Among energetic medicine practitioners, the most formal training is available for music therapists. Music Therapy uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is designed to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication and promote phy7sical rehabilitation.

Therapists design music sessions for individuals and groups based on client needs using music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, and learning through music; participate in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, and follow up.

More than 60 programs are available in the United States that are based on standards of the AMTA. Four years of study and an AMTA-approved clinical internship lead to a BA in music therapy.

For other energetic healing arts, training is generally conducted using mentorship models, with individual and class instruction offered by others who have been previously trained. There are no accreditation standards for any other programs in energetic healing.

The Regulation of Energetic Medicine Practitioners

Generally, practitioners of energetic medicine are unregulated. In some cases, Boards of Nursing accept the practice of therapeutic touch or other energetic approaches; for others, it is a regulatory challenge. Qi Gong practitioners may fall under the practice of Oriental medicine and Acupuncture; where those professions are licensed, regulations may apply.

In many venues, however, practitioners of energetic medicine are unregulated. In the state of Minnesota a unique regulatory situation exists with a "Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Provider Law" which permits many unlicensed practitioners of health care services to operate without fear of running afoul of medical practice statutes. This law gives the Minnesota Department of Health the oversight of these unlicensed and unregulated practitioners.