Energy Healing Use in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
Number and Distribution of Practitioners, Types of Therapies Offered, and Costs for Services
Paul J. Mills, Ph.D.1
Margaret M. Moga, Ph.D.2
Judy Ferrig, M.S.3
Caitlin A. Connor, DAOM, AMP, PGDip, EHP-C4,5
1 Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.
2 Associate Professor of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
3 Founder, Open Pathways, Tucson, AZ
4 Health Sciences Research, Rewley House, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK;
5 Earth Songs Holistic Consulting, Tucson, AZ
Abstract
Objective
To determine an accurate baseline for the number of energy healing practitioners working in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Materials & Method
An Internet search was conducted using the following search terms: Brennan Healing Science, Dowsing, Eden Method, Energy healing, Energy medicine, Healing Touch, Laying on of Hands Healing, Medical Intuition, Polarity Therapy, Reconnection, Reiki, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Tai chi/Taiji, Therapeutic Touch, Qigong, and Quantum Touch. The search was limited to businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who had a web site for that business. All identified businesses were put into a spreadsheet. Businesses with more that one practitioner were noted and are included in the total count.
Results
There were 1,951 practitioners identified in this study. 237 web sites were identified which stated hourly, or session prices. Hourly rates ranged from $40 – $600 with an average of $120.64 per hour. Most practitioners exceeded 15 hours per week and worked an average of 46 weeks per year. A total of 235 types of energy practices were identified with an additional 191 styles of alternative health care being practiced in the Commonwealth. With a confirmed count of at least 1,951 practitioners working an average of 15+ hours per week for an average 46 weeks per year at a salary average of $120 per hour, the combined annual income of practitioners in the Commonwealth is $161,542,800. Lack of identification and as a result, the lack of health and fire safety inspections of home-based practitioners and the impact that has on Massachusetts consumers needs to be studied.
Conclusion
With 1,951 practitioners identified, with a combined annual income of $161,542,800 this study provides a significantly different assessment of numbers of practitioners working in the Commonwealth. This is a minimum number of practitioners, as only those operating with web sites were assessed. The information provided supports efforts to develop appropriate assessment, regulation and protection for both the consumer and energy practitioner in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Keywords:
Energy Healing, Energy Medicine, Polarity Therapy, Reiki, Healing Touch, Qigong, Tai Chi, Medical Intuitive, Shaman