Hold Harmless Clause and Why You Need It

As an energy healing practitioner, you are also a business owner. Whether you are a sole practitioner or partner of a professional group, you want to make sure your assets are protected. Think of managing the business side of your practice as you do for your energy healing clients. Your goal is eliminating anything negative and replacing it with positivity so look at your practice in the same light. Remove anything in your practice that is not allowing it to thrive and develop the habit of establishing protocols and manifesting an outlook that is positive.

Lay a Foundation

               Just as you encourage your clients to develop a set of daily practices for their healing journey, do the same for your business. Setting up routine processes and procedures for your business will ensure a consistency with client management and recordkeeping that will keep you organized. One of the most important steps you can take is requiring clients to sign an informed consent form that includes a hold harmless clause. This document both serves as a comprehensive snapshot about your practice to your clients and as a document to protect you and your business from harm.

An informed consent form includes information about your scope of services and relationship between you and the client. You do not want to confuse the client intake form with the informed consent. To simplify things, you could consolidate these two forms, but it might be a better idea to keep them separate. In doing this, your client would have a clear understanding of the role of the informed consent form. Rather than focus on the client, informed consent addresses scope of practice and practitioner credentials including:

• Credentials and areas of expertise (scope of practice)
• Descriptions of the treatment
• Benefits and limitation of treatment
• Explanation of what a client could expect
• Fees and cancellation policy
• Insurance
• Confidentiality and privacy statement

One of the most important features of the informed consent can be distilled into a brief, yet direct paragraph known as the hold harmless clause. The forthright language of a hold harmless clause adds an extra layer of protection and liability clarity for your clients.

“By signing this release and initialing here, I hereby waive and release Energy Healer from any and all liability past, present and future relating to her services, whether they be onsite at the home of the client signing this consent or at another location. Except in the case of gross negligence or malpractice, I or my representative(s) agree to full release and hold harmless Energy Healer from and against any and all claims or liability of whatsoever kind or nature arising out of or in connection with my session(s).”

The hold harmless statement makes it specifically clear the client waives any prospect of a liability claim for the energy healing services received. Combined with your liability insurance, you have powerful protection which would cause anyone to think twice before filing a claim As well, in addition to having liability insurance, you have a process that deters frivolous lawsuits.

           Having your clients sign an informed consent and hold harmless are precautionary measures you should take for your business. By doing this, you can have peace of mind through protection and the freedom to focus on your gift: energy healing. Treat yourself as you do your clients. Give yourself the resources to help you and your practice thrive.