How to Become a Spiritual Healer

Spiritual healing is a holistic practice that aims to restore balance across mind, body, and soul. It focuses not just on physical symptoms, but also on emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. This approach often resonates with those seeking deeper personal transformation or relief from chronic stress and emotional trauma. This approach often resonates with those seeking deep personal transformation, offering relief from chronic stress, emotional trauma, or physical symptoms, while also addressing the broader underlying dynamics at play.

Spiritual Health is a multidimensional form of wellbeing defined by the WHO as encompassing meaning, connectedness, values, and the experience of love, hope, and peace and expanded upon almost infinitely by other writers in the field^[1].

Unlike conventional medical treatments, spiritual healing works by aligning the individual's energy field, often referred to as the life force or spirit. Practitioners may use meditation, prayer, intention, hands-on or distant energy transmission, or intuitive guidance as tools to facilitate healing^[2]. These techniques are rooted in traditions found across cultures, ranging from Indigenous spiritual practices to Eastern philosophies and Christian mysticism^[3].

In modern healthcare contexts, spiritual healing is increasingly acknowledged as a complementary approach with relevance to the vast majority of those seeking healthcare^[4]. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, any spiritual practices, when respectfully integrated,  can support mental and emotional resilience, especially in palliative care or psychological recovery settings^[5]. Crucially, the patient’s own self-report, whether it’s a felt sense of healing, relief, increased well-being, or deeper psychological integration, must remain the primary measure of effectiveness for any spiritual healing approach. While clinical outcomes are valuable, the lived experience of the individual is the most meaningful indicator of progress.

Choosing a career in spiritual healing can be a deeply fulfilling path for those called to support others' healing journeys. It especially attracts compassionate, intuitive individuals who value empathy, presence, and spiritual connection.

The Role of a Spiritual Healer

Spiritual healers serve as facilitators in restoring, harmonising, and balancing a person’s energy and spirit^[6]. Their work often involves guiding clients through processes that help release emotional blockages, address unresolved trauma, and reconnect with inner peace. Unlike clinical therapists, spiritual healers address imbalances on energetic and spiritual levels, believing that physical or emotional symptoms are often rooted in deeper spiritual disharmony. It's noticeable that certain psychologists and therapists, particularly those working in depth and transpersonal psychology, are beginning to integrate spiritual healing practices into their therapeutic approaches^[6].

A key part of a healer’s role is "holding space", a term that refers to creating a compassionate, judgment-free environment where clients can explore inner wounds, find clarity, or connect with a higher sense of self. In this way, healing becomes both a spiritual and emotional process, often empowering clients to initiate lifestyle and mindset changes that align with their authentic selves. Ultimately, the role of a spiritual healer is not to “fix” or replace medical treatment, but to assist others in accessing their own healing capacity by tuning into the energy of love, presence, and higher consciousness.

Training and Qualifications: Pathways Around the World

While there is no universally mandated educational path for becoming a spiritual healer, training and qualifications vary depending on the modality, cultural background, and desired area of specialisation. Many spiritual healers begin with personal experiences of transformation, followed by structured learning through workshops, online courses, and mentorship. Spiritual healing draws from various traditions such as Reiki, shamanism, ancestral lineage healing, energy medicine, and intuitive healing, and more. 

The International Institute of Spiritual Healing & Energy Medicine (IIOSHEM) offers a multi-level certification that blends hands-on energy healing, sound therapy, crystals, prayer, and self-care. Upon completion, practitioners are prepared to safely channel divine energy without depleting themselves and can apply these practices professionally^[7]. 

Schools like the Self-Heal School provide short-term programs such as six-week Energy Healing courses^[8] and a 231-Hour Certificate Program that deepen intuitive development alongside spiritual and energetic training^[9].

Moreover, Sarvam International School of Healing in India blends traditional modalities, Reiki, Kundalini Reiki, Angel Healing—through graded levels up to “master” while integrating ancient wisdom and hands-on practice ^[10]. Specific pathways of learning related to Spiritual Healing modalities exist and can be explored through enquiries directed to related Associations that you can explore here. One such example is the Ancestral Lineage Healing training offered by Ancestral Medicine^[11].

Similarly, the International School of Intuition & Healing (ISIH) in the United Kingdom offers accredited programs in energy healing, intuitive development, and spiritual counselling, recognised by professional bodies and taught by experienced mentors^[12].

Institutions like the International School of Spiritual Healing and Energy Medicine and the Healing Touch Program offer structured learning for those seeking a professional foundation. These programs typically provide certification upon completion, although licensing is not generally required for spiritual healing unless it overlaps with regulated health professions.

In countries like the United States, the National Certification Centre of Energy Practitioners (NCCOEP)^[13] and associations like the Healing Touch Professional Association (HTPA) help set standards and support practitioners in building ethical, safe, and effective practices^[14].

