Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct

ICONIC Board–credentialed practitioners are recognized by their commitment to a holistic philosophy of health that integrates evidence-informed practice with the full spectrum of human experience — what we call the "science and soul" approach. This integration is not incidental; it is foundational. The following core values express the character of the professional ICONIC Board seeks to credential and elevate.

Competence & Scope of Practice

ICONIC Board–credentialed practitioners provide services only within the boundaries of their education, training, credential level, and demonstrated competence. Holistic health practice encompasses many modalities; each has defined boundaries that must be respected.

• Practitioners do not diagnose, treat, prescribe, or cure physical or mental health conditions unless separately licensed to do so under applicable state or federal law. Holistic health practice supports wellbeing; it does not replace medical, psychiatric, or clinical care.
• Practitioners represent their credentials accurately and do not imply medical licensure, clinical licensure, or authority they do not hold.
• When a client presents with issues beyond the practitioner's competence, the practitioner promptly refers the client to an appropriately qualified professional.
• Practitioners maintain and develop their competence through continuing education, supervision, peer consultation, and ongoing study consistent with their credential requirements.
• Practitioners openly acknowledge the limits of their training and the evidence base for the modalities they employ.
• Practitioners practicing a new modality or technique acquire sufficient education and supervised experience before offering it to clients.

Confidentiality & Privacy

Practitioners protect the privacy and confidentiality of client information and records. Client trust depends on assurance that sensitive personal, health, and session information is handled with care.

• Practitioners disclose client information to third parties only with the client's explicit written consent, except as required by law (e.g., mandatory reporting obligations, legal process).
• Practitioners implement reasonable safeguards — technical, physical, and administrative — to protect client records from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss.
• Where applicable, practitioners comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and all applicable state privacy laws.
• Practitioners inform clients at the outset of the professional relationship about the nature of confidentiality, its limits, and the circumstances under which disclosure may be required.
• Practitioners do not discuss identifiable client information in public settings, social media, or other forums where confidentiality cannot be maintained.
• Following termination of the professional relationship, practitioners continue to protect the confidentiality of client information indefinitely.
• Practitioners take appropriate steps to ensure that technology platforms (scheduling software, telehealth platforms, communication apps) meet applicable privacy standards.

Informed Consent

Practitioners obtain meaningful informed consent before initiating any professional services. Informed consent is an ongoing process, not a one-time signature.

• Before services begin, practitioners provide prospective clients with clear, accessible information about the nature of services offered, methods to be used, expected outcomes and their limits, fees, confidentiality policies, and the practitioner's credentials.
• Practitioners use language and communication formats that clients can understand, providing interpretation or accessible materials when needed.
• Practitioners obtain and document consent before beginning work with new clients and before making significant changes to the nature or scope of services.
• Practitioners respect a client's right to decline, modify, or withdraw consent at any time without penalty.
• Practitioners do not proceed with services when consent is uncertain, compromised, or absent.
• When working with minors or individuals who may have diminished capacity, practitioners ensure that consent is obtained from the appropriate legal guardian or representative, in addition to the assent of the client where appropriate.
• Practitioners clearly disclose their credential status and clarify that ICONIC Board credentials are voluntary professional recognitions — not state licenses — so clients can make informed decisions about the care they seek.

Client Welfare & Safety

The welfare of the client is the primary obligation of every ICONIC-credentialed practitioner. This commitment is non-negotiable and supersedes the practitioner's personal interests.

• Practitioners place client wellbeing above personal, financial, organizational, or competitive interests.
• Practitioners do not exploit client vulnerability, emotional dependency, or the inherent power differential of the practitioner-client relationship.
• When a client's physical or psychological safety is at risk, practitioners take appropriate action — including referral to emergency services or licensed clinical professionals — even when doing so requires disclosing otherwise confidential information as permitted or required by law.
• Practitioners do not provide, continue, or recommend services they have reason to believe are not beneficial or are causing harm.
• Practitioners support clients in accessing appropriate medical, mental health, or emergency care when such care is indicated, and do not discourage clients from seeking licensed professional treatment.
• Practitioners appropriately terminate professional relationships — with referral where appropriate — when continued services are not in the client's best interest.
• Practitioners take care of their own psychological and physical wellbeing sufficient to provide competent, safe services.

Professional Boundaries

Practitioners maintain clear professional boundaries in all client relationships. The practitioner-client relationship is defined by the client's welfare and must not be used to serve the practitioner's personal needs.

• Practitioners do not engage in sexual, romantic, or other exploitative relationships with current clients.
• Practitioners exercise careful judgment and proceed with caution when considering entering into personal, social, financial, or business relationships with former clients, recognizing that the power differential of the professional relationship may persist.
• Practitioners avoid multiple relationships that could impair their professional judgment or increase the risk of client exploitation.
• Practitioners do not accept gifts or compensation of significant value that could compromise professional objectivity or create an obligation to the client.
• Practitioners set and maintain clear physical, emotional, and relational boundaries appropriate to the service modality and client population.
• Practitioners manage transference and countertransference thoughtfully, seeking consultation or supervision when boundary challenges arise.

