THE REIKI HEALING ASSOCIATIONS

PLEASE READ OUR CODE OF ETHICS POLICY CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SITE

As a Member of the Reiki Healing Association (RHA); All Registered Reiki Practitioner (RP) and Registered Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher (RMT) agree to abide by the following Community Code of Ethics:

To help maintain the highest professional standards the RHA Community Code of Ethics outlines the values and behaviours expected of Reiki Healing Association Members.

Hereafter ‘Practitioner’, ‘RHA Member’ or ‘Member(s)’ shall be used to indicate the Reiki Professional that has registered as a Member of the Reiki Healing Association and agrees to follow its Code of Ethics. This includes those that practice with people, animals or those that work in a specific field i.e., Crystal Reiki. ‘Clients’ will be used where a member of the public is using your Reiki services, it may also be used to include someone attending a workshop or your Reiki students, it may also be used to indicate an animal receiving Reiki treatment (or where appropriate the guardian of the animal i.e., discussions about the animal). It also includes those practising at any level e.g., Practitioner, Advanced Practitioner and Master/Teacher. RHA may be used to represent the Reiki Healing Association.

1. Working with Clients

Clarity in contracts

RHA Members should maintain a pure and clear intention to offer their services for the highest healing good of the Client and highest potential of the student.

RHA Members should provide a brief oral or written description of what happens during a session and what to expect before a Client’s initial session. They should provide information about the cost and duration of the session, confidentiality and their training level e.g., Animal Reiki Master.
RHA Members should also provide a clear written description of subjects to be taught during each level of Reiki prior to class and list what the student will be able to do after taking the class. They should outline all relevant costs, time expectations and what is required in terms of assignments and/or exams to achieve certification.

RHA Members should educate Clients/students on the value of Reiki and explain that sessions do not offer or guarantee a cure, nor are they a substitute for qualified medical or professional care. Reiki is one part of an integrative health or wellness program.

RHA Members shall not refuse a Client on the basis of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or political belief. However, notwithstanding this clause, members reserve the right to refuse a Client for reasons of personal safety and/or other reasons (e.g., Client displays aggressive or sexual behaviour, is intoxicated, has arrived very late), which do not contravene the aforementioned item – on such occasions the Practitioner should make it clear why they are refusing service.

Practitioners should not use other therapies alongside Reiki without the permission or request of the client, e.g., if also qualified in reflexology they cannot start reflexology midway through a Reiki session when the Client has asked for a Reiki session.

RHA Members should provide the same quality of care whether with a paying client or in a volunteer capacity.

Working environment/premises

The health and wellbeing of the client/student is the prime consideration of the RHA Member.

Members will provide a safe and comfortable area for sessions or classes and work to provide an empowering and supportive environment for clients and students.

Members must ensure that the premises they are working from comply with the current legislation of the country/state/location they are operating from. This includes but is not limited to any legislation around premises, the safety of client and staff facilities, working conditions, the hiring and management of staff. Members must follow the relevant health and safety legislation in their location and be aware of their responsibilities in relation to this legislation whether they are self-employed, an employer or an employee. Practitioners must review any such legislations on a regular basis to ensure they are still compliant.
Practitioners that operate their business from their own home should confirm that their home insurance covers them working as a Reiki Practitioner in their home (or relevant outbuildings/garage) and their clients. If you have staff working on the premises with you will also need to inform your household insurers and confirm your staff will also be covered under your insurance.

Practitioners that operate their business from their own home (whether working with human or animal clients) should be aware of the relevant legislation and insurance requirements of their country/state/local authority in relation to the therapies they are providing. Practitioners should check whether they are liable to pay business rates if working out of their own home.

Professional Boundaries/Practice Standards

Your relationship as a Practitioner with your Client should be of the highest professional standard. The Client is looking to you to remain professional at all times so that they feel safe and secure.

It is integral that you behave with integrity, care and demonstrate the correct level of skill.

RHA Members will always treat their Clients and Students with the utmost respect and honour. The Client is entitled to truth, confidentiality, and the respect of their human dignity. The Client also has the right to accept or refuse any form of treatment or training procedure or exercise.

RHA Members shall not practice or teach Reiki if they are in any condition, which compromises the quality of their services, such as inebriation, or if their mental faculties are lessened for any reason whatsoever and they shall never offer alcohol or mind-altering substances to their clients.
Practitioners should not exploit or take advantage of their clients via any means, including but not limited to sexually, financially, emotionally.
Practitioners should never ask a client to remove their clothing (offering that the client can remove their coat or shoes is acceptable) and will not allow such action to take place, nor will the Practitioner touch the genital area or anal area or the breasts of their client, nor will the Client be allowed to touch the Practitioner in such a manner. The Practitioner will practice hands-off healing of these areas if treatment is needed.
Members will ask the client for consent to use “hands on” therapy, explaining that alternatively hands can be held above the body – the comfort of the Client is paramount. When the Client has given permission for “hands on” therapy, the RHA Member shall use light hand pressure when placing hands on the Client’s body. There will never be a need to rub or manipulate any body part. If the Client has not given permission for “hands on” therapy, the Member will complete the entire Reiki session with hands above the body at all times.

