Natural Health Education in the 21st Century

In recent times, there has been an increased shift toward natural health and wellness programs both here in America and abroad. Part of this evolution is due in part to the noninvasive nature of integrative and complementary medicines; and with the gaining popularity of these effective yet safe, alternative therapies, comes the necessity for natural healing educational courses.

Natural health schools provide a vast array of healing arts programs including acupuncture and Oriental medicine, chiropractic, energy medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, massage therapy, and reflexology, among others. Some of the more popular natural health classes are designed to introduce individuals to healthcare disciplines like herbal medicine, aromatherapy and Reiki. But what many individuals do not know is that not only can they attain a comprehensive education in one of the aforementioned studies, but some of these courses result in a degree and/or licensure.

As an example, natural health programs in massage therapy almost always require students to become certified and licensed in the field. While many natural healing schools provide 300-hour training hours, a greater number of massage schools have begun offering 500+ hour massage programs to meet National certification standards.

Other natural health schools are much more course-intensive and require three to four years of practical training and education. For example, in a naturopathic program, students have the potential to earn their Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Degree (ND). In this particular course of study, students learn about homeopathy, herbs, natural pharmacology, somatic education, and other relative subject matter.

Of course there are many other natural health programs from which to choose, however, before enrolling in one, candidates should examine current trends, career outlook, and whether or not the prospective school offers financial aid programs, in addition to accreditation. Like traditional schools and colleges, natural health schools typically provided clinical internships, continuing education courses, and career placement assistance, as well as financial planning services.