I just received another phone call from a friend who wants my opinion about whether she should seek treatment from an alternative healer. She was feeling ill from chemotherapy and all her medications, and wanted something besides another pill to help her feel better.

“I just can’t take it any longer,” she says. “Isn’t there anything else I can do?” Fortunately, there are many other options, I tell her. After a lengthy conversation, we decide she should look into acupuncture.

Because I am a nurse and holistic healthcare specialist, I am often asked by friends and patients about alternative medicine. Although Western, or conventional, medicine offers many benefits for wellness and disease, an increasing number of consumers want more than what the current health system has to offer.

Clearly, a need exists to complete the whole plan—a prescription from the doctor just doesn’t cut it for everyone. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (www.nccam.nih.gov) in 2002, 36% of adult consumers are seeking out holistic practitioners to use with their current health plans. If you add prayer to the list of complementary therapies, the percentage goes up to 62%.

As the demand for alternative healthcare rises, it’s important for consumers to find the right care and the right practitioner. Unfortunately, many patients are reluctant to discuss their desire for alternative therapies with their conventional medical doctors. Sometimes they won’t even disclose that they are already pursuing other treatments.

It’s only after I build a positive relationship with patients in the hospital that they’ll often confide in me about a special tea or enema that they are using to relieve pain or help with healing. The lack of communication has resulted in many patients and conventional medical providers being confused and ill informed about alternative therapies and how to find appropriate practitioners.

Differences between Conventional and Holistic Care

The first thing I do with anyone seeking advice on alternative therapies is explain the philosophy behind holistic care, which is, in a word, a philosophy of wholeness. Holistic practitioners see the body as a whole system. In other words, the body is like a garden where the parts are interconnected, each working with and for each other to keep the system alive and fresh. And, as with a garden, we need to water, fertilize, mend, and tend to our bodies.

In our typical Western healthcare system, a conventional doctor comes up with a diagnosis and refers you to a specialist for each ailment you might have.
A holistic practitioner will look at the whole picture, not just the parts. This practitioner will likely work with you to create a complementary or integrative plan to assist in your  healing. Typical tools for integrative healing include the following.

• Guided imagery to relax or envision a positive outcome.
• Energy rebalancing if you are feeling stressed.
• A nutrition plan to help your body recover.
• Bodywork, such as massage or acupuncture.
• Gentle, prescriptive exercises or moving meditation.

Before seeking a holistic modality, I advise people to understand the terminology in the various healing therapies.

Traditional medicine is medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years. Native American healing, Chinese medicine, and Ayurveda are examples of traditional medicine.  (Currently, our typical conventional/Western healthcare system uses the term traditional medicine to describe what we in America practice. Conventional/Western healthcare is modern and exciting, and offers many great treatments, but it is not the “traditional” medicine used by many other countries and cultures.)

Complementary or integrative medicines are used to supplement a current treatment plan from a physician.

Choosing the Best Option

When people ask me, “How do I figure out what kind of modality and practitioner would work best for me?” I tell them that it’s challenging even as a healthcare/holistic practitioner to keep up with the different modalities. But here are a few guidelines I can offer.

1. Ask yourself, “What do I want out of this?” and “What am I seeking?”

2. Familiarize yourself with the general methods and philosophies of the different kinds of therapy. Ask your librarian to assist you in researching professional journal articles to become acquainted with the modality and its history. Don’t rely on advertisements and articles in consumer magazines — they are rarely reviewed by medical professionals and may not offer discriminating information.

I recommend the website for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at www.nccam.nih.gov as a resource for finding reliable information. When you enter the website, start with the “Health Information” tab. But explore the entire site dedicated to educating the public about holistic care.

3. If possible, contact the national organization/association of the modality you choose. It will clarify licensure and certification information. The licensing board in your state may also have licensure and certification information. The Resources section (below) lists several national organizations worth reviewing. (Be aware that some healing modalities lacking national or state recognition can still be beneficial toward recovery.)

4. Important: Look for someone who will work as a team member with you and your primary physician. It is important for all your healthcare providers to know what conventional treatments and integrative therapies you might be using so as not to cause confusion or complications.

Questions to Ask the Practioner

When you decide on a treatment, make a list of practitioners in your area as well as those who may be enrolled in your insurance plan. Some conventional physicians and holistic practitioners may not work with insurance plans. Seek an individual who is qualified in the field and who will work best with you. Before the first visit, write a list of questions. You can probably ask these questions over the phone, but you’ll learn more by seeing the practitioner in person.

The following are a few sample questions to ask a healthcare practitioner. (I encourage you to ask any Yoga, QiGong, Tai Chi, or other movement therapy teacher the same questions.)

• Where did you study? At what school, and with whom? Lineage is something to be honored in traditional as well as conventional medicine.
•  How long was the program of study?
•  How long have you been practicing?
• What motivated you to do this work?
• What is your personal philosophy of healing?
• What do you do for your own healing? (Does he or she “walk the talk?”)
• What is your technique/method? Get the practitioner to discuss what he or she does and the reasons for doing it.

Add questions of your own based on what your needs are or what you anticipate they will be. Also, determine whether the facility in which the provider practices will be comfortable for you. 

When I started seeking an acupuncturist, I was in need of relief from stress. I was assisting my mother at home, along with my ailing grandmother and a stepfather who also had chronic disease, and I had heard that acupuncture was great for alleviating stress and would calm me. I called a few places and was told, “We only take people in pain.” Well, I was in emotional pain and needed some relief.  My third call was the winner.  When I explained my stress and emotional needs, the woman responded, “Oh yes, that is what acupuncture is all about, rebalancing all of your energy and preventing dis-ease among other health benefits.” She has been one of my holistic practitioners for 10 years.

Resources

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: www.aaom.org
National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: www.nccaom.org

Alternative and Holistic Healthcare
American Holistic Medical Association: www.holisticmedicine.org
American Holistic Nurses Association: www.ahna.org
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): www.nccam.nih.gov
The Institute for Functional Medicine: www.functionalmedicine.org

Chiropractic Medicine
American Chiropractic Association: www.amerchiro.org 
International Chiropractors Association: www.chiropractic.org

Homeopathy
National Center for Homeopathy: www.homeopathic.org 

Naturopathy
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians: www.naturopathic.org

The American Holistic Medical Association Guide to Holistic Health: Healing Therapies for Optimal Wellness, by Larry Trivieri Jr.; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.