Howdy! My name is Issy Aldridge, thank you for considering working with me! I am an Advanced Energy Medicine Practitioner.
WHAT IS ENERGY MEDICINE? Energy Medicine is an approach that involves balancing and restoring your body’s natural energies for the purposes of increasing your vitality, strengthening your mental capacities, and optimizing your health.
ENHANCING YOUR BODY’S ENERGIES. You may have heard about subtle energy through terms such as the “life force,” “chi,” “meridians,” “chakras,” “biofields,” or “auras.” In many healing traditions, the “life force,” the animating power whose presence defines life and whose absence defines death, is understood as a form of subtle energy. Eastern cultures, in particular, have studied such energies for millennia and have successfully applied their understanding for enhancing both physical and emotional health. Systems designed to influence the body’s subtle energies include yoga, Reiki, acupuncture, acupressure, tai chi, therapeutic touch, Emotion Code and energy medicine, to name just a few. Many hospitals in the United States now include such methods to help with the healing of a variety of conditions.
Energy Medicine Techniques. The techniques I will be using and teaching you are based on the premise that by promoting balance and flow in the body’s electromagnetic and subtle energies, health and wellbeing are enhanced. The techniques may involve the use of certain postures or movements or touching, holding, pressing on, tracing, or circling over specified areas of the skin. They move, balance, enhance, and restore the body’s energies. I may also employ a procedure called “energy testing” where I apply light pressure to your outstretched arm for in person sessions, sometimes while you or I touch another area of your body. This is a way of assessing how your energies are flowing through specific areas of your body and may help us identify the techniques that will be most beneficial for you. The methods we will be using lend themselves to highly individualized applications in the office as well as to back-home self-care. For virtual sessions, I can use myself as the proxy or guide you to self-test on yourself.
WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS OF MY ENERGY MEDICINE PRACTICE? Although energy medicine uses the term “medicine,” it does not imply that energy medicine practitioners are practicing medicine. Energy medicine is a term used by many training programs that teach people how to assess and correct energy imbalances in the body. Energy medicine is not a substitute for the diagnosis and/ or treatment of medical or mental health conditions by a licensed healthcare professional. If you have a disorder that has been diagnosed by a licensed medical or mental health professional or a condition that should be evaluated by a licensed health professional, my services should be used only in conjunction with your obtaining that care. I do not diagnose or treat medical or mental health disorders, nor am I trained or licensed to do so. Energy medicine attempts to optimize the body’s overall health and vitality, but it is not to be used instead of appropriate care from a licensed professional.
Besides the fact that energy medicine does not diagnose or treat illness, another difference between my services and typical visits to a medical doctor is that effective energy work requires active involvement between sessions. Our sessions will establish energy patterns that optimize body, mind, and spirit. Reinforcing these new patterns through the practice of energy exercises at home will reinforce, maintain, and extend the benefits you receive in the sessions.
Energy medicine techniques bring disturbed energies back to a state of balance and harmony. These corrections will generally consist of various forms of light or deeper touch and of movement of my hands within your body’s energy field. If you are uncomfortable with being touched or with any of the procedures being used, please tell me immediately and I will instantly stop.
While the methods I use and teach are gentle and considered noninvasive, physical or emotional aftereffects may occur after your energies have been stimulated and adjusted. In some instances, deeper pressure is used to move energies that may be blocked or congested in a particular area of the body, and this may cause some pain or discomfort. Dizziness, nausea, and anxiety are relatively unusual but not unheard-of side effects of energy work. If any procedure is unsettling or leads to discomfort, please tell me immediately. I will instantly stop if you request me to do so and can often provide a technique to counter the discomfort.
PROFESSIONAL RECORDS. I keep brief records on each virtual session, primarily noting the date of the session, the interventions used, and progress or obstacles observed as they relate to your goals in working with me. You are welcome to request, in writing, that I make available to other health-care providers a copy of your file. I maintain your records in a secure location that cannot be accessed by anyone else. I will maintain your records for at least seven years after our last contact, after which time I may securely dispose of them.
CONFIDENTIALITY. Except for special situations described in the numbered list that follows, you have the absolute right to the confidentiality of your therapy. I cannot and will not tell anyone else what you have told me, or even that you are in therapy with me without your prior written permission. Under the provisions of the Health Care Information Act of 1992, I may under certain circumstances legally speak to another health-care provider or a member of your family about you without your prior consent, but I will not do so unless the situation is an emergency. I will always act to protect your privacy to the best of my ability. You may direct me to share information with whomever you choose, and you can change your mind and revoke that permission at any time. You may request anyone you wish to attend a session with you.
You are also protected under the provisions of the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law ensures the confidentiality of all electronic transmission of information about you. If you elect to communicate with me by e-mail at some point in our work together, please be aware that e-mail is not completely confidential. All e-mails are retained in the logs of your or my Internet service provider. Although under normal circumstances no one looks at these logs, they are, in theory, available to be read by the system administrators of the Internet service provider. As part of your treatment record, I will keep any e-mail I receive from you, and any responses that I send to you.
