How To Become A Holistic Therapist UK

How to become a holistic therapist in the UK? One does not need a degree to become a holistic therapist. However, that does not mean anyone gets to provide holistic therapy! 

Holistic therapy has broadened career opportunities for many individuals who are interested in helping people heal physically, mentally and spiritually.

Since you have come here, you might already be interested in providing holistic therapy. While there are tons of options to choose from, still you should familiarise yourself with some do’s and don’ts before becoming a holistic practitioner. 

This blog would be like a roadmap to help you become a holistic therapist in the UK with details about what skill you should possess to get into your desired profession.

Without any further ado, let’s get started! But first, let’s get an overview of what Holistic Therapy is.

Holistic Therapy

Holistic Therapy, also termed as alternative or complementary therapy, aims to treat the person as a whole, hence the name “holistic”. A holistic therapist provides treatment by not only healing the mind and the body but also the spirit of the person. 

For instance, one of the most common holistic therapies include yoga. As we all know yoga therapy is clinically proven to enhance both physical as well as mental health conditions by tackling depression and anxiety.

Holistic therapy is not limited to yoga, in fact there are many more out there, thus, opening up prospective career opportunities for people interested in becoming a holistic therapist.

Some of the most common ones are:

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• Massage therapy

• Homeopathy

• Chiropractic care

• Acupuncture

• Aromatherapy

• Reflexology

• Naturopathy

• Crystal therapy

• Herbalism

• Meditation

To help you pick the best career in holistic therapy, we have narrowed down your options to the most popular ones as they are in more demand. In the later section, we have discussed in detail about those.

Popularity of Holistic Therapies in the UK

A research by GrandViewResearch shows that by 2017 alone, at least 60% individuals worldwide have undergone alternative or traditional therapy. Fortunately, for aspiring holistic therapists, the number keeps increasing everyday. 

According to a national survey study (BJGP Open), the perceived rate of holistic therapy in England has improved by 4% from 2004 to 2015. But why is the popularity of holistic therapy rising so much now? Is it because of its healing benefits?

Well, unlike conventional healthcare systems with their usual medical treatments, people do not have to wait a long time for treatment.

Moreover, being a holistic therapist you help patients with not only health issues but also aid them in dealing with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety etc. Some holistic therapies are even beneficial for the skin.

Hence, many health professionals are now opting for holistic treatment. Some are using the combination of both traditional and holistic treatment while others are only focusing on holistic therapy.   

While there exists tons of different types of complementary therapies, the most popular ones include body massage, aromatherapy and reflexology.

Some Popular Holistic Therapies in the UK

Body Massage

One of the most popular and widespread holistic therapies is body massage that helps to relieve bodily pain as therapists work on easing stiff muscles and soft tissues. Moreover, massage therapy helps in blood circulation by increasing the blood flow level.

Thus, producing more endorphins and making the client happy. Massage therapy is also proven to cure physical and mental health conditions such as headache, high blood pressure, depression, panic attacks etc.

Reflexology

Another admired holistic therapy, quite similar to body massage therapy. Therapists in this field mainly work on reflex points (pressure points) of the body by massaging them and resulting in improved back pain, better blood circulation of the clients.

Reflexology also aims to treat asthma problems, migraines and help with menopausal symptoms as well as hormonal imbalance.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses the scent of essential oils extracted from different plants that helps to comfort the mind as well as the body. Some common essential oils used by holistic therapists are lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, tea tree and peppermint. 

Known for being a stress reliever, aromatherapy has also demonstrated the ability to calm patients nerves thus helping in relaxation. Furthermore, it assists in energising as well as improving the patient’s mood.        

Now that you have known about the popular holistic therapies in the UK, you should also have an idea what skills are required for an aspiring holistic therapist. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

Skills Required to be a Holistic Therapist

In order to become a holistic therapist, an individual is expected to have some required skills to help them advance towards a successful career.

Some vital skills required for a thriving career in holistic therapy and why are mentioned below:

• Be a good listener and maintain client confidentiality – This is one of the main tasks as a therapist. You should be able to listen to clients’ issues to give them the right advice they need but also keep their information solely to yourself.
   

