Don't be dazzled or deluded by the suffixes that appear after a practitioner's name - these letters aren't necessarily a mark of distinction, and may not all relate to the treatment you are after. Instead, check out the following before agreeing to treatment.

1. Make sure your therapist belongs to a professional association. This will prove they hold recognised professional qualifications and adhere to a reliable code of ethics and professional practice. Membership of a professional association accounts for one lot of post-name letters, allowing therapists to denote their affiliations.

2. Check that your practitioner holds full medical malpractice and third-party liability insurance: they should be able to provide insurance and qualification certificates on request. You can call their professional association to double check their membership status, and to ensure they have totted up their CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points, thus proving they are an active practitioner.

3. Therapists should carry out a full consultation prior to treatment, to establish if their treatment should be modified to suit your needs. In some instances, they may refer you to another health professional if they feel that someone else may be more suitable. They may also request the permission of your GP before treatment. Though this may be frustrating in the short term, you will know that your therapist has your best interests in mind.

· John French is chief executive of the Federation of Holistic Therapists (fht.org.uk)