What Are Natural Health Care Careers?

Holistic and non-traditional health care and personal development initiatives have caused the natural health care industry to grow and strengthen. As more people take responsibility for their own health, natural health care careers become increasingly attractive and rewarding. Many roles in the industry are filled by self-employed practitioners or entrepreneurial leaders. Positions are also available at resorts, spas and clinics.

Massage Therapist

Massage therapists treat painful physical areas of a client's body. The natural health care practitioners decompress stressed and over-worked muscles and body tissue in efforts to lower a client's stress levels and to help a client recover from an injury. Massage therapists perform work on top level and deep body tissue. The therapy helps to improve body circulation and remove toxins and unnatural products from the body muscles. Massage therapists work at hospitals, clinics, private offices, sports clubs and nursing homes. Recently, spas were opened at some malls and airports around the country. Massage therapists are licensed by accrediting institutions or have a four-year post-secondary degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook, 64 percent of massage therapists were self-employed in 2006. Job outlook for the field is good and expected to grow faster than other occupations by average. Top performing massage therapists can earn nearly $34 an hour.

Chiropractor

The United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that, through 2016, the chiropractic career field is expected to grow faster than most other career fields. From 2006 through 2016, the Bureau anticipates the field would grow by 14 percent. Chiropractors treat a client's overall health by working with the musculoskeletal system. Treatments focus on the spine to properly align a person's spinal joints to allow for maximum health to the person's nervous system. More than half of the chiropractors in the United States are self-employed. As a top level chiropractor you can earn over $95,000 a year. Practicing chiropractors are licensed by an accredited agency or have a four-year degree from a reputable post-secondary institution.

Personal Trainer

Basic and advanced certifications are available for personal trainers through organizations such as the American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Military veterans can use their G.I. Bill assistance to help pay for the trainings and certifications. Personal trainers are employed at professional gyms such as Golds, LA Fitness and Bally. As a personal trainer, you can also work with professional sports organizations such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) or the National Football League (NFL). Personal trainers help athletes recover from injuries, guide clients toward weight loss and increased physical fitness. Effective personal trainers with a solid clientele can earn $65,000 or more a year.

Reiki Practitioner

The International Association of Reiki Professionals provides information, support and tools to its members that allow them to continue to grow and expand their practices. The association is available for all levels of Reiki workers, including teachers, practitioners and masters. The work originated in Japan to reduce stress and promote overall good health and well being. Reiki refers to spiritual or universal guided life force energy. As a practitioner, you place your hands over or on the client's body to transfer or release positive, relaxing energy to the client. The goal of the work is to strengthen the client's aura or energy system. Licensed Reiki practitioners work at clinics, spas, resorts and at private offices. As a Reiki practitioner you can earn as much as $60 an hour.

Considerations

Because natural health care therapies, foods and vitamins are generally much less expensive than invasive surgeries and potentially addictive prescription pills, roles and positions in the field are growing. In addition, natural health care professionals can often administer treatments without going through their client's expensive insurance plans. As the rising costs of traditional health care makes it difficult for many people to participate in individual and group health insurance plans, the demand for trained and licensed natural health care professionals will likely continue to grow. Organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Health Career Association provide additional training, grants and professional certifications for natural health care practitioners.

Resources

• American Fitness Professionals & Associates
• International Association of Reiki Professionals