• Have patience and the capacity to work under pressure – Sometimes it may be difficult to care for clients, hence being patient would definitely help you to understand their needs to provide the best treatment. Moreover, when you have to work long hours for treatment, a calm composure would come in handy. 

• Good team player – If you work for a professional body, you should also be able to work with your fellow professionals to avoid any conflict.

• Good communication skills – Having good interpersonal communication skills would be a plus point for you when dealing with clients. First of all, it would help the client trust you and also be comfortable with you in sharing their problems. Moreover, you can discuss openly if they are comfortable with the treatment designed for them.
• Problem solving and decision making ability – While providing therapy, you will have to face different cases everyday and to deal with each of these cases separately and provide the right treatment. For instance, any client might suddenly get angry or perhaps might behave inappropriately with you. To tackle this your analytical skills will come to the rescue.

You know the necessary skills required to become a holistic therapist in the UK, now what next? 

Your next step would be to know whether you need any professional training or not?

Training Required to be a Holistic Therapist

No, there is no requirement for professional training. However, it is better to do quality research on the desired type of holistic therapy, as qualification requirements and training is different for each type.

Moreover, since the therapist has their own choice to either work as a freelancer or join a professional body, it is advised to check which essential training is needed.

Also, there are many accredited online holistic therapy courses available if you wish to become a holistic therapist. 

Now a question might arise, what is the benefit of joining a professional body? 

After becoming a holistic practitioner in the UK, one might be willing to be a part of a professional body, although there are no legal conditions for it.

The only perks you get is a sense of security of the clients. Nevertheless, they urge their therapists to undergo significant training standards.

On the other hand, if you think working with professionals is not something you wish to do then, there’s always the option to work from home or as a freelancer in this field. In fact, not being part of a professional body will give you the opportunity for a flexible work schedule.

Job Prospects & Salary

How Much Should You Charge Your Clients?   

You must be definitely wondering how much I will make from each consultation? Well, it depends. Are you planning to become a chiropractor, or an aromatherapist, or perhaps a spa therapist? 

Nevertheless, since each type is different their average pay is also different! Earnings would largely depend on your experience as well as the location.

According to checksalary.co.uk, the average salary of a holistic therapist in the UK is £24,990 per year. Therapists working with a professional body usually earn about £8.07 and £48.69 per hour, whereas self-employed practitioners earn £30 and £70 per treatment.

However, before setting a consultation fee for your clients, you should keep these things in mind:

• Location 

• Experience

• Competition and most importantly

• Industry standard

Marketing Yourself as a Freelancer

If you have opted to be a freelancer in this field, the first thing to cross your mind would be, How do I let myself be known to my potential clients?

Since you have decided to work alone, only you can market yourself. This is where social media jumps to the rescue!

But first, the best thing to do would be to build yourself a website. The website would have details about the services you offer. It would also portray how you are as a therapist to your prospective clients and to do this you could add testimonials of your current clients. 

Now that you have an amazing website, spread your presence in the virtual world and attract as many clients as you can. 

Another thing to note is that, since you chose to be self-employed, try to educate yourself with the legal issues to consider and also about the insurance liability.

Conclusion

Now that you have an idea on how to become a holistic therapist in the UK, you could start planning on how to achieve this.

Although you are still advised to research thoroughly before starting on being a Holistic health practitioner. You could also look for any accredited online courses to help you get started.

You may either choose to be self-employed or work as an employee for a professional body. Either way, you have to deal with your clients with care and provide them with the appropriate treatment.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Q: Do holistic doctors go to medical school?
– No, you do not need any medical training or degree to be a holistic doctor/therapist.

Q: Is Naturopathy recognised in the UK?
– Yes, Naturopathy which falls under the category of natural therapy is voluntarily regulated in the UK.

Q: How much does a self-employed massage therapist earn in the UK?
– According to NimbleFins.co.uk they earn about £30 to £70 per treatment.

Q: How much does a spa therapist earn in the UK?
– According to glassdoor.co.uk, spa therapists earn an average salary of £42,443 per year.