Members should not engage in sexual activity with a Client or enter into a relationship with a Client. Members shall ensure that their professional conduct is beyond reproach. They must not interfere in the client’s personal affairs.

Practitioners should never offer Reiki services in place of conventional medical or veterinary treatment or care. Reiki works alongside conventional medical and veterinary treatment, not instead of.

Practitioners should not attempt to diagnose medical conditions in clients. If clients request medical advice practitioners should refer the client back to their doctor. Practitioners should never ask clients to disregard advice from a medical professional or stop taking prescribed medicine.

Practitioners should not prescribe or sell remedies or health products as part of the practice of Reiki.

Members should be sensitive to the boundary needs of individual clients and students.

RHA Members shall not refuse or withdraw services without justifiable cause. Such reasons include but are not limited to conflict of interest between the member and the client that jeopardizes the professional relationship or illegal or unjust or fraudulent actions taken or proposed by the client.

RHA Members must recognize their limits of competence and must not undertake issues for which they have no training. RHA Members will not claim that Reiki can cure, nor will they diagnose any medical problems or prescribe, nor will they ever advise a client to stop taking medications. When it is in the client’s interests, RHA Members should refer the client on to another Practitioner or organization that has the training appropriate to the client’s needs such as a qualified licensed professional e.g. medical doctor, licensed therapist, etc…

RHA Members should never diagnose or prescribe. Never suggest that the client/student change prescribed treatment or interfere with the treatment of a licensed health care provider.

RHA Members shall dress in a professional manner conducive to the holistic service being provided and be neat and clean in their own personal hygiene.

Confidentiality

Members will adhere to a vow of confidentiality. Any information that is discussed within the context of a Reiki session is confidential between the Client and Practitioner. Likewise, any information discussed during a Reiki training workshop is also confidential between the Reiki Master/Teacher and the Reiki Student.

RHA Members should consider holding accurate and up-to-date records of their meetings and sessions with the client. These records should include the date of the session and details of any treatment provided and any relevant notes from the session. This includes all sessions regardless of the medium of the session i.e., a session given in person, distantly on the phone, via email or via a video calling tool such as Zoom.

These records should be maintained in a secure location and must be considered confidential.

All records should be factual and accurate. They should not contain personal opinions about the client.

No information contained within the records should be released without the written consent of the client.

Any staff working for you must also treat all client information and records with complete confidentiality and respect.

In such a time that you decide to retire from Reiki practice, all records should be disposed of confidentially.

Practitioners should arrange for the confidential disposal of their Client records in the event of their death.

Client records should be kept securely for the appropriate period of time as per your own countries data laws and/or guidance.

You must comply with the relevant data protection laws and legislation in your country and state. If practising in multiple countries you must make yourself aware of any local legal requirements such as GDPR or eCommerce legislation.

2. Personal principles

Practitioners should value their own self-care, mental and physical health.
Practitioners should understand that self-treatments are an important part of their Reiki journey.

Practitioners should hold themselves accountable for maintaining professional standards in practice.

The Practitioner should be conscious of their professional limitations and be prepared to refer a client elsewhere if they do not feel they have the experience, knowledge or training to assist.

Practitioners should not practice in person when they are sick.
RHA Members should continually make an effort to improve their knowledge and professional skills. They should also encourage the public to become educated and informed about the practice and teaching of Reiki and about the development of a wellness lifestyle in general.
RHA Members should Act as a shining light for Reiki in their community by providing excellent professional service.

RHA Members should actively work on their own healing so as to embody and fully express the essence of Reiki in everything that you do. RHA Members strive to provide the highest quality Reiki experience and abide by the Reiki Healing Association Code of Ethics.

3. Responsibilities to other Practitioners

Members should be respectful of all others Reiki views and paths.
Practitioners should not actively solicit clients from other Practitioners.
Practitioners should not criticise fellow Practitioners, those within medical professions or those within wellness spaces.

RHA Teaching members should not encourage the practice of Reiki by persons who are not competent or who have insufficient training or certification. They should not grant certificates of attendance or competence to anyone whose skills and/or ethical conduct they have a valid reason to doubt.

4. Reiki in healthcare settings/within the healthcare community

Practitioners should aim to have a good relationship with and cooperate with medical or healthcare professionals.

