Jump Start -- by Susan Reilly

If you are not feeling well, it may seem logical to see a doctor or visit a hospital where your problem will be diagnosed and you'll receive a prescription to make you feel better. It's a system that most of us have used at one time or another.

There are many people, however, that believe 'conventional' health care practices (doctors and hospitals) are no longer meeting the needs of the population. These people are turning to health care and wellness 'alternatives'.

The phrase 'alternative health professions' can include many different occupations. Most people are familiar with acupuncture, which involves needles placed at specific points on a person's body to eliminate pain, but there are many 'newer' occupations that people have little knowledge of. Some of these will be discussed here, as well as training opportunities for this growing field.

What Are Some Alternative Health Occupations?

Related to Acupuncture is acupressure. Where an acupuncturist uses needles or pins, an acupressurist uses their thumbs. Pressure is applied to different 'pressure points' on the body to stimulate corresponding glands.

Similar to acupressure, reflexology involves stimulating reflexes in the feet, hands, ears, face and scalp through pressure from hands and thumbs, that in turn will have an impact on other parts of the body.

While most 'alternative' health professions are slowly gaining ground with the general population, massage therapy remains one of the most popular of the holistic professions. The 'alis' website defines the duties of a massage therapist as assessing "areas of the soft tissue and joints of the body and administering massage treatments to relieve pain and symptoms of stress, or to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function." Most people go to see a massage therapist when they experience stiffness or pain in their backs or arms, which usually stem from sitting at a desk typing all day. This is one of the keys to success for alternative health professions, they are able to assist with minimizing or eliminating the everyday aches and pains people experience.

Up to this point, our focus has been on how alternative health professionals study the needs of individual clients and provide physical relief. A Herbalist, on the other hand, works with plants. Herbology is the study of plants and their ability to cure various human ailments. A herbalist advises people on the use of herbs for maintaining health or to relieve symptoms of a chronic illness like arthritis, rheumatism, asthma or various stomach conditions.

The final profession to be examined in this section is the Naturopathic Doctor. Combining the duties of the other occupations, a naturopathic doctor uses natural healing therapies to treat a patient's illness. They manipulate the body's own healing abilities to treat the whole patient, and not just their immediate illness or injury. A naturopathic doctor may use such diverse methods as plant-based remedies, acupuncture, lifestyle counselling or hands-on techniques for the joints and muscles when administering a treatment .

Education and Training Opportunities

The 'holistic' health field in the western world is relatively new and growing rapidly. So, it is important to research all schools and organizations that offer 'training' opportunities. Because it is such a new industry, there are very few colleges and universities in Canada that offer specialized training. As well, many of these industries are not yet regulated by any Provincial or Federal boards. These include herbalist, reflexologist, and acupressurist. It is important to do your research and find a reputable school in which to study and learn these trades.

Considering the above caution, there are a few schools in Canada that have recently created programs with a focus on alternative health professions.

Grant MacEwan College, located in Edmonton, offers training in herbology, massage therapy, reflexology, and acupuncture.

Mount Royal College, in Calgary, offers courses in massage therapy, reflexolgy therapy, acupressure therapy and aromatherapy, through their continuing education program. Programs range in length from 4 courses to two-year programs.

Massage therapy courses are also offered at Lethbridge Community College and Medicine Hat College.

Other Resources

There are several websites worth checking out if you are interested in any of the holistic medicine professions. These include:

The Alberta College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine

Integrative Health Centre

Alternative Medicine Aromatherapy College and University Listing