What does Emotion Code certification involve?
Certification comes from Discover Healing, the company founded by Dr. Bradley Nelson. According to its FAQ, there are no prerequisites. Students complete online modules with videos, quizzes and readings from The Emotion Code, then build a portfolio of practice sessions: an initial and follow-up session with ten people, and clearing what the method calls a Heart-Wall from five people. They have up to six months, and Discover Healing says most finish in six to eight weeks.
Certification is not a license. Discover Healing's legal page states that no state in the United States licenses Emotion Code practitioners and that the method is self-regulated. Some practitioners also hold a separate professional license in another field, such as nursing, massage or mental health, but the Emotion Code certificate is not a clinical qualification in itself. Practitioners certified in the related Body Code or Belief Code have completed further levels of the same company's training; our page on the Emotion Code, Body Code and Belief Code explains the difference.
How do I check that someone is certified?
Discover Healing's Global Practitioner Map lets you search by location, name, session type or language. The company says a listing indicates that the practitioner has completed its certification requirements, and that active listings are for practitioners who are also enrolled in its Practitioner Education Program for continued learning. Practitioners add their own contact details and descriptions, so the map confirms certification, not quality.
If someone says they are certified but you cannot find them, ask them. They may have let their listing lapse, which is not necessarily a problem, but they should be able to explain.
What questions should I ask?
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health suggests choosing a complementary practitioner as carefully as you would choose a conventional health care provider. These questions are a good start:
- When and where were you certified, and are you listed on the practitioner map?
- Do you hold any other professional license, and if so, do you keep that work separate from the Emotion Code?
- What do you tell clients the Emotion Code can and cannot do, and what do you say about the scientific evidence?
- What happens in a session, how long does it last, and is it in person, by phone or by proxy?
- What does it cost, and what are your refund, expiry and cancellation terms?
- What do you do if a client is in distress or mentions a health problem?
- How do you handle consent and confidentiality, especially for proxy sessions?
What are the red flags?
Discover Healing's own guidance to its practitioners, written after a legal review of its marketing, tells them to avoid absolute promises, avoid presenting particular conditions as caused by trapped emotions, and avoid addressing specific conditions such as migraine, depression, anxiety, PTSD or pain. A practitioner who ignores that guidance is a practitioner to avoid. Walk away if someone:
- promises to heal, fix or remove an illness, or says the Emotion Code is proven;
- tells you to stop or reduce medication, skip a medical appointment, or leave therapy;
- says your illness is caused by your emotions, or that you are to blame for being unwell;
- claims to diagnose physical or mental health conditions through muscle testing;
- pressures you to buy a large prepaid package, or to buy magnets or other products;
- offers proxy sessions on another adult without that person's permission;
- tells you that doubting the method is why it did not work;
- asks you to keep sessions secret from your doctor, therapist or family;
- continues a session when you are clearly in crisis, instead of helping you get urgent care.
What does a good practitioner look like?
- They describe the Emotion Code in the method's own terms, using phrases like our premise is, and say plainly that its mechanism is not established by scientific evidence.
- They make no promises about outcomes and are comfortable with your skepticism.
- They ask about your health and encourage you to keep any medical and mental health care you have.
- They are clear about price, session length and how to stop.
- They respect your beliefs, including if you prefer to leave out any spiritual element.
If the practitioner is also a therapist
Some licensed clinicians are also certified in complementary practices. That can be a good combination, provided the two are clearly separate. Ask how they keep clinical care and energy work apart, how they handle consent for each, and whether you can have one without being offered the other. Laura Bass, a psychotherapist and certified Emotion Code practitioner, keeps the two as separate pathways; our page on the Emotion Code and psychotherapy explains why.
If you are dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma or another condition, a licensed therapist or doctor is the right first choice, whatever else you decide. In an emergency call 911, or call or text 988.
Asking Laura
Laura welcomes these questions, skeptical ones included. Contact Laura, read about Emotion Code sessions with Laura, or see what sessions typically cost. The rest of the series is in the Emotion Code guide.
Common questions
Is an Emotion Code practitioner licensed?
Not for the Emotion Code itself. Certification is issued by Discover Healing, a private company, and Discover Healing states that no state in the United States licenses Emotion Code practitioners. A practitioner may hold a separate license for other work, such as nursing or massage therapy, but that license does not cover the Emotion Code, and the certificate is not a clinical qualification.
Does it matter where a practitioner is located?
Discover Healing says many practitioners work by phone or by proxy, so location matters less than for most services. You may still prefer someone local for in-person sessions, or someone in your time zone. What matters more is how they talk about the method, whether they make health claims, and whether their prices and terms are clear.
Is a Body Code practitioner more qualified than an Emotion Code practitioner?
Within Discover Healing's system, yes: Body Code certification requires Emotion Code certification first, and Belief Code certification requires both. That is more training in the same method, not a clinical qualification, and it does not change what the evidence says. Choose on the basis of how carefully and honestly someone practices, not only on certification level.
What should I do if a practitioner made health claims to me?
You are free to stop at any time. If a practitioner told you to stop medication or avoid medical care, talk to your doctor promptly. Discover Healing publishes guidance telling its practitioners not to make such claims, and you can raise your concern with the company. Deceptive health claims can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission.