is used across a wide range of healthcare and community environments worldwide - from large hospital systems to private wellness practices. Nurses, physicians, and interdisciplinary care teams integrate Healing Touch as a supportive, non-pharmacological approach to patient comfort, stress reduction, and whole-person care.
Healing Touch sessions may be offered briefly at the bedside or delivered in longer, dedicated appointments, making the approach flexible and accessible across care settings. Sessions are gentle, noninvasive, and appropriate for individuals of all ages, with no known contraindications when practiced within established professional standards.
Where Healing Touch Is Practiced
- Hospitals & Medical Centers
- Cancer Centers & Infusion Clinics
- Hospice, palliative, & end-of-life care
- VA & military health programs
- Integrative Medicine Clinics
- Rehabilitation & trauma programs
- Private practices & wellness centers
- Long-term care & elder facilities
- Pediatric and neonatal care settings
- Mental health and behavioral health programs
Based on practitioner survey data, Healing Touch sessions are most commonly provided in private practice settings (51%), patient homes (35%), and hospital inpatient care environments (33%).
The Healing Touch Integrative Care Program
For healthcare organizations seeking to introduce Healing Touch or expand existing integrative services, the Healing Touch Integrative Care Program (HTICP) offers education, guidance, and implementation support tailored to clinical environments.
The program assists facilities in:
• Improving patient comfort and satisfaction
• Offering non-pharmacological support for pain, stress, and anxiety
• Reducing staff stress and supporting nurse well-being
• Expanding integrative services aligned with quality-of-care benchmarks
Hospitals and healthcare systems may train staff at Level 1 for bedside application or develop advanced professional pathways for certified practitioners within their organization.
âžś Explore the Healing Touch Integrative Care Program.
Board Certified Practitioner Credential
Professional certification ensures clients, students, and healthcare partners can rely on Healing Touch as a professional, standardized, and effective therapeutic option.
The Healing Touch Program establishes and governs professional standards for the Healing Touch modality.
Healing Touch Certification is the official certification and credentialing body of the Healing Touch Program and serves as the official credentialing body for Healing Touch practitioners and instructors, responsible for administering certification, credential review, and ongoing professional requirements.
The Healing Touch Program does not certify individuals and does not participate in certification decisions, which are administered independently by Healing Touch Certification.
Healing Touch Certified Practitioners (HTCP)
Healing Touch Certified Practitioners (HTCPs) complete over 100 hours of professional Healing Touch training, a formal mentorship of at least one year, an in-depth case study, and a comprehensive certification review administered independently by Healing Touch Certification, based on professional standards established by the Healing Touch Program.
HTCPs renew their credentials every five years through continuing education, ensuring ongoing competency, accountability, and professional growth.Â
Healing Touch Certified Instructors (HTCI)
Healing Touch Certified Instructors (HTCIs) are experienced practitioners who have completed advanced coursework, demonstrated excellence in professional practice, and successfully completed instructor training and evaluation under the certification standards established by the Healing Touch Program and administered by Healing Touch Certification.
Instructor certification reflects a high level of professional competence, leadership, and commitment to the integrity of the Healing Touch work.
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Code of Ethics & Scope of Practice
All Healing Touch Program students, practitioners, and instructors commit to a professional Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice. These guiding documents form the foundation of safe, respectful, and heart-centered care, supporting ethical behavior, appropriate boundaries, and professional conduct across all levels of Healing Touch education and practice.
Healing Touch Code of Ethics
The Healing Touch Program Code of Ethics reflects the shared values of the Healing Touch community and supports ethical, client-centered care grounded in integrity and respect.
The Code of Ethics exists to:
• Uphold professional integrity and accountability
• Safeguard client and student well-being
• Foster trust within practitioner–client relationships
• Support ethical decision-making at every level of practice
Together with the Scope of Practice, the Code of Ethics clarifies professional responsibilities and boundaries, helping prevent conflicts of interest and supporting consistent, high standards of care.
Healing Touch Scope of PracticeÂ
The Healing Touch Program Scope of Practice defines the parameters of professional responsibility and the appropriate application of Healing Touch techniques. It establishes clear expectations for how Healing Touch is practiced within professional, clinical, and community settings.
The Scope of Practice ensures that practitioners:
• Work within their training, experience, and credentials
• Represent their qualifications accurately and honestly
• Maintain healthy practitioner–client boundaries
• Honor client safety, informed consent, and confidentiality
The Scope of Practice affirms that Healing Touch is a complementary approach and is not a replacement for conventional medical care. By practicing within these guidelines, practitioners help preserve the integrity of the Healing Touch modality and support safe, ethical, and responsible care.
Ethical Accountability & the Grievance Process
Upholding ethical integrity is essential to maintaining trust and professionalism within the Healing Touch community. The Healing Touch Program maintains a formal grievance process to support accountability and uphold the ethical standards that guide our work.
If a student, practitioner, mentor, instructor, or staff member is believed to have violated the Code of Ethics or Scope of Practice, a written grievance may be submitted for review.
All submissions are handled with care, respect, and confidentiality. Grievances are evaluated in accordance with established procedures to support client and student safety, protect the integrity of the community, and maintain a professional and supportive environment for all.
The Healing Touch Program Organization
The Healing Touch Program is the originating organization of the Healing Touch modality, with a decades-long commitment to education, integrity, and heart-centered care. Our work is grounded in clear standards, ethical practice, and a responsibility to steward Healing Touch for current and future generations.
Explore our history, mission, and the people who carry this work forward—guided by a shared dedication to professionalism, compassion, and service.
The Healing Touch Program establishes professional standards and educational pathways that support safe, ethical Healing Touch practice worldwide.
HEALING TOUCH PROGRAM
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CONNECT WITH US
Healing Touch Program
15610 Henderson Pass #700070
San Antonio, TX 78232
210-497-5529Â |Â Fax 210-497-8532
