What is a Holistic Therapist?
A holistic therapist is anyone who practices any of a number of holistic therapies, such as Reiki or holistic massage, aimed at treating the entire body, rather than just the physical problem. As a therapist, your job is to work with patients to ensure mental, physical, and emotional health, which can benefit patients in many ways. For that reason, you have to be empathic, caring, and genuinely interested in patients in order to make a difference. Holistic therapists are often called complementary therapists in general medicine.
What Are the Types of Holistic Therapy?
There are dozens of different types of holistic therapy, and they vary in authenticity, and proven medical benefit. Reiki, holistic massage, acupuncture, meditation, naturopathy, energy work, herbalism, Ayurvedic, Chinese Traditional Medicine, and osteopathy are all common types of holistic therapy. Most people choose to research the available options, and find themselves drawn to one or more types. Because most are complementary to each other, it can also be beneficial to learn about and practice two or more different holistic therapies. The best way to decide on a holistic therapy is to decide if you want to take a hands on approach, work as a counselor, or as a therapist. Body work including acupuncture and massage, nutrition and herbalism, and stress management and happiness techniques found in naturopathy and meditation each fit into one of these categories.
Education and Requirements
There are a great deal of different requirements depending on what you intend to do as a therapist. While there are no education requirements for many types of therapy, they are helpful and necessary if you decide to pursue holistic medicine as a complementary therapist in a hospital. If you want to set up your own practice, it is significantly less necessary, but still helpful.
