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Although mainstream allopatic medicine is the dominant model in Iran, many other kinds of healing are currently also being used. This paper aims to describe some aspects of prayer healing in Iran. This study has been carried out using participatory observation and in-depth interviews with fourteen healers who worked in Tehran. Also one hundred and seventy patients who referred to healing centers were interviewed through random sampling. The findings are summarized in terms of a description of some personal characteristic of healers, the methods of healing, healer–patient communication patterns and, finally, some consequences of visiting a prayer healer. The findings indicate that, despite the increasing growth in scientific medicine, traditional healing is still alive. It is a cultural way of coping with health problems. This essay also makes several suggestion for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]