How Do I Become a Complementary Therapist?

There are a variety of paths to become a complementary therapist because there are many different types of therapy that fit into this category. Massage, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine all fall under the heading of complementary therapy. If you are interested in looking at people's healing in a holistic way, you can attend a training program to specialize in one of the areas of complementary therapy. Once you have attended a training program, you can get a job with an established clinic or begin working as a private practitioner.

In most cases, in order to begin a training program to become a complementary therapist, you need to have a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED). The rest of the admissions criteria depends on the specific school that you decide to attend to become a complementary therapist. Once you decide upon a program of study, you can begin training in the specialization of your choice, or you can go to a school that combines more than one area of complementary therapy together. This kind of education is more hands-on than some other types of therapy, because you will be learning how to provide these types of treatments to your patients, as well as learning from lectures and books.

Programs of study to become a complementary therapist last anywhere from a few weeks to multiple years, depending on the level of education you wish to receive. Some types of complementary therapy do not have degree programs while others culminate in a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. For example, massage therapy is generally a two-year degree, but there are integrative complementary health master's degrees at many institutions. Licensure is available for some fields of complementary therapy in certain parts of the world. Check with your local regulatory board for professional licensing to make sure that you are meeting all of the requirements to legally provide complementary therapy to others.

Once you have completed your education to become a complementary therapist, you can begin looking for jobs in the field, or you can work on your own as an independent practitioner. If you choose to find a job with an existing organization, you will need to find organizations that offer complementary therapy services in your area. Working independently has its benefits because you can set your own hours and charge fees that you create, but you are also responsible for doing marketing and attracting clients or patients to your business.