British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy
You’ll provide complementary therapies such as reflexology, massage and aromatherapy to people who may be experiencing emotional distress, pain or psychological issues. Complementary therapists could work in a care home, health centre, hospice or in someone’s home.
Examples of complementary medicine include: Alternative health approaches such as traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, and naturopathy. Mind and body practices like acupuncture, massage therapy , and tai chi. Natural products like herbs, dietary supplements, and probiotics.
A complementary therapist is not a doctor However, complementary therapists aren’t required by law to have any conventional medical training, registration or qualifications at all. The title ‘ doctor ‘ may not mean that the therapist is actually a trained and registered medical practitioner .
Some of the more popular complementary therapies include: acupuncture . Alexander technique . aromatherapy . herbal medicine . homeopathy. naturopathy. reiki. yoga.
One of the most widely used classification structures, developed by NCCAM (2000), divides CAM modalities into five categories: Alternative medical systems, Mind-body interventions, Biologically based treatments, Manipulative and body-based methods, and. Energy therapies .
What skills do I need? being passionate about the therapy you practice; having a caring, empathetic and non-judgemental approach; the ability to adapt your treatments to meet the individual needs of your client; knowing your own limitations and when to refer a client to another therapist or health professional, and;
The NCCAM divides CAM into four major domains— Mind-Body Medicine , Manipulative and Body-Based Practices, Energy Medicine , and Biologically-Based Practices.
Complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) can include the following: acupuncture, Alexander technique, aromatherapy, Ayurveda (Ayurvedic medicine ), biofeedback, chiropractic medicine , diet therapy, herbalism,
The practitioners often spend significant time with their patients, and that in itself makes the patient feel as if he or she has been given careful attention. The disadvantages of CAM therapies include the lack of standardization of either the practice or the dispensing of the therapies and techniques.
A complementary health practitioner practices complementary medicine , known as alternative therapy , alternative medicine , holistic therapy and traditional medicine . Complementary medicine includes vitamins, minerals, Chinese medicine and herbal and homoeopathic products, and therapies such as acupuncture and Reiki.
Complementary and alternative medicine includes practices such as massage, acupuncture, tai chi, and drinking green tea. Credit: iStock. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard medical care.
Both terms refer to treatments, like herbs or acupuncture that are out of the medical mainstream. But complementary medicine is when these therapies are used along with traditional Western medicine . Alternative medicine is when these approaches are used instead of traditional medicine .
People often use complementary therapies to help them feel better and cope with having cancer and treatment. How you feel plays a part in how you cope. Many complementary therapies concentrate on relaxation and reducing stress.
Research shows that some complementary therapies are safe and effective when used with standard cancer treatment. Complementary therapies can help people cope with the side effects of surgery, radiation therapy , chemotherapy, and other treatments.
In the UK , it’s estimated that around 9 million people use some kind of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and in the EU generally there are around 328,000 registered CAM providers made up of about 178,000 non-medical practitioners and 150,000 medical doctors.