Private Health Associations recommend having the proper credentials is the single most important step you can take to protect yourself from having conflicts with licensing boards in your state. It pays in the short and long term to help everyone associated with your business to become properly credentialed.
Becoming properly credentialed means:
Properly licensed by your state in a health care field, or
Properly licensed as a spiritual healer, or
Properly certified by an accredited board.
If your state licenses your profession, then to practice that profession with the public you need to be licensed by your state.
You can avoid practicing most professions by being certified as a "coach" or "instructor" in that profession. By doing that you may be able to avoid being licensed.
My State/Province Does Not License My Profession
If your state or province does not license your profession, and what you do can be considered a health, nutrition, therapies or wellness profession, they by federal law you must be certified by an independent accredited certification board. To our knowledge and belief this is the most complete list of accredited certification boards.
If your state or province does not license your profession and you can show you approach your clients as a spiritual healer, then protect yourself by being licensed as a spiritual healer by one of the spiritual healer licensing boards accredited by FSHLB -- the Federation of Spiritual Healer Licensing Boards. These boards are both accredited and recognized by the Federation. That's what gives them and you credibility.
Independent means that certification board is not associated with an education or a sales and marketing or manufacturing organization. Accredited means that certification board is accountable to an independent accountability and competency assurance organization.
What Kind of Certification is the Best?
We believe the certification designations which give you the highest level of protection are those designating you as a "coach" but a good second choice is "specialist." The words we suggest you avoid are counselor, consultant and therapist unless you are licensed.
"Counselor” is a problem with counseling and psychology licensing boards.
“Consultant" is a problem with most boards because it's considered an illegal multilevel marketing term.
"Most licensing boards believe "Therapist" infers you are licensed
The title Health Practitioner is a problem with some licensing boards but not others because "Practitioner" is commonly used by illegal paper mills and non-accredited certification boards.
Being certified as a counselor, consultant, therapist or practitioner in health or nutrition gives you a higher probability of being investigated by a license board. We suggest you avoid that complication.
Your best bet is to become a Certified Coach or Certified Specialist.
"Counselor” is a problem with counseling and psychology licensing boards.