Spiritual healing (Harry Edwards, Healing Trust)

1. Introduction

Version followed: The Healing Trust (the working name, since 2009, of the National Federation of Spiritual Healers, NFSH) as it publishes healing and its two-year healer training (Parts One to Four, mentoring, log book, assessment panel and the "Act of Healing") on its own and its training websites; session competences from the UK National Occupational Standard SFHCNH25 "Provide Healing to clients" (Skills for Health); Harry Edwards' original contact and absent healing as the Society for Psychical Research's Psi Encyclopedia describes it. [source: Healing Trust About, Healing, What is healing?, Training Overview, Training FAQ; SFHCNH25; Psi Encyclopedia]

What it is. Spiritual healing in this tradition is a non-diagnostic, non-invasive complementary practice in which a trained healer, seated or standing beside a fully participating client (in person, by telephone or video, or at a distance), "attunes" to what the Trust calls the Source of Healing and acts as a channel for healing energy. No religious faith is required of the client and the Trust states no religious affiliation; its language is spiritual rather than denominational. [source: Healing Trust What is healing?; Healing]

Core idea of change, as the Trust holds it (attributed, not stated as fact). The Trust teaches that the energy is "spiritual in essence" and comes "through the healer" rather than from them; the recipient's own bodily intelligence then uses it to rebalance their system over time, and the healer aims to be as clear a channel as possible. Healers "will never diagnose, promise a cure or predict outcomes". Harry Edwards (1893–1976) attributed healing to discarnate healing guides, whom he called "spirit doctors", working through an attuned healer; he regarded absent (distant) healing as the more advanced form. [source: Healing Trust What is healing?; Psi Encyclopedia, Harry Edwards]

History in brief. Harry Edwards ran his healing sanctuary from Burrows Lea, Shere, Surrey, bought in 1946. The NFSH was founded in 1954 with Edwards as first President and "Member No 1" (the 1955 date sometimes given is [uncertain]; both the Trust and the Psi Encyclopedia give 1954). A June 1960 Spectator article reports that the NFSH had secured permission from hospital management committees across the country to visit patients, and that the BMA then decided healers should not treat hospital patients [source: The Spectator, 24 June 1960]; the Psi Encyclopedia dates the permission to 1959 (270 health authorities, over 1,600 hospitals) and the BMA campaign to 1960, while the Trust credits its 1960 chairman, Gordon Turner, with persuading medical authorities to allow healers into hospitals "at patients' request". Doctor referral to healers is dated 1977 (General Medical Council, per the Psi Encyclopedia) or 1982 (per the Trust) [uncertain: sources differ]. The Healing Trust is the working name of The NFSH Charitable Trust Limited, a UK charity (no. 1094702) whose objects are to advance public health through spiritual healing, train healers and maintain proper standards of practice [source: Charity Commission governing document; Healing Trust Code of Conduct 2024]; it is accredited by UK Healers, a member of the Confederation of Healing Organisations, and states that Healing is one of the disciplines on the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) register. [source: Healing Trust About; Harry Edwards page; Psi Encyclopedia]

Evidence status (one line). The Trust cites a research compilation; spiritual healing is not an established treatment for any physical or mental disorder, and nothing here presents it as treating cancer or other disease [synthesis; independent reviews: uncertain, not verified].

For the psychotherapist. A psychotherapist may train as a Healing Trust healer, but the Trust publishes no protocol for combining healing with psychotherapy. All guidance below on integration, role separation and trauma safety is [synthesis].

2. Framework

2a. Becoming a healer (training route)

