Holistic Health Career Outlook
Learn About the Increased Demand for Holistic Health Practitioners
Long before the rise of Western medicine, compassionate healers devoted their lives to encouraging whole body wellness.
Today’s holistic health practitioners follow in the footsteps of those ancient healers and are in greater demand than ever before.
In our stressful modern age, the wellness industry offers desperately needed support to those in search of balance and healing, making holistic health careers more popular than ever before.
The Search for a Healthy Balance
Rates of chronic disease, obesity, depression and anxiety are higher than ever before. People are stressed out, overwhelmed and unhealthy. They are also living longer and seeking greater quality of life throughout the aging process. Overall, there is a widespread resurgence of interest in fitness and wellness, both in the form of alternative medicine and in beauty and spa treatments.
People are visiting holistic health practitioners and spas to help them cope with their busy lives, address chronic pain and fight disease. Many see the value in regular massage, energy work or chiropractic care. Others seek assistance with improving their diet and exercise habits. All of them aspire to the profound state of health that comes with the balance of mind, body and spirit. This is one of the reasons holistic health careers are becoming so popular.
Healthy Living and Holistic Health Careers
Many people today recognize the limitations of Western science and medicine. They know that overuse of antibiotics can create long-term problems and vulnerabilities. They are distrustful of large pharmaceutical companies and concerned about health care costs. They may be unable to afford health insurance, or the large co-pays and deductibles required by some health insurance policies. In light of all this, the importance of preventative health care is finally entering mainstream awareness. Nutrition, personal fitness training, yoga, tai chi and other wellness regimens are gaining popularity.
People are also seeking greater control over their response to illness. Rather than going immediately to a doctor with their sniffles, aches and pains, many are experimenting with natural remedies and treatments. Homeopathic medicines, herbal medicine concoctions, aromatherapy products, supplements and elixirs have all become commonplace. Massage therapy, chiropractic, Reiki, reflexology, acupuncture and other healing modalities that used to be considered “weird” or “alternative” have now become widely accepted. And, as a result, holistic health careers are in demand and can be very rewarding for the right individual.
The Demand for Holistic Health Careers and Practitioners
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine recently reported that approximately 38 percent of adults in the United States are using some form of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM). This includes the following types of treatment modalities:
- acupuncture
- Ayurveda
- biofeedback
- diet-based therapies
- energy healing
- guided imagery
- hypnosis
- meditation
- massage therapy
- kinesiology or movement therapies
- natural products
- qi gong
- traditional healing
- yoga
- holistic skin care or esthetics
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2014-15 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the holistic health, alternative medicine and wellness industry has increased substantially since 2002, and all signs point to continued growth in the popularity of CAM through 2022.
Since most forms of CAM are not covered by health insurance, it is clear that a large number of people are willing to pay for this kind of health care. There is also an increasing number of spas and spa-goers, which can promote the success of many wellness and natural health modalities. This growing demand makes it an excellent time to begin a career as a holistic health practitioner. The range of options for holistic health education is almost limitless. Holistic health schools offer everything from inexpensive certificates in aromatherapy to advanced post-graduate training in naturopathy. Are you ready to awaken the healer within?
Article provided by Natural Healers
