Do You Need a License for Reiki in Colorado?

Yes. Colorado's massage law exempts practices using touch or healing touch to affect the human energy systems, such as reiki, shiatsu and meridians. The condition is that you do not hold yourself out as a massage therapist.

The director can remove an exemption for a practice where there is a pattern of criminal conduct or sexual misconduct complaints linked to human trafficking disguised as an exempt practice.

Yes. The massage law covers touch, so it does not reach hands-off or distance work. Unlicensed complementary practitioners are protected from the medical practice act when they follow the state's complementary and alternative practitioner law.

Payment does not change the massage license rules, and Reiki is exempt either way. It does matter for disclosure, because the written disclosure duty applies to anyone who advertises or charges a fee for health care services.

Only licensees may use massage therapist, licensed massage therapist, massage practitioner, masseuse, masseur, M.T., L.M.T. or similar terms. Under the disclosure law you may not claim to be a physician or state licensed, diagnose conventional medical diseases, prescribe or recommend prescription drugs, or recommend stopping prescribed care.

Yes, if you advertise or charge a fee. At first contact, give each client a plain written statement with your name, business address and phone number. It must say that you are not licensed, certified or registered by the state as a health care professional, describe the nature of your services and your training and qualifications, recommend that the client discuss your suggestions with their primary care physician, and say whether you carry liability insurance. Get a signed acknowledgment before the first session, give the client a copy and keep it for at least two years after the last session.

The law also bars surgery or invasive procedures, X-rays, prescribing or recommending prescription drugs, practicing massage therapy, psychotherapy or midwifery, spinal manipulation, setting fractures and diagnosing conventional medical diseases. It bars treating children under two, and children from two to under eight unless conditions are met, recommending that clients stop prescribed care, and implying you are a physician or state licensed. A violation is a deceptive trade practice and removes your protection.