The following are seven exceptions to your right to confidentiality:
There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect others from harm, even if I have to reveal some information about a client’s treatment. For example, if I believe that a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person is being abused, I must file a report with the appropriate state or local agency.
If I believe that a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another, I am required to take protective actions. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalization for the client.
If I believe that you are in imminent danger of harming yourself, I may legally break confidentiality and contact the police, a local crisis team, a family member, or other intimates.
If you tell me of the behavior of another named health or mental health–care provider that suggests this person has either (1) engaged in sexual contact with a patient, including yourself, or (2) is impaired from practice in some manner due to cognitive, emotional, behavioral, or health problems, then the law requires me to report this to the practitioner’s state licensing board. I will inform you before taking this step. If you are my client and are also a healthcare provider, however, your confidentiality remains protected under the law from this kind of reporting.
In certain legal proceedings, particularly those involving child custody or those in which your emotional condition or treatment is an important issue, a judge may order my testimony. Confidentiality is not protected when a judge makes such an order or in certain other legal procedures. Consult with an attorney if you are involved in a legal situation in which such confidentialities may be at issue.
If am asked to provide services to your spouse, partner, or another member of your family, we will in advance establish the limits of confidentiality. It generally confines a practitioner’s effectiveness when required to keep secrets, so my policy in most circumstances is that what you say and what we do can be shared with other family members I am working with. If this is what we establish, do not tell me anything you wish to keep secret from other intimates who are receiving sessions from me. If confidential information is a concern, it may be better for each family member to work with a different practitioner.
I may occasionally find it helpful to consult other professionals about a client. During a consultation, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of the client. The consultant is also bound to keep the information confidential. If you don’t object, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I feel that it is important to our work together. Although this written summary of exceptions to confidentiality should prove helpful in informing you about potential problems, please discuss with me any questions or concerns you may have. I will be happy to explore these issues with you, but formal legal advice may be needed from an attorney because the laws governing confidentiality can be quite complex.
You acknowledge and consent for me to share stories and experiences from our sessions together for educational or promotional purposes. Rest assured, your privacy and confidentiality are of utmost importance to me, and I will always ensure that your identity remains confidential. Any shared stories will have identifying details altered or omitted to maintain your anonymity and confidentiality. Your trust is valued and respected, and I am committed to honoring it in all aspects of our work together.
MINORS. If you are under eighteen years of age, please be aware that the law may provide your parents or legal guardians the right to examine my records of our work together. It is my policy to request a written agreement from parents to waive their right to access your records. If they agree, I will provide them only with general information about our work together unless I feel there is a high risk that you will seriously harm yourself or someone else. In this case, I will notify them of my concern. Before giving them any information, I will discuss the matter with you, if possible, and do my best to handle any objections you may have about what I am planning to discuss.
PROFESSIONAL FEES. My fees are listed on my website at www.MovingEnergies.com please confirm rates before booking your sessions. If we decide to meet for a longer session or a shorter session, I will bill you prorated. In addition to scheduled appointments, I also prorate the hourly fee for other professional services you may request. Other services might include emergency telephone conversations lasting longer than ten minutes, listening to lengthy voicemail messages, reading and responding to e-mails other than for routine business, attending meetings with other professionals you have authorized, and preparing requested records or treatment summaries. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, you will be expected to pay for my professional time even if I am called to testify by another party. Because of the difficulty of legal involvement, I charge an EXTRA [$100] per hour on top of my regular rate at that time, for preparation and attendance (plus travel time) at any legal proceeding.
BILLING AND PAYMENTS. You will be expected to pay for each session before it is held unless we agree otherwise. Payment schedules for other professional services will be agreed to when they are requested.
Once an appointment is scheduled, you will be expected to pay for it unless you provide twenty-four-hours’ advance notice of cancellation. If you are late, we will still end on time and not run over into the next person’s session. If you miss a session without canceling, or cancel with less than twenty-four hours notice, you must pay for that session by the time of our next meeting unless we both agree that you were unable to attend due to circumstances beyond your control. In circumstances of unusual financial hardship, I may be willing to negotiate a payment installment plan.
If that is done and your account has not been paid for more than sixty days and arrangements for payment have not been agreed upon, I have the option of using legal means to secure the payment. This may involve hiring a collection agency or going through small claims court. If such legal action is necessary, its costs will be included in the claim. In most collection situations, the only information released is the client’s name, contact information, dates and type of services provided, and the amount due.
CONTACTING ME. I am often with a client or otherwise not immediately available by telephone. When I am unavailable, you will reach my voice mail. I monitor it frequently and will make every effort to return your call on the same day you make it, except on weekends, holidays, and vacations. If it will be difficult to reach you, please inform me of sometimes when you will be available. If you are unable to reach me and feel that you can’t wait for me to return your call, contact your family physician or, if you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room of a nearby hospital.
