Holistic Medicine
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Holistic medicine applies the theory that healing is a result of an understanding the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. It is a practice that combines the use of traditional medicines with spiritual exercises to address the underlying causes of medical conditions by understanding and treating contributing factors.
In practice, holistic medicine can take many different forms and treat diseases in many different ways, but in general, holistic medicine tends to treat people in their entirety rather than focusing on specific problems or symptoms exclusive of the rest of the body. In this way, holistic medicine focuses on treating the overall body to create a permanent solution rather than focusing on one specific disease. Holistic medicine also focuses on using traditional medicines and healing techniques rather than modern manufactured pharmaceuticals. Disease, in this way, is understood to be the result of an imbalance of a variety of life factors including physical space, emotional well-being, and social and environmental triggers. When any or all of these falls out of balance, then disease can ensue. Treatment, therefore, focuses on bringing all of these factors back into balance.
The practitioner of holistic medicine is considered a guide and a supporter, not a treater; the treatment and change has to come from the patient who undergoes holistic treatment. The practitioner is there to provide support and guidance through the process and to act as a role model for how to to treat and prevent imbalances, which can lead to disease.
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Career Specializations
The field of holistic medicine can be provided by a variety of different kinds of holistic services that all fall under the larger umbrella term of holistic medicine. Many holistic medicine practices may focus on multiple holistic services or specialize in just one or two. Some of the most common holistic services include the following:
- Natural Hormone Therapies: This type of holistic medicine focuses on the use of hormones that are naturally occurring within the body in order to increase certain immune abilities naturally.
- Acupuncture: Acupuncture uses direct application of pressure and pain on specialized pressure points around the body to release energy and allow the body's natural energy to flow more naturally.
- Vitamin and Mineral Care: Through the use of natural vitamins and minerals, this course of holistic treatment specializes in providing essential nutrients through natural methods to create a balance of basic acids within the body.
Degree Levels
- Certificate: 6 months to 1 year to complete
- Associate Degree: 1-2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
There is not one specific path that a student can take to begin practicing holistic medicine. Because of the wide variety of the types of holistic medicine provided to patients, many practitioners of holistic medicine can come from completely different backgrounds. Thus, a massage therapist, an alternative medicine provider, and a holistic tea shop owner could all be considered practitioners of holistic medicine.
In order to become a licensed practitioner of holistic medicine, one must complete the necessary certifications within the specific field. For example, massage therapists and acupuncturists are generally required by states to pass exams and become licensed before practicing. However, specific requirements can vary greatly by state.
Those who earn a degree in alternative medicine, which could be considered the most direct route to holistic medicine, often gain certification to practice different types of alternative medicine through their schooling. Generally, practitioners of holistic medicine rely on a much more informal system of regulation in which the community of holistic medicine practitioners will support or shun each other based on good or bad practices. The largest national group that ties practitioners of holistic medicine together would be the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA), which regulates its membership based on referrals by current members of the association who are in good standing.
Salary Information
Salaries for practitioners of holistic medicine can vary widely based on the specializations and individual success of practitioners. Since most holistic medicine providers have their own practice or work out of a small practice whose revenue is driven by clientele, the annual salary is impossible to predict or average out across the entire field.
Within holistic medicine, certain practices can be more successful or less successful depending on the services provided and the success of the individual provider. However, on average massage therapists make $16.17 an hour while chiropractors and acupuncturists make more, averaging an annual salary of $66,490. No general statistics are available for the overall practice of alternative medicine, but as healthcare professionals, the average salary can range from $60,000 to over $100,000 a year. (BLS); (BLS)
Job Outlook
Much like salary, the job outlook for holistic medicine providers varies greatly by sector and individual success. However, there are some trends across the industry that point to a favorable job outlook for practitioners. Jobs for massage therapists, for example, are expected to grow slightly faster than average over the next 5-10 years, while jobs for chiropractors and acupuncturists are expected to grow much faster than average. In general, as the demand increases for alternative medicine, which is also often cheaper than traditional medicine, jobs in the industry are expected to grow -- sometimes very rapidly in the coming years. (BLS); (BLS)
Related Careers
- Massage Therapy: Massage therapy is often considered a type of holistic medicine. Massage therapy uses the direct application of hand movements across the body to relieve stressful muscles and loosen tightened connections to allow the body to function more freely. Often, massage therapy also involves spiritual or emotional counseling and is sought after for more general spiritual healing and stress-relieving reasons.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapists generally work with the recently wounded patients or patients recovering from major surgery in order to help them regain former strength through the deliberate application of muscle stretches and exercises. Through the use of very traditional exercise techniques, physical therapy attempts to provide patients with increased functionality of muscles and joints to provide patients with full mobility.
- Medical Massage: Similar to massage therapy, the practice of medical massage is the use of pressure and stroking deliberately to relieve tension and facilitate the process of healing. Medical massage is often sought by patients who have undergone more modern treatments but need additional medical massage and therapeutic assistance to fully recover.