Introductory event: prospective students are encouraged to attend a tutor's introductory event to judge fit with that tutor. [source: Training Overview]
Year 1, Part One "Understanding Energy": what spiritual healing is, what makes a healer, history of healing, chakras, the human energy field, grounding and attunement, self-healing, distant healing. [source: Training Overview]
Year 1, Part Two "Developing a Professional Approach": breathwork and relaxation, the healing environment, the Code of Conduct, risk assessment, healing with the client seated, client records and GDPR awareness. [source: Training Overview]
Year 2, Part Three "Roots of Illness & Fostering Health": anatomy and physiology, stress management, the creative mind, imagery in healing, the healer's role, childhood influences, attunement with words, forgiveness, healing on a treatment couch. [source: Training Overview]
Year 2, Part Four "Deepening Energy Awareness": colour awareness, listening skills, sound and vibration, healing into death and dying, the higher self, holistic health. [source: Training Overview]
Format: Parts 1–4 total roughly 60 taught hours plus homework, in person or online (online since 2023 as a pilot); each Part is followed by tutor assignments and supervised practice. [source: Training FAQ; Training Overview]
Mentoring and log: at least 6 face-to-face hours with a mentor or 20 hours in a qualified group or healing centre; a mentor (normally a full Healer Member of about a year's standing) observes at least three healings, the last within three months of panel application; every session is logged, with the client's signature for private healings; client testimonials (commonly three or more, not from relatives). [source: Training FAQ]
Assessment and status: after around two years, students go before an assessment panel, are expected to know the Act of Healing, and become registered Healer Members. Students may not charge for healing (a donation towards training is allowed). Members work to the Code of Conduct and carry professional liability insurance; UK Healers keeps a public register. [source: Training Overview; Training FAQ; Healing]

2b. A single healing (session phases)

The Trust does not publish its full session sequence; the phases below follow SFHCNH25, with Trust specifics where published. Session length is not published [uncertain]. [source: SFHCNH25; Healing Trust Healing]

Prepare self and room to professional and legal standards (environment, risk assessment, presenting fit to work).
Explain and consent: what may happen during and after; obtain consent, including permission for any touch.
Position the client seated (or, later in training, on a couch), comfortable and safe.
Attune and give healing in the agreed manner (hands-off with limited agreed touch), checking wellbeing, reassuring, adapting to reactions.
Conclude: end properly; check the client is fit to travel.
Feedback and aftercare at the client's pace; clear aftercare information.
Record outcomes accurately.

Moving between phases: the criteria are the client's informed consent (to proceed), observed comfort and wellbeing (to continue or adapt), and the client being settled and fit to travel (to finish). Number of sessions is client-led; none is prescribed [uncertain: no published course length].

2c. Formats

In person (clinic, healing centre, healer's home, home visit), video, telephone, and distant healing at an arranged time or by request list (first names only). [source: Healing Trust Healing]

3. Guiding principles

The healer is a channel, not the source (attributed belief): keep the ego out; do not claim personal power or credit. [source: What is healing?]
Never diagnose: describe no illness, "blockage" or cause to the client as a finding. [source: What is healing?; SFHCNH25 P3]
Never promise a cure or predict outcomes: frame healing as relaxation and support only. [source: What is healing?]
No medical training, no medical advice: refer medical questions to the client's doctor; never comment on medicines. [source: Healing; SFHCNH25 P11]
Permission before touch; the client chooses: touch is optional and many sessions are remote. [source: Healing; What is healing?; Training FAQ]
Avoid any contact that could cause discomfort: the Act of Healing is mainly hands-off with some touch. [source: Training FAQ]
Focus on the "health end", not the illness, in distant work (attributed). [source: Healing]
Respect dignity, privacy, autonomy, culture and beliefs; keep confidentiality. [source: SFHCNH25 P3]
Duty of care and position of trust: know the law on consent and vulnerable groups. [source: SFHCNH25 P2]
Know your limits: seek advice, supervision or medical referral, or decline, when the situation exceeds competence. [source: SFHCNH25 P11]
Personal development and self-care: meditation, breathing, self-awareness and wellbeing keep the healer fit to practise. [source: SFHCNH25 P6; Training Overview]
Any experience is valid: relaxation, sleepiness, warmth, colours or nothing in particular are all acceptable; do not pressure for sensations. [source: What is healing?]
Work alongside doctors: Edwards' stated vision was healers and doctors working together; in hospitals, healing only at the patient's request and following the setting's rules. [source: Harry Edwards page; About; SFHCNH25 P4]
Records and data protection: accurate records, GDPR-compliant; minimal data for distant lists. [source: Training Overview; Healing]
For the psychotherapist: keep roles distinct and the client's consent specific to each [synthesis].

4. Intervention inventory

The Trust's taught content names the components below; it does not publish step-by-step scripts or hand positions, which are taught in person [uncertain: not verified]. Steps are given only as far as the Trust and SFHCNH25 describe them; anything further is marked [synthesis]. All example language is illustrative.