When practicing in a formal healthcare setting (such as a hospital, hospice or veterinary practice) the Practitioner must accept that the client’s care and care plan is determined by the care setting. The healthcare setting is responsible for the client and their safety – the Practitioner therefore should adhere to the rules of the healthcare setting.
Practitioners working in (whether in a paid or voluntary capacity) a healthcare setting should not attempt to mislead clients or patients that they are a medical professional or a member of staff. This includes but is not limited to using medical titles (e.g. Doctor, Nurse), dressing in their uniforms, wearing staff badges or claiming to be medical staff. Whilst Practitioners can play a fantastic role within these settings, they must not give the impression that they are in fact medical/veterinary staff. Practitioners may find that the care setting has for example, a volunteer T-Shirt or badge that they prefer them to wear – to better help identify themselves to clients/patients.

Practitioners must obtain permission from the client and the person in charge of their medical care. In such cases that the client is unable to give consent i.e., they are an animal in a shelter or a person in a coma, the Practitioner must gain consent from the person authorised to make decisions for the client as well as the person in charge of their medical care.

When working in a healthcare setting the Practitioner must work in harmony with the staff. When giving Reiki to a client the Practitioner should not obstruct the tasks of the staff or be otherwise disruptive to staff or other patients/clients.

Practitioners should not seek to dismiss or criticise the clients existing healthcare treatment plan to the client or the healthcare staff. Practitioners must respect the client’s right to their own healthcare choices.

Practitioners must not promise (whether explicitly or implied) that they can cure a client of their disease or ailment.

It is the responsibility of the Practitioner to confirm whether they need Insurance to work in a healthcare setting and/or comply with any legislation the healthcare setting (or your country/state) requests of you when offering your services.

5. Advertising your services

The Practitioner must acknowledge that advertising law is different depending on your country and/or state. It is the responsibility of the Practitioner to research and confirm the relevant advertising laws, legislations or guidelines around the practice of Reiki to ensure that they are not breaking any laws.

The Practitioner must not advertise their services as a cure, or a treatment for a specific disease e.g., a treatment, advice, cure, remedy for cancer.
They should not mislead the public that they do not require traditional medical support/healthcare in favour of Reiki. Reiki works in harmony alongside traditional medical practices.

The Practitioner should not present themselves in a way that could portray the Reiki Healing Association or its community of Members in a poor light. This includes but is not limited to both online and offline hateful speech, bullying or false representations of Reiki. We are a community of like-minded individuals trying to do good in the world.

Practitioners cannot advertise themselves or their courses as accredited or endorsed by the Reiki Healing Association.

Members cannot modify the RHA logo or associated brand assets or materials.

Members should not use the RHA logo or associated brand assets or materials inappropriately.

6. Insurance

The Practitioner should consider purchasing insurance for their Reiki practice. The type of insurance required may differ from country to country but may cover areas such as professional indemnity, public liability, employee liability.

The Practitioner should consider insurance for the place of practice e.g., their studio, their home etc.

7. Legal obligations

The Reiki Healing Association is an international association serving many members worldwide and as such we are unable to give specific advice on the legal requirements for Practitioners, in joining the RHA the Practitioner accepts that it is their responsibility to research the legal requirements to practice Reiki in their country, state and or county and local area.

It is important that the Practitioner complies with both criminal and civil law within the country, state/county and/or locality of their practice. The Practitioner must abide by and keep themselves up to date with legislation and regulations pertaining to their practice.

8. Membership of the RHA

Members are responsible for reporting any member of the RHA who is deemed to be behaving in a manner that breaks the Code of Ethics. This requirement aims to ensure the protection of the public interest and also to protect the good name and professional reputation of the RHA.

Members agree that failure to abide by the terms, conditions, and stipulations of this Code of Ethics will leave them subject to action, whether legal or other, by the RHA. Action may include but is not limited to: temporary or permanent suspension of membership, public notification of a Member’s transgression, and/or legal action. In addition, RHA Members understand that breaching any or all of sections will result in immediate termination of their membership.

The RHA’s decision is final with regards to termination of memberships. Following termination of a Membership the Practitioner may no longer claim to be a Member of the Reiki Healing Association or use any resources included within the Membership.

RHA Members acknowledge that the Code of Ethics cannot cover every case of what is ethical and what is not. Therefore, it is understood that RHA members must behave in accordance with the ethical standards of the province and country in which they reside.

It is understood that the Reiki Healing Association is hereby saved harmless from liability of any kind whatsoever for the actions or lack thereof of its Registered Members, Practitioners and/or Registered Teachers in fulfillment of their Reiki Healing Association membership.
The Reiki Healing Association accepts no legal responsibility for its Members.

Every effort and attempt has been made to ensure to accuracy of the information, material and guidance provided by the RHA however mistakes and or inaccuracies may exist.

The Member agrees that under no circumstances will any liability or responsibility or blame be held against the RHA for any reparation, damages or losses due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly, nor do they accept any liability or responsibility for any loss/illness/injury arising out of the failure by the Members (or their Students or Clients) to seek medical advice from a qualified doctor or medical or veterinary professional.

The Reiki Healing Association reserves the right to change, amend or update its Code of Ethics and related Terms and Conditions at any time.