In Australia and the UK, spiritual healing is often integrated into complementary medicine training. As for SoulAdvisor, we curate practitioner listings and promote qualified spiritual healers who meet community-reviewed standards.

Skills and Qualities of a Successful Spiritual Healer

Becoming an effective spiritual healer requires more than mastering a set of techniques; it demands empathy, intuitive awareness, self-care, and clear communication. These core qualities ensure the healer’s own balance while creating a safe, transformative space for clients. A successful spiritual healer may possess some of these qualities:

• Empathy & Emotional Intelligence: Deep empathy is essential. A spiritual healer must hold a non-judgmental space, actively listen, and respond with compassion, creating a trusted environment where clients feel truly seen and heard. This emotional connection fosters deeper healing and client safety. These traits are at the heart of effective spiritual care^[15].
• Intuitive Awareness: Healers often rely on intuition to sense energetic or emotional imbalances. Developing this ability involves ongoing practices like meditation, energy clearing, and nature immersion. With consistent practice, these intuitive cues—rather than definitive knowledge—guide the healing journey^[16].
• Self-Awareness: Personal spiritual growth and self-reflection are foundational. Healing effectively requires setting healthy emotional and energetic boundaries, honouring confidentiality, and recognising one’s own limitations. Without this self-awareness, burnout and boundary erosion can compromise professional integrity^[17].
• Clear & Compassionate Communication: Translating spiritual concepts into relatable language is vital. A healer who communicates clearly and empathetically empowers clients to understand and own their healing process. This also fosters trust, especially for clients new to holistic modalities.

These are some core skills that can be developed through formal training, consistent self-care, and embodied spiritual practice. Cultivating them forms the foundation of a healer who is both effective in sessions and resilient over time.

Career Opportunities and Growth

The field of spiritual healing is expanding rapidly, as more individuals seek holistic and transformative paths for emotional, physical, and energetic wellness. This increasing acceptance creates a variety of fulfilling career opportunities for trained and committed spiritual healers. 

• Cultural Lineage and Community Knowledge: Many people throughout the world, living in Traditional and First Nations communities, have been brought up within a lineage of healing. Increasingly, the world is opening to integration based on respect for these ancient teachings, as given voice in the recently adopted WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034^[18]. Those fortunate enough to be raised within such communal understandings may find their most authentic path into spiritual healing by turning to their elders and ancestral wisdom.
• Independent Practice & Online Services: Many spiritual healers opt for private practice, offering one-to-one sessions, group workshops, retreats, and online services. This flexibility allows them to tailor their healing approaches to individual client needs and build a loyal client base. With the rise of digital platforms, many also provide remote healing sessions, webinars, and courses, enabling them to reach a global audience while maintaining a personal touch.
• Wellness Centres & Retreat Integration: Spiritual healers increasingly find placement in multidisciplinary wellness centres, yoga studios, and retreat facilities. A prime example is Angkor Grace in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where practitioners guide guests through daily meditation, yoga, Khmer energy healing, sound therapy, and sacred rituals aligned with the spiritual energy of Angkor Wat. This holistic approach blends ancient Angkorian spiritual traditions with modern wellness techniques, creating a deeply supportive environment for healing and personal transformation^[19]. Organisations such as The Divine Temple, dedicated to somatic, ancestral, and spiritual healing training, lead the way in offering structured training and retreats that attract clients seeking deeper, multi-modal healing^[20].
• Teaching & Mentorship: Many seasoned practitioners evolve into teaching or mentoring roles, training the next generation of healers. These roles allow experienced healers to pass on not just technical skills, but also the deep wisdom, ethics, and personal growth essential to the practice. By leading workshops, certification programs, or spiritual development circles, they help cultivate a lineage of well-prepared, compassionate healers.
• Retreat Facilitation & Global Outreach: Some healers expand their influence by hosting immersive retreats or international ceremonies. These experiences often combine healing modalities with cultural or spiritual immersion, providing participants with profound transformation in unique environments. Through collaborations with retreat centres and spiritual communities worldwide, these practitioners create impactful healing experiences that resonate across cultures.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a spiritual healer is a deeply personal and transformative journey that blends ancient wisdom with modern intention. As more people seek holistic approaches to healing, there is both a growing need and a unique opportunity for compassionate, grounded practitioners. With the right training, intuition, and commitment to service, you can create a meaningful career that uplifts and empowers others on their spiritual path.

Being Part of the SoulAdvisor Community

Joining the SoulAdvisor community connects you with like-minded practitioners, clients, and opportunities. Whether you're just beginning or already on the healing path, SoulAdvisor offers a trusted platform to grow your practice, share your gifts, and support the global movement for holistic wellbeing. SoulAdvisor is based on evidence-based medicine and has deep respect for the unseen when considering healing.