4.1 Pre-session explanation and informed consent

Purpose / when: every first session and whenever the format or any touch changes. [source: SFHCNH25; Healing; Training FAQ]
Steps: (1) Explain that healing is complementary, relaxing, non-diagnostic, and does not replace medical care or psychotherapy. (2) Describe what will happen: the client stays clothed and seated (or lies on a couch), the healer's hands are mostly near the body with some light touch only if agreed. (3) Ask whether, and where, touch is acceptable; offer fully hands-off healing. (4) State the right to stop at any moment, with a simple signal. (5) Note that healing makes no promise of cure. (6) Record consent. Clothing and the "stay clothed" point are [synthesis].
Example language (illustrative): "This is a quiet, relaxing practice. I won't diagnose anything, and it isn't a replacement for your doctor or our therapy. Mostly my hands stay a little away from you. If it's okay, I might rest them lightly on your shoulders, but it's fine to say no, and we can do it entirely without touch. You can stop me at any point, just say 'stop' or raise a hand."
Watch for: hesitation, compliance from deference, expectations of cure; consent given to please you. Working when: the client can say in their own words what will happen and what they have chosen.

4.2 Healer self-preparation: grounding and attunement

Purpose / when: before every healing, in person or distant. Taught in Part One; SFHCNH25 lists relaxation, meditation, breathing and attunement as healer knowledge. [source: Training Overview; SFHCNH25 P6–P8]
Steps: (1) Settle yourself with a brief breathing or meditative focus. (2) Ground (the Trust teaches grounding; its exact technique is not published [uncertain]). (3) Attune: in the Trust's terms, bring intention towards the Source of Healing so as to be a clear channel (attributed belief). (4) Set an intention for the client's wellbeing, not for a specific outcome [synthesis, consistent with "never predict outcomes"].
Example language: none to the client; if asked: "I take a moment to settle and quieten myself first." (illustrative)
Watch for: carrying your own distress or therapy material into the session; if you cannot settle, postpone. Working when: you feel steady, present and free of an agenda [synthesis].

4.3 Healing environment and risk assessment

Purpose / when: before each session and for each new venue (Part Two). [source: Training Overview; SFHCNH25]
Steps: (1) Quiet, private, warm room meeting professional and legal requirements. (2) Stable chair (or couch) with safe access; consider mobility and falls. (3) Check for factors needing medical referral or declining (SFHCNH25 P11). (4) For home visits, plan for personal safety [synthesis].
Example language (illustrative): "Is this chair comfortable for you? Anything about your health or mobility I should know so you're safe and comfortable?"
Watch for: frailty, dizziness, pain on sitting; unsuitable venues. Working when: the client is physically comfortable and settled.

4.4 Breathwork and relaxation for the client

Purpose / when: at the start of a healing to help the client settle (Part Two). [source: Training Overview]
Steps: (1) Invite the client to sit back, feet on the floor, eyes closed or softened. (2) Guide a few slow, comfortable breaths without forcing depth or holding [synthesis]. (3) Invite them to let the body be heavy. (4) Offer the option to keep eyes open.
Example language (illustrative): "Let your feet rest on the floor and your hands in your lap. Close your eyes if that feels comfortable, or let your gaze rest on the floor. Just notice your breath, nothing to change."
Watch for: breath-focus can raise anxiety or panic in some clients; eyes-closed can trigger trauma memories. Offer an external focus instead. Working when: shoulders drop, breathing slows, the client reports feeling settled.

4.5 The Act of Healing with the client seated

Purpose / when: the core in-person healing taught in Part Two and assessed at panel; described as hands-off but involving some touch. [source: Training Overview; Training FAQ]
Steps: (1) After consent (4.1), stand or move to a position agreed with the client. (2) Attune (4.2). (3) Hold the hands near the body, using light touch only where agreed and avoiding any contact that could cause discomfort. (4) Keep checking wellbeing; adapt or stop if the client wants. (5) Conclude (4.11). The Trust's specific hand positions and sequence are taught in person and are not reproduced here [uncertain: not verified].
Touch safeguards: explicit consent before, and checking during ("Is this still okay?"); right to stop at any time; touch only on neutral areas the client has agreed to (commonly shoulders or hands, [uncertain]); never touch intimate, chest or genital areas, never sexual; fully hands-off alternative always available. Chaperones and documentation of touch consent: no Trust statement found [uncertain]; for psychotherapists, record touch consent each session and offer a chaperone or open-door option where appropriate [synthesis].
Example language (illustrative): "I'm going to begin now. My hands will be near your shoulders. I'll rest them there lightly as we agreed. You can tell me to take them away at any time."
Watch for: flinching, freezing, holding breath, startle at touch, tears; any sign the client wants to stop. Working when: the client relaxes and reports the experience as safe, whatever they did or did not feel.

4.6 Healing with the client on a treatment couch

Purpose / when: taught in Part Three, for clients who prefer or need to lie down. [source: Training Overview]
Steps: (1) Explain and gain consent to lying down, fully clothed. (2) Support head, knees and comfort; blanket offered [synthesis]. (3) Proceed as 4.5, mostly hands-near. (4) Allow time to sit up slowly before standing.
Example language (illustrative): "You'll stay fully clothed. Some people prefer lying down, others sitting, either is fine. Shall we use the couch today?"
Watch for: lying down increases vulnerability for trauma survivors; dizziness on rising. Working when: the client chooses the position freely and stays settled.

4.7 Distant (absent) healing

Purpose / when: when the client cannot attend or prefers it; taught in Part One; the Trust also takes distant-healing requests (first names only). Harry Edwards regarded absent healing as the more advanced form. [source: Training Overview; Healing; Psi Encyclopedia]
Steps: (1) Obtain the client's consent and agree an arranged time (or add their first name to a list, with consent). (2) Prepare and attune (4.2). (3) In the Trust's terms, hold the person in mind focusing on the "health end" rather than the illness (attributed). (4) Conclude and, where agreed, gather feedback later. (5) Minimal data: first names only for request lists.
Example language (illustrative): "If you'd like distant healing, we'd agree a time when you can sit quietly at home. You don't need to do anything special. Afterwards you can tell me how it was, if you wish."
Watch for: healing sent without the person's knowledge or consent (do not); requests from relatives on behalf of adults who have not agreed [synthesis]. Working when: the client reports the arranged time as restful.

4.8 Healing by telephone or video

Purpose / when: when in-person work is not possible. [source: Healing]
Steps: (1) Confirm the client's location, privacy and an emergency contact [synthesis]. (2) Guide them into a comfortable seated position and relaxation (4.4). (3) Attune and give healing at a distance; keep the line open. (4) Conclude, check they are grounded and safe before ending.
Example language (illustrative): "Are you somewhere private where you won't be interrupted? Let's settle for a moment; I'll stay on the line throughout."
Watch for: interruptions, poor connection, the client becoming drowsy before driving. Working when: settled and alert at the end.

4.9 Self-healing

Purpose / when: the healer's own wellbeing practice (Part One). [source: Training Overview; SFHCNH25 P6]
Steps: regular personal attunement, relaxation and reflective practice; content of the Trust's self-healing exercise not published [uncertain]. Psychotherapists: pair with clinical supervision [synthesis].
Example language: not used with clients.
Watch for: using healing to avoid your own personal therapy or supervision needs [synthesis].

4.10 Listening skills, imagery and "attunement with words"

Purpose / when: Part Three teaches imagery in healing and attunement with words; Part Four teaches listening skills. Their content is not published [uncertain: not verified]. Use listening before and after healing to understand the client's needs and experience. [source: Training Overview]
Steps (listening, [synthesis]): open question about what brings them; reflect feelings; summarise; avoid interpretation or diagnosis; agree what the healing is for (relaxation, support). Any imagery used should be client-led and calming, never suggestive of a diagnosis or of past events [synthesis].
Example language (illustrative): "What would you like from today's session? ... So it sounds like you'd mostly like some calm after a hard week."
Watch for: imagery evoking traumatic material or suggesting "memories"; a psychotherapist must not slip into interpretation during healing [synthesis]. Working when: the client feels heard and the session's purpose is shared.