OUR WORK TOGETHER. Our meetings are designed to enhance and balance the flow of the body’s natural energies. You can expect me to approach my work with you in a professional manner, to honor scheduled appointment times, and to treat any information I learn about you as confidential.
Energy Medicine techniques bring disturbed energies back to a state of balance and harmony. Generally, these techniques will consist of various forms of light or deeper touch for in-person sessions and the movement of my hands within your body’s energy field. If you are uncomfortable with being touched or with any of the procedures being used, please tell me immediately and I will stop right away.
While the methods I will be using are gentle and considered non-invasive, it is possible that physical or emotional after-effects may occur once your energies have been stimulated and adjusted. If any procedure is uncomfortable or leads to discomfort, please tell me at once. I will stop instantly if you request me to do so and can often provide a technique to counter the discomfort. Feel free to reach out to me any time if you have any concerns.
OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP. You have the right to ask me questions about anything that happens in our work together. I’m always willing to discuss how and why I’ve decided to do what I’m doing and to look at alternatives that might work better. You can feel free to ask me to try something that you think will be helpful. You can ask me about my training for working with your concerns and can request that I refer you to someone else if you decide I’m not the right practitioner for you. You are free to terminate our work together at any time.
TOUCH. Physical contact, even in a healing relationship, can be a sensitive matter Touching in a sexual manner is unethical within a professional healing relationship, illegal, and will never be a part of your treatment. Many of the methods I will use, however, are likely to involve touch. The theory behind such methods is that touching or holding points can assist me, and you, in identifying and shifting imbalances in your energies. At such times, you would remain fully clothed. I will always explain ahead of time where I will touch, and you can let me know if you are comfortable with it or not. I will always honor any requests not to touch.
It is important to be aware that touch can also be a potential problem in a healing relationship if you have had a history of paranoia, have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, has been sexually or physically abused, have suffered from other types of trauma, or if you tend to dissociate or detach from your sense of self. Prior to starting our work together, please let me know if you fall into any of these categories. We can discuss any emotional risks associated with touch that may be of concern to you. Furthermore, if you have any misgivings, doubts, or any negative reactions to any physical contact, it is very important that you let me know as soon as possible so that we can discuss your concerns. If you are uncomfortable talking to me, I encourage you to talk through such concerns with another professional. If you wish, I can make a referral for you.
Should you choose to participate in the Energy Work, you have the choice to give consent for me to act as a “proxy” for you so that you may enjoy the benefits of a session. Sessions may begin after you decide on this option; Consent is a prerequisite to any Energetic Connection. After completing your first session, if you believe that you have not benefited or received any value whatsoever, your fee will be promptly refunded. Moving Energies makes no claims as to healing or recovery from any illness.
DISTANCE HEALING. My services are provided in person or as Distance Healing, which will be explained fully during the session. This is accomplished through Energetic connection by Proxy. You will not experience any physical contact if doing a Distance Healing session. It’s as effective as an in-person session as the same energy flows to you remotely as it would in person. Sessions are conducted via video call or other arrangements made in advance.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. If you are involved in legal proceedings based on your having been traumatized, please understand that the goals of our work together may involve healing the physical and emotional aftermath of the trauma, and this could adversely affect your ability to provide legal testimony that carries the same impact as it would before treatment.
TERMINATING TREATMENT. Normally, you will be the one who decides when our work together will end, but there are three exceptions to this. If I determine that I am unable, for any reason, to provide you with the services you are requesting at a high professional standard, I will inform you of this decision as soon as possible. Second, if you verbally or physically threaten or harass me, my office, or my family, I reserve the right to terminate you from treatment immediately and unilaterally. Third, I reserve the right to refuse or terminate a session if you or anyone in the session is suspected of being under the influence of a mood-altering substance. You will be responsible and charged for full payment of the normal fee.
VACATIONS. I am away from the office several times each year for vacations or to attend professional meetings. I will make every effort to tell you well in advance of any anticipated lengthy absences and to discuss other options for continuing to work toward your goals during my absence.
COMPLAINTS. If you are unhappy with our work together, I hope you will talk about it with me so I can respond to your concerns directly. I will take such concerns seriously and respond to them with care and respect.
REMINDER
Energy Medicine stimulate innate health-promoting mechanisms that restore the body’s natural state of well-being. It does not attempt to diagnose, treat, or cure illness.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Prior to scheduling your first appointment, you will be required to acknowledge that you have read the information in this document (Issy Aldridge and Moving Energies Services Disclosure Statement and Agreement), that you understand it fully and agree to abide by its terms during our professional relationship. Please contact me to discuss any questions or concerns regarding the terms of this agreement.