Safeguarding Best Practices for Reiki, Tarot, and Holistic Therapies

Helen Renee Wuorio
May 13
5 min read

Updated: May 14

By Tarot Master and Reiki Master Teacher Helen Renée Wuorio

Why Safeguarding and Best Practices Matter

Safeguarding is one of the most important foundations of any professional Reiki, Tarot, or holistic practice. At its heart, safeguarding is about creating an environment where clients feel safe, respected, informed, and empowered, while also protecting practitioners through clear ethical boundaries and professional standards.

When proper safeguarding measures are in place, both clients and practitioners benefit. Clients can relax knowing their well-being is being prioritised, while practitioners are protected through transparent procedures, professional boundaries, and accountable working practices. This creates a healthier and more trustworthy environment for everyone involved.

For example, in our practice, we never perform hands-on Reiki. Instead, we use non-touch hand positions maintained approximately 6 to 8 inches away from the client’s body throughout the treatment. This approach helps maintain clear physical boundaries while still enabling the client to experience the session in a calm, supportive, and professional manner.

Likewise, when working with anyone under the age of adulthood, we insist that a parent, guardian, or appropriate chaperone be present at all times. This protects the young person, but equally protects the practitioner by ensuring complete transparency throughout the session.

Good safeguarding is not about distrust or suspicion. Rather, it is about professionalism, clarity, respect, and the creation of safe conditions in which genuine healing and personal development can take place.

Vulnerability and Complementary Therapies

People often seek complementary therapies during periods of grief, stress, illness, relationship breakdown, trauma, anxiety, or emotional uncertainty. These moments can understandably make people more open and receptive, but they can also make them more vulnerable.

Many people turn to Reiki, Tarot, meditation, spiritual guidance, or holistic therapies to seek comfort, reassurance, clarity, emotional support, or simply a sense of peace during difficult times in their lives. In many cases, these practices can indeed provide valuable support when delivered ethically and responsibly.

The overwhelming majority of complementary therapy practitioners work with integrity, compassion, and genuine care for their clients. However, the reality is that much of the holistic and spiritual sector remains largely unregulated. Unfortunately, this means that some individuals misuse trust, exploit vulnerability, or behave in unsafe or unethical ways.

The Importance of Due Diligence

Recent high-profile cases in the UK have highlighted instances in which certain individuals have used labels such as “renowned”, “published”, or “as seen on TV” to create a false sense of authority or credibility.

At the same time, it is equally important to acknowledge that many highly credible and ethical practitioners have genuinely appeared on television, been featured in newspapers, authored books, or spoken publicly about their work. These achievements can quite legitimately form part of their professional marketing and public profile.

The difficulty is that this overlap can sometimes make it harder for prospective clients to distinguish between authentic, evidence-based promotion and unsubstantiated or misleading claims.

These realities demonstrate why safeguarding and due diligence are essential for both clients and practitioners alike. They also serve as an important reminder that genuinely ethical practitioners rely upon consistent professionalism, transparency, qualifications, ethical conduct, and client care rather than persuasive tactics or exaggerated claims alone.

Developing a Professional Safeguarding Approach

As part of establishing a formal best practice standards policy for my Helen Renée Reiki and Tarot business, I decided to consult and work closely with Wendy Johnson, LLB, an IQA and Safeguarding Coach, trained to Level 4 Advanced DSL, who had also trained as a Reiki Level 2 practitioner under my tutelage.

Wendy played a central role in developing and structuring our formal safeguarding plan, ensuring that our procedures, boundaries, policies, and client protections reflected modern safeguarding expectations and professional best practice. Fortunately, Wendy pointed out that, through my common sense and respect for others, I was already working to the highest commercial standards she recommends, which was one of the deciding factors in her choosing to learn Reiki from me.

Seeking expert safeguarding guidance is something more holistic practitioners should seriously consider, particularly when working with vulnerable individuals, young people, or in emotionally sensitive situations.

Professional Memberships and Credentials

When seeking hands-on therapies or holistic support, prospective clients should look for evidence that a practitioner is a member of recognised professional organisations. These may include:

Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT).
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).
UK Reiki Federation.
Accredited spiritual or mediumship organisations.

Membership of professional bodies will usually require verified qualifications, appropriate insurance, and adherence to an established code of professional conduct.

A safe and ethical practitioner should also be fully open and transparent about their qualifications and experience, including:

Where they trained.
Their level of qualification.
How long have they been practising?
Whether they undertake supervision.
Whether they engage in Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

A genuine professional will usually welcome sensible questions about their experience and standards of practice.

What Clients Should Look For

When choosing a therapist, Tarot reader, Reiki practitioner, or holistic professional, prospective clients should look for clear signs of professionalism and transparency, including:

Consistent and genuine reviews.
Recommendations from trusted people.
Transparency about their practice.
Clear pricing structures.
Honest explanations of what to expect during a session.
Clear boundaries and consent procedures.
Information about potential limitations or risks.
A safeguarding policy for working with children or vulnerable adults.

Ethical practitioners should make clients feel informed and empowered rather than pressured or intimidated.

Important Warning Signs

Prospective clients should exercise caution if a practitioner:

Claims to cure illness or replace medical treatment.
Discourages you from seeing your GP or taking prescribed medication.
Uses fear, guilt, or spiritual threats.
Claims you are cursed or require expensive interventions to remove negativity.
Pressures you into repeated sessions or aggressive upselling.
Avoids discussing qualifications or insurance.
Insists upon secrecy or discourages you from speaking to family or friends.
Makes inappropriate comments or crosses physical boundaries.
They claim they are the only person capable of helping you.
Becomes defensive or hostile when asked reasonable questions.

One of the most important safeguarding principles is very simple: if something feels wrong, trust your instincts.

What To Do If You Feel Uncomfortable

Clients should always remember that they have the absolute right to stop or leave any session at any time. If you feel uncomfortable during a session, you should:

Stop the session immediately.
Clearly state that you feel uncomfortable and wish to leave.
Ask for a chaperone if appropriate.
Decline any treatment, technique, or discussion you do not wish to participate in.
Request to see safeguarding policies, insurance, or credentials.
Report any concerns to the practitioner’s professional body.
Block or cease contact if necessary.
Contact safeguarding services if a child or vulnerable adult may be at risk.

If you believe somebody is at immediate risk of harm, contact your local safeguarding team or the practitioner’s professional organisation. In an emergency situation, contact the police.

Creating Safe and Ethical Practice

Complementary and spiritual therapies can be deeply supportive, beneficial, and emotionally meaningful when delivered safely, ethically, and professionally.

Whether you are seeking a practitioner or offering services yourself, proper safeguarding helps ensure that these practices remain grounded in respect, integrity, professionalism, transparency, and genuine care.

Every client deserves to feel safe. Every client deserves honesty, clear boundaries, informed consent, and ethical treatment. Equally, every practitioner deserves professional protection, clarity, and robust working procedures.

With proper training, safeguarding awareness, ethical standards, and ongoing professional development, all of this can be achieved seamlessly and responsibly.

If you are a practitioner and would like guidance on developing or strengthening your safeguarding approach, you are very welcome to get in touch for advice, support, or safeguarding training.