Honest Representation & Credentials

Practitioners represent their credentials, qualifications, services, and methods with complete accuracy. In an industry where unverified claims can harm clients and undermine public trust, honest representation is non-negotiable.

• Practitioners accurately describe all credentials, degrees, certifications, and training they hold, and do not claim, imply, or suggest credentials they do not possess.
• Practitioners clearly distinguish ICONIC Board credentials (voluntary professional recognition) from state licensure, medical credentials, or clinical licensure — in all marketing materials, verbal communications, bios, and professional profiles.
• Practitioners do not misrepresent the benefits, efficacy, or scientific status of the services or modalities they offer.
• Practitioners do not use titles, designations, or language that implies medical, clinical, or regulatory authority they do not hold.
• Practitioners do not reproduce, display, or reference ICONIC Board seals or credential marks after a credential has lapsed, been surrendered, or been revoked.
• Practitioners promptly update ICONIC Board if credential-relevant circumstances change (e.g., loss of a required prerequisite certification, disciplinary action by another body).

Legal & Regulatory Compliance

Practitioners comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards governing their practice in every jurisdiction where they operate. ICONIC Board credential standards do not supersede — and cannot substitute for — legal compliance.

• Practitioners are personally responsible for understanding and complying with all federal, state, and local laws applicable to their practice, including privacy laws (including HIPAA where applicable), scope-of-practice statutes, advertising regulations, and anti-fraud laws.
• Practitioners do not engage in, facilitate, or conceal illegal conduct in the course of professional activities.
• Practitioners cooperate with lawful investigations by governmental authorities and do not obstruct legal process.
• Practitioners maintain any licenses, certifications, or registrations required by law in their jurisdiction to practice their stated services.
• Practitioners promptly report to ICONIC Board any criminal conviction, civil judgment, or adverse regulatory action related to professional conduct, as required by their credential agreement.
• Practitioners comply with all applicable advertising and health claims regulations and do not make unsubstantiated therapeutic claims.

Cultural Competence & Inclusion

Practitioners recognize and respect the diversity of their clients and communities, and commit to culturally responsive, inclusive, and affirming practice. Holistic health, by its nature, addresses the whole person — including their cultural, spiritual, and community context.

• Practitioners actively develop cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills to serve clients across all dimensions of identity, including race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, religion, socioeconomic background, and language.
• Practitioners examine and address their own biases, assumptions, and the ways in which their cultural background may affect their professional judgment and client relationships.
• Practitioners do not impose their personal, spiritual, religious, or cultural values on clients.
• Practitioners adapt communication styles, materials, and methods to be accessible and responsive to individual clients' cultural contexts and needs.
• Practitioners acknowledge and respect traditional, Indigenous, and culturally rooted healing practices, and engage with them with appropriate humility and care.
• When cultural differences create barriers to effective service, practitioners seek consultation, supervision, or referral to better serve the client's needs.

Technology & Telehealth Ethics

The growth of digital platforms, AI tools, and telehealth modalities creates new ethical responsibilities. Practitioners apply all standards of this Code to technology-mediated services and stay informed about emerging ethical issues in digital practice.

• Practitioners who offer telehealth or technology-mediated services ensure that the platforms they use meet applicable privacy, security, and data protection standards.
• Practitioners obtain specific informed consent related to technology-mediated services, including risks, limitations, and privacy considerations unique to digital delivery.
• Practitioners assess whether telehealth is appropriate for each client and each presenting concern, and do not use remote delivery when in-person services are clinically necessary or required.
• Practitioners using AI tools, digital assessments, or automated recommendation systems disclose this to clients and retain professional responsibility for all recommendations — AI does not relieve the practitioner of ethical accountability.
• Practitioners comply with all applicable jurisdictional requirements governing telehealth practice, including cross-jurisdictional rules when serving clients located in other states or countries.
• Practitioners maintain clear emergency protocols for telehealth clients and ensure clients can access emergency services if needed.
• Practitioners maintain professional conduct in all digital communications, including social media, and do not disclose client information or engage in unprofessional conduct online.

Non-Discrimination

ICONIC Board–credentialed practitioners do not discriminate in the provision of services, the terms of the professional relationship, or any aspect of professional practice.

• Practitioners do not discriminate against clients or prospective clients on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, disability, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
• Practitioners do not impose fees, conditions, or service limitations on a discriminatory basis.
• Practitioners take affirmative steps to make their services accessible, including considering accessibility needs of clients with disabilities.
• Practitioners report to ICONIC Board any concern that another credentialed practitioner is engaging in discriminatory conduct, consistent with the complaint procedures.
• Practitioners recognize that systemic inequity affects access to holistic health resources and commit to equitable practice to the extent within their power.

