Holistic Health
Holistic Health Career Overview
Holistic health refers to a philosophy of medical care that views physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life as closely interconnected and equally important approaches to treatment. It is frequently associated with alternative medicine, however, lately it has been increasingly used in mainstream medical practice as part of a broad view of patient care.
The philosophy of holistic health states that the practitioner must use safe methods of diagnosis and treatment while emphasizing the care of the whole person, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Almost all forms of natural medicine adhere to this philosophy.
Holistic health practitioners believe the body, mind, and spirit are connected in complex ways. Grounded in a variety of theoretical perspectives, holistic health practitioners share a broad view of health and wellness that addresses the multidimensional state of human beings. When treating a patient, the holistic health practitioner may combine massage therapy, nutritional counseling, herbology, reflexology, acupressure, yoga, traditional Chinese medicine, polarity, and breathing techniques.
As a holistic health practitioner, you must be caring, honest, and self-directed, which means you need to take responsibility for your own health and learning. With a strong sense of empathy and ethics, a holistic health practitioner must have an intuitive understanding of the complex harmony of body/mind/spirit.
For a lot of specialties, such as acupuncture and massage therapy, most states require that practitioners be certified. There are many course options available, including three-week-long certificate programs.
Holistic Health Training & Education
In order to become a holistic health practitioner, it is important to learn how to design a holistic health program for each client's unique needs, and how to integrate different natural healing (naturopathic) therapies into health programs.
There are various holistic health degrees and certificates available. Programs range from a few months of training to three years. Some provide enough training to become a licensed massage therapist, with additional training in other areas (herbology, nutrition, etc.).
Some schools offer smaller programs with fewer hours, which can provide additional training to someone who is already working as an acupuncturist, chiropractor, or other holistic health areas. Depending on the school and program, some holistic health practitioners can qualify to become massage therapists or licensed counselors upon completion of a master's degree in holistic health counseling.
Holistic Health Career & Salary Outlook
As a higher percentage of the population becomes interested in natural healthcare techniques and treatments, they are looking for knowledgeable holistic health practitioners. Therefore, a high level of job growth in the holistic health field is expected in the coming years.
Holistic health practitioners earned an average of between $37,000 and $45,000 per year in 2004.
As a holistic health practitioner, you will work collaboratively with clients, conventional practitioners, and other holistic professionals to offer a complete range of options for improving a client's health and well-being. It is possible to work independently or as a partner in a clinic.
Career Fields/Specializations
Massage Therapist Career
Massage therapy, an ancient art that has been around for thousands of years, is nowadays being used as to treat painful ailments, decompress tired and overworked muscles, and reduce stress, ultimately promoting better overall health.
As a massage therapist, you can specialize in more than 80 different types of massage: Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and reflexology are just a few. Most massage therapists specialize in several modalities, which all require different techniques.
You can work either part or full time. Massage therapists work in an array of settings, both private and public: private offices, studios, hospitals, fitness centers, and even airports. Some massage therapists also travel to clients' homes or offices to provide a massage.
Training standards and requirements for massage therapists vary greatly by state and locality. Most of the boards governing massage therapy require practicing massage therapists to complete a formal education program and pass the national certification examination or a state exam.
There are many college programs, training programs and post-secondary schools that offer certification and degrees in massage therapy. These programs range from three-month to three-year programs.
Acupuncturist Career
Acupuncture is a procedure adapted from Chinese medical practice that treats illness and provides anesthesia by inserting needles at specific points in the body. To practice acupuncture effectively, you need to understand the functions of different organs and muscles, and good manual dexterity is a necessity.
Many states use NCCAOM certification as the main examination criteria for licensure. It takes three to four years to achieve this certification. Many different programs are available throughout the country.
As an acupuncturist, you can work independently or at various practices, so average salaries differ greatly. Acupuncturists' gross annual income in 2006 ranged from $30,405 per year to more than $105,000 per year. Practitioners who worked in hospitals made more than $65,000 per year, while practitioners who worked for nonprofit organizations made less than $35,000 per year.
Acupressure Career
The acupressure massage technique applies pressure to specific points on the body related to acupuncture points. Acupressure practitioners use their thumbs, fingers, palms, and elbows to feel the tissue around muscles, nerves, and blood vessels in order to apply pressure to specific pressure points.
Practitioners often use acupressure to control chronic pain, such as muscular pain, migraines, and backaches. Acupressure can be integrated into almost any type of natural medicine practice, but is most commonly offered by bodyworkers.
Since acupressure does not require the use of needles (like acupuncture), it is generally classified as massage, and training may be offered through massage schools or independent seminars for bodyworkers. Some massage schools offer acupressure as a specialization.
Energy Healer Career
Energy healing is a somewhat broad term that refers to any form of healing that smooths out, manipulates, restores or balances the flow of energy in the body. It may include subtle energy healing, the laying on of hands, polarity therapy, Reiki and others.
Energy healers generally work one-on-one with clients. The emphasis is often placed on solving emotional or spiritual problems rather than treating a specific physical problem. Many combine two or more healing modalities in their practices, including craniosacral therapy, flower essences, spiritual counseling, acupressure and so on.
It is crucial for energy healers to be knowledgeable about anatomy and physiology. In addition, a background in psychology is helpful since energy healing can trigger emotional releases in clients. Learning basic counseling skills will help in working with clients.
Reflexologist Career
Reflexology is a system of applying pressure to certain points on the hands, feet, and occasionally the ears. It is based on the same theories of traditional Chinese medicine as acupressure. Specific points on the feet and hands are believed to correspond to organs and tissues in the body.
Like in most holistic health specialties, being knowledgeable about anatomy and physiology is essential for a reflexologist. It is important to know not just where things are in the body, but also which reflexes in the hands, feet, and ears correspond to which body parts, glands and organs.
As a reflexologist, you can be self-employed, either owning your own clinic or visiting individuals at their homes, or you can work within clinics, private offices or hospitals.
