History

The Federation of Spiritual Healer Licensing Boards was formed by The Spiritual Healer Licensing Board, the Spiritual Health Counselor Licensing Board (now the Spiritual Health Coach Licensing Board) and the Independent Science of Mind Church (now the Independent Science of Mind Fellowship) in 1972. The purpose of this new organization was to improve the training given to licensed spiritual healers and obtain recognition by state, provincial and federal licensing agencies.

The Federation has always recognized and continues to support independent denominations who train their own spiritual healers according to their traditions and doctrines. These denominations include the Christian Scientists, Divine Scientists, Religious Scientists, Scientology, the Oral Roberts Church and similar spiritual healing churches.

During the period 1972 through the present the Federation has successfully defended the right of spiritual healers to practice spiritual healing with medical and psychology licensing boards in twenty-three states and two Canadian provinces. From 1986 to the present several states have questioned if spiritual healers might be practicing massage therapy or counseling. The Federation has successfully defended the right of spiritual healers to continue to practice in their states and provinces.

1. The Federation adopted a policy that the sacrament of anointing with oil would not also include massaging the oil into the legs, arms, torso, neck and head of the client; but anointing with oil could include lightly spreading and pouring the oil over the client's hands, feet, head and torso.
   
   
2. The Federation adopted a policy of allowing only licensed counselors, psychologists, psychotherapists and medical doctors counsel clients. All other licensed spiritual healers are allowed to coach their clients if they are properly trained in basic coaching skills. The word counsel also includes advise, recommend and suggest.
   
   
3. The Federation adopted a policy that defined spiritual acupressure, acupressure coaching and teaching self-acupuncture, spiritual reflexology, reflexology coaching and teaching self-reflexology being inherently different than massage therapy or oriental medicine.
   

The Federation has successfully defended this position on the few occasions that it has been challenged. The Federation is prepared to defend these positions should they become an issue in the future.

The Federation supports and endorses these associations:

1. American Association of Spiritual Healers and Coaches (AASHC)
2. AustralAsian Association of Spiritual healers and Coaches (AAASHC)
3. Biofeedback Association of North America (BANA)
4. International Academy of Certified Detoxification Therapists (IACDT)
5. International Medical Association for Natural Therapies (IMANT)
6. Medical Biofeedback Association Credentialing Board (MBACB)
7. Natural Therapies Association of North America (NTANA)