The Professional Pledge is signed by every practitioner at the time of credentialing and renewed at each renewal period. It is the practitioner's personal commitment to the standards of this Code.

The pledge is not merely ceremonial. It is a practitioner's acceptance of the accountability structures of the ICONIC Board, including the complaint and disciplinary process, and their understanding that credential maintenance depends on ongoing adherence to this Code.

Complaints, Enforcement & Reporting

ICONIC Board maintains a formal complaint and disciplinary process for alleged Code violations. The process is designed to be fair, transparent, and accessible.

• Who may file: Any person — client, colleague, employer, or member of the public — who has reason to believe a credentialed practitioner has violated this Code may submit a complaint.
• Confidentiality: Complaints are handled confidentially. Parties are identified to each other as required by the investigation process, but complaint details are not publicly disclosed.
• Annual statistics: ICONIC Board publishes anonymized aggregate complaint statistics annually — including the number of complaints received, categories of alleged violations, and outcomes — to promote accountability and public transparency. Individual case details are never published.
• Sanctions: Depending on findings, sanctions may range from a formal written warning and required remedial education to suspension or revocation of credentials.
• Appeals: Practitioners subject to sanctions have the right to appeal under the Disciplinary Procedures adopted by Board resolution.
• Referrals: ICONIC Board may refer matters to licensing authorities, law enforcement, or other regulatory bodies where appropriate. Credential disciplinary proceedings are independent of and do not substitute for legal processes.

The ICONIC Board Standards of Practice define the minimum professional conduct expectations for credentialed practitioners across all 28 recognized modality pathways and 39 specialty endorsements. These Standards operate in conjunction with the Code of Ethics and are reviewed annually by the Advisory Council.

Where a practitioner holds a specialty endorsement, the Endorsement-Specific Standards in Section IV.C apply in addition to — not in replacement of — the Universal Standards.

Universal Standards — All Credentialed Practitioners

The following standards apply to every ICONIC Board credential holder, regardless of modality, tier, or endorsement status.

• SOP-1 Scope of Practice: Practitioners shall operate exclusively within the boundaries of their documented training, competency, and applicable ICONIC credential tier. Scope shall be communicated clearly to every client prior to engagement.
• SOP-2 Client Screening: Practitioners shall conduct a baseline intake assessment for every new client and refer to licensed healthcare providers when presenting concerns fall outside the practitioner's scope. No practitioner shall diagnose, prescribe, or treat medical conditions.
• SOP-3 Informed Consent Documentation: Written informed consent is required prior to any client session, clearly stating the nature of services, their limitations, and the practitioner's credentials. Consent records shall be retained for a minimum of seven (7) years.
• SOP-4 Client Records: Practitioners shall maintain accurate session records. Records shall be kept confidential, securely stored, and made available to the client upon request, consistent with applicable privacy law.
• SOP-5 Continuing Education: All credential holders shall fulfill the CE requirement for their tier during each renewal cycle. CE must be completed through ICONIC-approved providers and documented in the practitioner's record.
• SOP-6 Credential Representation: Practitioners shall accurately represent their credential tier, scope, and status. Lapsed or revoked credentials shall not be represented as current. ICONIC trademarks and credential designations shall be used only as authorized.
• SOP-7 Professional Liability: Practitioners are encouraged — and at the IBC-HHE™ and IBC-HHD™ tiers, required — to maintain appropriate professional liability insurance. Coverage details shall be disclosed to clients upon request.
• SOP-8 Referral Obligation: Practitioners shall establish a working referral network of licensed healthcare professionals. If a client presents indicators of acute medical, psychiatric, or psychological crisis, the practitioner shall facilitate immediate referral and cease holistic sessions until clinical clearance is obtained.
• SOP-9 Social Media & Public Communications: Practitioners shall not make unsubstantiated therapeutic or medical claims in public communications. Testimonials shall not be solicited in exchange for discounts or preferential treatment. All marketing shall accurately represent the nature and scope of holistic services.
• SOP-10 Conflict of Interest: Practitioners shall disclose any financial relationship with products or services recommended to clients, including supplement companies, affiliate arrangements, or commissioned referrals.

Modality Pathway Standards — 28 Recognized Pathways

The following pathway-level standards apply to practitioners credentialed within each recognized modality. Practitioners with credentials across multiple pathways are held to the standards of each pathway in which they practice.

Endorsement-Specific Practice Standards — 39 Specialty Endorsements

ICONIC Board recognizes 39 specialty endorsements across 6 categories. Practitioners who hold an endorsement are subject to the following additional standards, which represent the minimum conduct expected for representation of endorsement-specific expertise.

Full endorsement-specific guidance documents are published by the Advisory Council's Endorsement Standards Board and made available to endorsed practitioners through the member portal. Endorsement standards are reviewed annually and updated in alignment with field developments.