An accredited holistic health practitioner program equips its students with the skills needed to promote natural healing methods, including life coaching, mindfulness training, NLP and mental wellness practices.
Programs may range in duration from short-term certificate programs to graduate and undergraduate degrees, so students should check if their program offers financing or has lending partnerships to make certification more easily accessible.
What You’ll Learn
Holistic health practitioners employ various natural therapies, such as bodywork, nutrition, herbs, mindfulness and other healthful practices to treat their clients holistically. Holistic medicine practitioners look beyond Western medicine’s narrow perspective to consider all aspects of an individual’s physical, chemical, emotional, social economic spiritual mental wellbeing as a whole.
These ancient healing traditions are making a comeback and some have even become mainstream healthcare practices. Now is an exciting time to pursue holistic healthcare as both healthcare providers and consumers are becoming increasingly accepting of alternative therapies.
Your education will give you a comprehensive knowledge of the many components that contribute to someone’s overall wellness, and their interconnection. You’ll gain an appreciation of various healing modalities as well as their applications when creating wellness plans for clients. Your coursework may include topics like pharmacology, anatomy & physiology as well as wellness assessment methods – plus research methods used to evaluate evidence supporting various therapeutic modalities.
After your studies are complete, you’ll complete a practicum in which you apply what you have learned by working directly with real patients and gain experience working alongside real holistic health practitioners. This experience will equip you to start your professional holistic health practitioner career with confidence. Upon graduation, graduates may choose between working independently as an independent practitioner or joining healthcare practices or wellness centers; licensing requirements will likely depend on both state and employer requirements for their chosen career path.
Coursework
Your coursework for a holistic health practitioner program will depend on your area of specialization. If your focus is nutrition, for instance, topics like food science, culinary skills and nutritional therapy might be covered; otherwise if natural healing arts is the area in which you want to specialize then these subjects could include herbal medicine, therapeutic touch and massage therapy as possible areas of study.
Your coursework may also cover foundational health sciences and humanities topics. This knowledge is essential for understanding the full picture of someone’s health and healing. A holistic approach to healthcare takes into account physical, chemical, emotional, social, economic, psychological and spiritual components – meaning a practitioner must possess extensive experience across multiple dimensions of healthcare delivery.
Additionally to traditional medical sciences, you may also discover ancient healing practices like acupuncture – which involves inserting very fine needles into specific points on the body in order to stimulate and promote energy flow – as part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), along with herbal medicines, tai chi, qigong and other healing practices.
As part of your training, you’ll also learn to integrate holistic health with conventional medicine. For instance, holistic nurses might combine treatments like acupuncture with medication and other forms of therapy during hospital stays for a patient. You might also discover new approaches such as mindfulness meditation in your work with patients.
As you advance through your coursework, you’ll be encouraged to practice these skills on clients of your own and assess and create effective treatment plans for them. Internships or volunteer positions at holistic clinics or wellness organizations may provide additional opportunities.
Also, to enhance your professional qualifications in holistic health, consider seeking additional certifications. For example, earning the Certified Holistic Health Coach credential from the American Association of Holistic Health Practitioners could make you even more competitive in wellness coaching and increase career potential.
Practical Experience
Many individuals choose holistic health practitioners because they want to make an impactful difference in the lives of their clients and help improve their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Furthermore, becoming one can offer financial security as well as work/life balance.
Experience with treatments such as acupuncture – using thin needles to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes – and massage therapy, which involves applying pressure to specific points on the body. Furthermore, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), comprising treatments like cupping, gua sha, tai chi, qigong, and botanical remedies is something you will learn through firsthand experience.
Students will learn an evidence-based approach and scientific methods of evaluating alternative health care practices to meet national and state licensing requirements for holistic health practitioners.
Career Opportunities
Individuals interested in holistic health careers have numerous options available to them, from acupuncture and massage therapy to natural methods for improving overall wellbeing.
Holistic health practitioners take a comprehensive approach to treatment that considers body, mind and spirit; not solely addressing root causes for diseases or treating symptoms. Their treatments can help patients overcome issues like anxiety, insomnia, stress and depression as well as prevent further ailments from manifesting themselves.
Acupuncture is one of the most prevalent forms of holistic medicine. This ancient Chinese tradition involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body in order to restore balance, regulate energy flows, and promote physical wellbeing. Practitioners who specialize in this form of holistic care conduct assessments on their patients in order to determine what caused imbalances and devise personalized treatment plans accordingly.
Holistic healthcare careers also present themselves through careers such as wellness coaching and naturopathy, with these professionals often working directly with their clients in helping set goals for positive lifestyle changes and supporting them on their journey towards them. Many also enjoy the flexibility that comes from operating as sole proprietors – thus having control of hours worked, rates charged and marketing their business themselves.
Skill sets gained from attending a holistic healthcare practitioner program will determine your ideal career path. As more people seek alternative healthcare therapies in order to live healthier lives, more of these types of programs may become relevant in your everyday work life.
Are You Exploring Holistic Healthcare as a Profession? An accredited program offering coursework related to your area of interest could be your key to starting off on this exciting new path in just weeks. To discover more of the advantages associated with enrolling in one, click “Enroll Now” or contact us to speak to one of our admissions specialists today!
