Natural Health Therapist

Tasks & duties

Natural health therapists may do some or all of the following:

• examine, question and observe patients to work out their health problems
• take notes of patients' medical histories
• seek the causes of illnesses from a holistic viewpoint (considering physical, emotional, environmental and dietary factors when diagnosing patients)
• plan treatment
• give patients advice and support
• write prescriptions for herbal medicines
• give patients massage or other forms of treatment
• prepare or buy herbal medicines, vitamins or minerals, including homeopathic remedies, for patients
• refer patients to other health professionals such as general practitioners
• study and research the effect natural medicine has on the body and people's health
• educate the public about natural health
• work as a sales representatives or consultants for natural health medicine companies or distributors

Specialisations

Natural health therapists may specialise in one or more natural health practices. These may include:

Skills & knowledge

Natural health therapists need to have:

• an understanding of the human body and how it functions
• good listening skills to help them accurately assess and diagnose patients' health problems
• knowledge of homeopathic and conventional medicines, and herbs that can be used as medicines
• skill using vitamins and minerals to treat disease
• knowledge of nutrition and diets, and how this can affect the body
• knowledge of relaxation techniques
• knowledge of physical therapies such as massage
• skill in using essential oils and flower essences for their therapeutic benefits on the body and emotions
• good communication and writing skills
• problem-solving skills
• organisational skills
• computer and business management skills

Entry requirements

To become a natural health therapist you usually need to have a certificate or diploma-level qualification in a natural health subject such as naturopathy, homeopathy, aromatherapy or clinical herbal medicine.

Secondary education

There are no specific secondary education requirements, but some tertiary training courses may require you to have a minimum of Sixth Form Certificate or NCEA equivalent to enter. Useful subjects include chemistry, biology, English and maths.

Training on the job

Many skills are learned on the job. Natural health therapists can also attend specialist training courses and workshops to update their skills and knowledge.

Useful experience

Useful experience for natural health therapists includes work in health areas such as:

• nursing
• counselling
• alternative therapies
• pharmacology
• laboratories

Business management and administrative experience can also be useful.

Related courses

Acupuncture
Massage Therapy
Naturopathy and Homeopathy
Traditional Chinese Medicine

For more information, please refer to Career Services.