4.11 Concluding, feedback and aftercare

Purpose / when: end of every healing. [source: SFHCNH25]
Steps: (1) Signal the end gently; remove hands slowly if touch was used. (2) Give the client time to reorient: open eyes, feel feet on the floor [synthesis]. (3) Check wellbeing and fitness to travel (SFHCNH25). (4) Invite feedback at the client's pace; accept any experience as valid (Trust). (5) Give clear aftercare information: e.g. take time before driving, seek medical help for any new or worsening symptom [synthesis on content].
Example language (illustrative): "We're coming to the end now. Take your time, open your eyes when you're ready. How are you feeling? Some people feel very relaxed, some feel nothing in particular, and that's all fine."
Watch for: drowsiness, light-headedness, emotional release that needs space; clients interpreting sensations as a diagnosis or a cure. Working when: alert, oriented and able to travel.

4.12 Records and data protection

Purpose / when: every session (Part Two; SFHCNH25; student log book). [source: Training Overview; Training FAQ; SFHCNH25]
Steps: record date, format, consent (including touch consent and areas), what was done, client feedback, any referral advice; store per GDPR; keep healing records separate from, or clearly distinguished within, psychotherapy notes [synthesis].
Example language (illustrative): "I keep brief notes of each session, including what you've agreed to. They're stored securely."
Watch for: recording health claims or "energy findings" as if diagnostic [synthesis].

4.13 Referral, declining and seeking supervision

Purpose / when: SFHCNH25 requires knowing when medical referral is needed, when to seek advice or supervision, and when to decline a client. [source: SFHCNH25 P11]
Steps: (1) If a client describes undiagnosed or worsening symptoms, advise them to see their doctor. (2) Never comment on medicines or advise stopping treatment. (3) Decline or pause when the client lacks capacity to consent, is in crisis, or wants healing instead of medical care [synthesis on criteria]. (4) Take uncertain situations to supervision or a mentor.
Example language (illustrative): "That's something your doctor needs to look at. Healing can sit alongside their care, but never instead of it."
Watch for: clients delaying medical care; pressure from family; your own wish to help overriding limits.

4.14 Healing in hospitals, hospices and medical settings

Purpose / when: historically healers visited hospitals at patients' request; SFHCNH25 covers conduct in hospitals and with health professionals. [source: About; Psi Encyclopedia; SFHCNH25 P4]
Steps: (1) Go only at the patient's request and with the setting's permission. (2) Follow ward rules, infection control and staff direction [synthesis]. (3) Hands-near only around lines, wounds or equipment [synthesis]. (4) Never interfere with treatment.
Example language (illustrative): "I've checked with the nurse in charge. Would you still like some quiet healing now, or would another time suit you better?"
Watch for: frailty, fatigue, family pressure on the patient.

4.15 Healing into death and dying

Purpose / when: Part Four topic; supporting people at the end of life with calm presence. Content not published [uncertain]. [source: Training Overview]
Steps ([synthesis]): work within the palliative team's plan; prioritise comfort, consent (or advance wishes and best-interests processes where capacity is lost), brevity and presence; support family without promising outcomes.
Example language (illustrative): "I'm here just to offer some quiet and calm. We can stop whenever you like."
Watch for: families seeking a cure; the healer's own grief.

4.16 Combining healing with psychotherapy (psychotherapist's own work)

Purpose / when: the Trust publishes no integration protocol; all of this item is [synthesis].
Steps: (1) Decide whether offering both to the same client is wise: the safer default is to keep psychotherapy and healing separate, or to refer to another registered healer. (2) If both are offered, contract them separately with separate consent, clearly marked transitions, and the client free to decline either without consequence. (3) Do not use healing as a substitute for evidence-based treatment of a disorder. (4) Explore in therapy what healing means to the client (spiritual meaning, hope, control). (5) Check your own professional body's code and your insurer on complementary practice and touch [uncertain: positions not verified]. (6) Do not charge extra in a way that creates conflicts of interest; never sell courses or products to clients.
Example language (illustrative): "Healing is something separate from our therapy. You're welcome to try it, with me or with another healer, or not at all; nothing about our work changes either way."
Watch for: dual-role confusion, dependency, the client feeling obliged; erotic or idealising transference intensified by touch.

