Looking to start or re-ignite your wellness career? Becoming a holistic therapist is certainly a smart move — the demand for holistic therapies (also called complementary therapies) is set to keep on rising.
According to research, the global complementary and alternative medicine market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22% until 2028, meaning it’ll be worth more than $404 billion. Consequently, the demand for dedicated practitioners in this sector will inevitably rise too, making it a great career choice for a budding therapist like yourself.
But how exactly do you become a holistic therapist?
1. Get the right qualifications and experience
Qualifications
Because it’s not a medical profession, there’s no set way of becoming a holistic therapist. Rather, it’s up to you to research the various training options for budding practitioners. What you go for of course depends on your chosen practice, whether it’s aromatherapy, Reiki, reflexology, or a combination of different fields, so be sure to look into and decide on this first.
A good place to start your training search is this comprehensive list by jobsite Reed. Here, you’ll find a mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced courses, including those offering CPD qualifications.
Experience
Once you’ve got sufficient training, we then recommend getting real life experience as a holistic therapist. You may even want to undertake a dedicated holistic therapy apprenticeship, such as the Level 3 Well-being and Holistic Therapist apprenticeship course. This will give you both training and hands-on experience as a therapist.
Alternatively, applying for work experience or a temp job can be a great way to earn this experience for less, while also helping you get your foot in the door at a salon.
2. Sort out the formalities
Despite not requiring a professional qualification, there are certain formalities you’ll need to sort out in order to start your holistic therapy career.
Get insurance
Unless you start your own holistic therapy business and employ others, in which case you’ll require employer’s liability insurance, there’s technically no legal requirement to have insurance. However, it’s still highly recommended that you obtain cover.
As holistic and complementary insurance specialists Salon Gold point out: “There will be times when a customer is unhappy with their treatment. They might suggest your therapy has worsened their condition — even if you don’t believe that you are at fault — and you could find yourself faced with a claim for malpractice.” In such a scenario, your insurance provider will prevent any associated legal or compensation costs from coming out of your own pocket.
Join a professional association
Joining a professional association enables you to market your services using a professional logo of the organisation to which you belong. This can be invaluable in helping you secure employment or customers should you go freelance.
In addition, professional association membership offers you benefits like access to industry events, insurance discounts, access to holistic therapy workshops, and discounts for conferences and courses. Check out a list of relevant professional associations here.
3. Market yourself
While most holistic therapists work for an established clinic initially, many end up going freelance. Doing so allows them to maximise their earning potential, build their own brand, and benefit from the freedom of being their own boss. If this sounds like something you see for your own holistic therapy career, you’ll need to be able to successfully market yourself.
There are so many aspects to doing so, but arguably the most important in today’s digital world is to nail your online presence. Setting up a website, promoting yourself on social media, and embracing email marketing are all important steps. That said, be sure not to neglect the power of offline marketing — strategies like taking part in trade shows, speaking at events, and advertising in traditional media spheres like newspapers and magazines can still be worth their weight in gold.
By following the above steps, you give yourself the best chance of succeeding in your holistic therapy career. Best of luck in your new venture!
Author Bio:
Kyle Olsan is a professional writer and blogger who uses his expertise, skills, and personal experience in digital marketing to craft content that resonates with audiences. Deep down, he believes that if you cannot do great things, then you can do small things in a great way. To learn more, you can connect with him online.
