Career Definition for Holistic Healing Practitioners
Holistic healing practitioners include alternative medicine practitioners who address disease as an imbalance in the physical, emotional, spiritual or environmental components of a person's life. The practice of holistic healing involves treating the causes of illness rather than alleviating symptoms, according to the American Holistic Medicine Association. Some holistic healing practitioners are physicians who blend conventional and alternative medicine practices.
| Education | Varies widely by field from short-term to long-term education; for example, an MD or ND would need to complete medical school |
| Licensure Information | Certain occupations require state licensure |
| Job Skills | Physical fitness, helpfulness, conscious of health and nutrition |
| Median Salary 2021* | $29,880 (healthcare support occupations), $46,910 (massage therapists), $208,000 and higher (physicians and surgeons), $75,000 (chiropractors) |
| Career Outlook 2021-2031* | 20% (massage therapists), 3% (physicians and surgeons), 10% (chiropractors) |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Required Education
The level of education varies depending on the specific field of specialty. Most holistic healing practitioners have completed programs in their particular field of holistic healing or a more general program that teaches a diverse field of subjects, such as acupressure, herbal medicine, homeopathic medicine, massage, nutrition, osteopathy and others.
Licensure
Licensing requirements vary by state for each of the fields within the holistic healing practices. For example, physicians focusing on holistic healing have bachelor's degrees and also attend chiropractic, naturopathic, osteopathic or traditional medical school, which each take approximately four years to complete plus several years of residency training, before completing a licensure exam.
Skills Required
Aspiring holistic healing practitioners should be interested in helping people with illnesses and people who are well but interested in enhancing their qualities of life. The American Holistic Medicine Association emphasizes that holistic healing practitioners model healthy practices and lead by example.
Career and Economic Outlook
As of 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics did not keep statistics specifically for the holistic healer occupation. The BLS did report that healthcare and social assistance resulted to the third-largest employment increase from 2021-2031. Massage therapists could expect job growth of 20% in this time period, physicians and surgeons could expect job growth of 3% and chiropractors could expect 10% job growth in the 2021-2031 time period.
Earnings for holistic healers vary by their specialization. As of May 2021, workers in healthcare support occupations earned a median annual wage of $29,880, massage therapists earned a median annual wage of $46,910, physicians and surgeons earned $208,000 and above annually, and chiropractors earned $75,000, the BLS reported.
Alternate Career Options
Some similar careers are:
Physical Therapist Assistant and Aide
Assistants are usually required to earn an associate's degree, while aides may secure employment with a high school diploma and learn their skills while on the job. These professionals are supervised by physical therapists and work with patients recovering from injuries or illnesses who are striving to manage their pain and regain mobility. A much faster than average growth of 29% in this field overall was projected by the BLS, from 2021-2031. Assistants earned a median annual salary of $61,180 in 2021, said the BLS, while aides earned $29,200.
Occupational Therapist
At least a master's degree is required to enter this field, along with licensing or registration; some of these therapists also earn doctoral degrees. Their work involves using everyday activities to help disabled or injured patients to improve or recover skills. A much faster than average employment growth of 14% was expected by the BLS during the 2021-2031 decade, for this profession. The median annual wage of these workers was $85,570 in 2021.
