I have an interest in possibily getting into this type of career.

Anyone has any feedback on this career?

Thank you,

I worked as a holistic healer for 15 years.

I have certificates and training in:

Massage Therapy
Homeopathy
Hypnotherapy
Flower Essences

I LOVED it. Basically I retired from massage therapy because it was starting to take it's toll on my hands, and I was getting busier with my public speaking and freelance writing.

The other stuff I was never busy enough at to support myself doing just one of them, but they were sure fantastic to combine.

It's really fun working with people, and I loved being able to help others.

What branch of alternative healing do you want to get into?

Hi Deanna:

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I was looking into the "hands off" route (lol).

And yes, I have heard about the "hands" being a problem with massagers.

If I had my life to do over I would go to naturopathic post graduate shcool like they have in Phoenix, Seattle or Portland. They didn't have those schools when I was starting out. When you graduate you are a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and can work legally though license in 13 states.

You can make a good living with that degree and really help people. It gives you lots of options on how complex you want to get in your profession. The sky is the limit

Hi Arrow, wow, you have alot to offer - thank you

As a graduate from South Baylo University, I would highly recommend looking into their Masters program of Acupuncture. At one point I thought about becoming a massage therapist but I know about the toll your body goes through by making others feel better! Acupuncture is a scientific art which allows you to learn the ancient theory of medicine and SBU has a variety of students from different cultures. It is truly an amazing experience AND its in Southern California!!! Since I had to move from Michigan, it was the best time of my life. My career is amazing and I help so many people. I am truly blessed! Good luck to you and your future. -Stacy

I have qualified in Massage, Reflexology, Counselling, and Hypnotherapy. The Massage came first in 1989 and I still practice today with little toll on my hands. I don't know if this is because I have a lower client level in this field as Portsmouth is a poor area, but I think that being trained to use the whole arm plus bodyweight has kept the injury rate down.

Lots of massage therapists seem to over-work the saddle joints of the thumbs, and use purely arm strength to do the treatment no wonder they only last five years or so! Also many psychotherapists neglect their own psychological health not having supervision, which should include counselling when necessary.

In any clinics I work in I always encourage my fellow therapists to set up mutual exchanges to experience each others therapy. Not only does it help keep them healthy but also they can cross-refer to each other if they feel the client will benefit.

Thanks Stacy & Ian for taking the time to respond. Awesome info - much appreciated.

[quote=Ninjahedgewych] I think that being trained to use the whole arm plus bodyweight has kept the injury rate down. Lots of massage therapists seem to over-work the saddle joints of the thumbs, and use purely arm strength to do the treatment no wonder they only last five years or so! [/quote] I totally agree with this. I am at school studying massage therapy, and one thing they constantly tell us is to not overuse your thumbs and to use proper body mechanics/posture. So far I haven't had any problems with my hands. I also have qualifications in Reiki as well.

I become a fan of acupuncture after I have done a couple of treatments at Nicholas SiebenBellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

Natural Healers
I'd have a look through the options here and see which most interests you.

I am a registered nurse and find the work to be very draining. I am strongly thinking about switching to a more preventative type setting. I feel like all I do is treat people.

What a lot of great answers you have gotten! We have a talented group here at BellaOnline. I don't work as a healer, although because my focus in my spiritual teaching/counseling is energetics I have trained in energy healing modalities. Most energy healers I know combine an energy modality (reiki, chakra-work, etc.) with a physical-based practice (herbal, acupuncture/pressure, reflexology etc.) in order to make a career of it, although there are some that specialize in energy healing and are able to support themselves from it.

I'm not sure exactly what modalities you are looking at, but I also have a friend who is a distributor for essential oils through Young Living, and as part of that she does a lot of workshops and private sessions geared towards helping people find the right combination of oils for their situation. So she has both product and service income to draw upon, and that is a great combo for some people. I know many people that work with flower essences in the same way.

I've toyed with the idea for a while, but there aren't any schools near here. I don't like the idea of taking herbology courses online since so many herbs in nature look similar.