Practitioners of Natural Healing

(NOC 3232)

in All Health

Practitioners of natural healing provide alternative health care to patients using traditional Chinese medicine techniques and other forms of treatment including acupuncture, herbology or reflexology to promote, maintain and restore the holistic health of patients. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, or are work for clinics, health clubs and spas.

Job Outlook

Undetermined

Read more

  • Estimate change in employment not available for this occupation.
  • Estimate 0 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for this occupation.

Compared to: All Health

  • Estimate 3550 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 6335 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

N/A

Minimum

N/A

Median

N/A

Maximum

Annual Pay

N/A

Minimum

$15,188

Median

N/A

Maximum

Compared to: All Health

Hourly Pay

$16.70

Minimum

$26.60

Median

$43.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,740

Minimum

$43,853

Median

$88,944

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Practitioners of natural healing provide alternative health care to patients using traditional Chinese medicine techniques and other forms of treatment including acupuncture, herbology or reflexology to promote, maintain and restore the holistic health of patients. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, or are work for clinics, health clubs and spas.

Job duties

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners:

  • Diagnose the diseases, physiological disorders, and injuries of patients.
  • Treat them using raw herbs and other medicines, dietary supplements, or acupuncture.

Acupuncturists:

  • Diagnose symptoms, physiological disorders, and injuries of patients.
  • Treat them by the insertion of acupuncture needles or through stimulation techniques like acupressure, moxibustion, cupping or electrical current.

Herbalists:

  • Assess patients and advise them on the use of herbs to treat conditions like arthritis, rheumatism, asthma, skin disorders, and stomach ailments.
  • May cultivate herbs and manufacture and sell herbal compounds.

Osteopathic manual therapists:

  • Diagnose, treat, and manage musculoskeletal and other related disorders of the body's structure by moving, stretching, and massaging a patients' muscles and joints to correct biomechanical dysfunctions.

Homeopaths:

  • Assess illnesses and treat them by administering, in chemical or herbal form, a small dosage of a remedy made from natural substances or by suggesting lifestyle changes.

Reflexologists:

  • Apply gentle finger pressure to specific spots on the clients' feet or hands to promote relaxation and better health and well-being.

Sample job titles

  • certified rolfer
  • herbal practitioner
  • holistic practitioner
  • homeopath
  • homeopathic physician
  • hypnotherapist
  • reflexology therapist
  • registered acupuncture practicioner
  • shiatsu therapist
  • traditional Chinese medicine practitioner

Skills

  • Compassion, sensitivity, and a desire to help people are important. Workers in these jobs need to have an interest in working with people on a one-to-one basis and a willingness to make direct physical contact with clients. You should be able to communicate with clients and inspire trust, put people at ease, be observant, and notice a client's symptoms and response to treatment. Maturity and good judgement are essential. It is important to understand and practice professional ethics.

Job requirements

  • Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners usually require a three- to four-year diploma program in traditional Chinese medicine from a private institute or completion of a program in traditional Chinese medicine from recognized medical schools abroad.
  • Acupuncturists usually require a three-year diploma program in acupuncture from a private institute or completion of some university undergraduate studies in science and training in a related health care discipline or work experience under the supervision of a registered acupuncturist.
  • Reflexology Therapists must be registered with a recognized professional association for their clients to be reimbursed for the cost of reflexology services through their health care benefit plans.
  • Other jobs in this group usually require completion of training programs specific to their type of practice and some supervised practical training.

Other considerations

  • Hours of work vary depending on the therapist’s practice, but generally include evenings and weekends. Those who are self-employed may need to have business licenses, police security clearance, and CPR and First Aid training. Advancement in these jobs usually takes the form of building a larger client base.

By the numbers

Quick look

190

employed in 2016

42.1%

employed full-time

76.3%

self employed

81.6%
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18.4%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
44

median age

Compared to: All Health

36,515

employed in 2016

75.7%

employed full-time

9.6%

self employed

83.6%
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16.4%
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43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

46.3%

Halifax

$14,101 median annual income
26.8%

Annapolis Valley

N/A
17.1%

North Shore

N/A
4.9%

Southern

N/A
4.9%

Cape Breton

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

77.1%

Health care and social assistance

11.4%

Other services (except public administration)

5.7%

Manufacturing

5.7%

Retail trade

What is the age of Employment?

38.0%

35-44

22.0%

45-54

16.0%

25-34

14.0%

65+

11.0%

55-64

Compared to: All Health

24.0%

25-34

23.9%

45-54

21.9%

35-44

18.4%

55-64

7.7%

15-24

Top levels of education

42.1%

College Diploma

$16,065 median annual income
28.9%

Bachelor

$24,424 median annual income
7.9%

Diploma Above Bachelor

N/A
5.3%

Less than high school

N/A
5.3%

High school

N/A

Compared to: All Health

38.4%

College Diploma

$40,033 median annual income
27.1%

Bachelor

$61,668 median annual income
8.7%

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Optometry

$81,191 median annual income
6.8%

High school

$24,829 median annual income
5.1%

Master

$69,296 median annual income

Education & training

Acupuncture

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students for the independent professional practice of acupuncture, a Chinese system of healing based on the use of pulse diagnosis, acupuncture point selection, and needle insertion to treat imbalances in the state of bodily health or Qi. They include courses in basic Western medical sciences, Chinese medical anatomy and physiology, diagnostic techniques, patient observation and communication, acupuncture points and point selection, auricular and scalp acupuncture, moxibustion, acupuncture technique, acupuncture of extremities, pain management, practice management, and professional standards and ethics.

Institutions providing this program

Canadian College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Bedford, NS

Traditional Chinese Medicine

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students for the independent professional practice of Chinese herbal medicine, a system based on the use of nutrition, natural products, and prescribed medical formulae to treat imbalances in the state of bodily health as defined in the Nei Ching Su Wen and other authorities. These programs include courses in the basic Western medical sciences, history and theory of Chinese medicine, Chinese medical anatomy and physiology, Chinese herbology, herbal prescription preparation, herbal patent medicine, herbal pharmacology, Chinese internal medicine and gynecology, febrile diseases, food therapy, practice management, and professional standards and ethics. point selection, and needle insertion to treat imbalances in the state of bodily health or Qi. They include courses in basic Western medical sciences, Chinese medical anatomy and physiology, diagnostic techniques, patient observation and communication, acupuncture points and point selection, auricular and scalp acupuncture, moxibustion, acupuncture technique, acupuncture of extremities, pain management, practice management, and professional standards and ethics.

There are no schools in Nova Scotia offering this program.

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist

Professional Designation: Professional designation exists and shows that the holder has met the standards for the job. Employers may require professional designation, but professional designation is not necessary to do this work.

Regulating body:
Reflexology Association of Canada
Winnipeg, MB

Contacts

Reflexology Association of Canada
Nova Scotia, Canada
Massage Therapists' and Wholistic Practitioners' Association of the Maritimes
Nova Scotia, Canada
Herbalist Association of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia, Canada
Canadian Society of Homeopaths
Vancouver, BC
Acupuncture Canada
Toronto, ON
Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists
Winnipeg, MB
Natural Health Practitioners of Canada
Edmonton, AB

Additional resources