4.17 Trauma safety when healing trauma survivors

Purpose / when: the Trust gives no trauma-specific steps; all of this item is [synthesis].
Steps: (1) Screen for trauma history, dissociation and touch sensitivity before any in-person healing. (2) Default to hands-off; client chooses position, eyes open or closed, and where you stand (in their sight line). (3) Agree a stop signal and check in at intervals. (4) Keep sessions short at first (titration) and do not invite trauma memories. (5) Ground at the end with orienting to the room. (6) If dissociation or flashback occurs, stop, orient, and use your usual stabilisation skills.
Example language (illustrative): "Would you like me where you can see me? We'll keep your eyes open if you prefer, and I'll check in with you every few minutes."
Watch for: glazed eyes, slowed responses, freezing, sudden breath change, apologising. Working when: the client remains present and reports feeling in control.

5. Handling problems

The Trust's sources address diagnosis, cure claims, touch permission and referral; SFHCNH25 adds responding to reactions, seeking advice and declining clients. Everything else here is [synthesis].

Client hopes for a cure or asks you to stop medical treatment. Restate that healers never promise a cure or predict outcomes and that healing is alongside, never instead of, medical care [source: What is healing?]. Never advise on medicines; route to the prescriber. If the client is delaying treatment for a serious condition, explore it in therapy (fears, past experiences of medicine), and with consent involve their doctor; if they still wish healing only, decline to give healing while keeping the therapy relationship [synthesis]. Illustrative: "I can't offer healing as a replacement for your treatment. I'd like to understand what makes the treatment feel hard to go through with."
Client feels "nothing" and is disappointed. The Trust treats feeling nothing as valid [source: What is healing?]. Normalise, ask what they hoped for, and let them decide whether to continue; never imply they are blocked or resisting [synthesis].
Client interprets sensations as a diagnosis or a sign of disease leaving. Gently decline to interpret; encourage medical review for any symptom [synthesis, from "never diagnose"].
Strong emotional release or tears. Slow down, stop the healing if wished, stay present, offer grounding; in a psychotherapy context, arrange to process it in a therapy session rather than mid-healing [synthesis].
Overwhelm, dissociation or flashback. Stop, remove hands if any, orient (name the room, the date, feet on the floor), and use your stabilisation skills; review consent and format before any further healing; consider hands-off or no further healing (see 4.17) [synthesis].
Touch becomes unwelcome mid-session, or a client says yes but looks uncomfortable. Stop touching at once, check in, offer hands-off; note it in the record [source: Training FAQ on avoiding discomfort; synthesis]. Any sexualised remark or request: end the session, do not continue touch, document, and take to supervision; any sexual contact is prohibited [synthesis].
Client requests "healing" from you instead of therapy, or wants you as both therapist and healer. Discuss the dual role openly; offer referral to another registered healer via the Trust's find-a-healer register [source: Healing; synthesis].
Rupture: client feels judged for their spiritual beliefs, or pressured by yours. Name it, apologise for any pressure, reaffirm that beliefs are theirs and participation optional [synthesis].
Non-attendance or loss of interest. No adherence is required; healing is offered, not prescribed. Do not chase or persuade [synthesis].
Dependency (frequent sessions, distress between sessions). Review purpose, space sessions, strengthen self-soothing skills and other supports; consider whether healing is substituting for treatment of anxiety or depression [synthesis].
Family requests distant healing for an adult who has not consented. Decline to add them without their consent; minimal data (first names) applies to requests the Trust takes [source: Healing; synthesis].
Children and vulnerable adults. The Trust's public pages do not address children [uncertain]. Apply law on consent and vulnerable groups (SFHCNH25 P2): parental consent plus the child's assent, a parent present, hands-off by default, never instead of medical care; follow safeguarding procedures if a child is being deprived of needed medical care [synthesis].
Unsupported health claims in promotional material. The Trust's site states that more than 80% of illnesses are caused or worsened by stress, without a cited source [source: What is healing?]. Do not repeat such claims to clients or in advertising [synthesis].
Hospital or care-home visits. Attend only at the patient's request and with staff agreement; follow the setting's rules [source: About; SFHCNH25 P4].
Complaints. The Trust publishes a Code of Conduct setting personal and professional standards for practising members, which it presents as a reference for both members and the public, and lists "Grievance, Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures" among its governance pages [source: Healing Trust Code of Conduct 2024; Healing Trust Legal Hub]; the detailed steps of those procedures are [uncertain]. Psychotherapists are also answerable to their own professional body [synthesis].

Sources

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