Where to Begin?
Spring is a great time of year to take stock of our health. With the sun rising earlier and the air feeling so fresh, many of us feel inspired to shake off the winter blahs and get moving. But change can feel daunting. Where do you start? What should you prioritize? What are your goals? And with a few quick google searches and a lot of contradictory information it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused.
Seeking out expert advice is highly recommended when it comes to our health. Exercises, procedures, supplements, etc are not one size fits all. For an individualized approach, it’s time to get some expert advice.
Finding a holistic practitioner can be a daunting task, especially if you’re new to the wellness world. Today, I’m going to offer some guidelines to help you find a practitioner to match your goals. By taking these points into consideration, you’ll find your dream practitioner in no time.
- Practitioner Types
- Recommendations
- Professional Suggestions
- Qualifications
- Vibe Check
- Costs
The following advice is to help you to sort out the noise and should only be used as a guide. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right person.
Practitioner Types
In the holistic world, there are many many types of practitioners that offer incredible and effective treatments. But it is important to find the right type of holistic practitioner to suit your needs.
So take a moment and think about how you’re feeling right now. What needs to change? What would you like to change? How do you want to feel?
Depending on these answers will help steer your direction. And please note, that more often than not, you’ll probably need a team of practitioners to help you to achieve your goals, but more on that later. Let’s prioritize!
First off, touch base with your family doctor. Go for a check-up, do your PAP smear, get some x-rays, blood work, whatever they recommend. Seeing a medical doctor is a foundational step to getting your health back on track. With their vast knowledge and access to some incredible imaging, a diagnosis or at least a theory as to why you’re feeling the way you are is an important first step.
A medical doctor’s scope of practice is vast and a referral to a specialist might be in order. Get that peace of mind and make sure it’s nothing serious.
Now that you have an idea of what’s going on and you want to incorporate another modality, let’s quickly breakdown who does what:
Structure: These practitioners have strategies to help affect your physical body when we’re feeling pain and discomfort from a variety of causes. Your bones, your alignment, your posture, your spine and your muscles all fall into the realm of chiropractors, RMTs, acupuncturists, osteopaths, physiotherapists, to name a few.
Physiology: This refers to the inner workings of your body and your nervous system. Issues with your digestion, immunity, sleep, reproduction, etc, can be treated naturally by naturopaths, acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, homeopaths, herbalists and nutritionists
Do your research and keep an open-mind. Many of these medical fields have been around for a long time and these practices have been keeping humans healthy for generations.
Recommendations From Trusted Sources
You’ve seen your doctor, you have a diagnosis or a health goal and you’ve got an idea of which modality you want to try out.
One of the best ways to find a practitioner is to ask around. Speak to your trusted friends and family members. These recommendations are the most valuable; if someone you know has seen a holistic practitioner and had a positive experience, ask them for a referral. If you already have a practitioner you like, but now want to add someone new to the team, ask them. More often than not, your practitioner has a referral list of people they recommend to their patients.
Word of mouth is one of the most trusted ways to find a solid practitioner. Personal recommendations are the oldest form of marketing and often glean the best results.
Professional Organizations & Associations
You reached out to your network and your search came back empty. Not to fear! There are professional organizations and associations that practitioners are members of and they always have a directory.
There are many online directories that list holistic practitioners in your area. Some popular directories can be searched by typing in your province and the type of practitioner you’re looking for along with the word ‘College’ or ‘Association’.
Many holistic practitioners belong to professional organizations that can provide referrals. They will be specific to your location and will have directories of their members.
Once you have a few names in your area, do a google search and check out their website and socials.
Qualifications
In the province of Ontario, many holistic practitioners are required to be licensed or a member of a professional association. This is really important for a number of reasons.
If a particular field has been regulated, then they must be licensed in order to practice. Seeing practitioners who do not have the proper qualifications can be dangerous. And your insurance likely won’t cover their services.
Make sure the practitioner you choose is licensed and certified in their field. You can check with your province’s licensing board or professional organization to verify their credentials.
Vibe Check
You’ve found some practitioners, verified that they’re legit and now it’s time to pick someone. But who’s it going to be?
Before committing to a holistic practitioner, check out their socials and their website. Read their bio and do an internal vibe check. If you like what you’re seeing, many practitioners offer free consultations or discovery calls for this exact purpose.
Just as much as you want to be paired with the right person for the job, a practitioner also wants to work with people they can actually help. The patient-practitioner relationship is a special one and having a good fit is essential to long-term success.
Schedule a consultation to discuss your health concerns and learn more about their approach to holistic health. This will give you an opportunity to determine if they are the right fit for you before paying a single cent.
Costs
Seems like an obvious one, but it’s important enough to be mentioned. Holistic practitioners often operate outside of traditional health insurance and OHIP, so it’s important to consider the cost of their services.
Many practitioners will list their prices on their webpage or on their booking site. If they don’t, ask them directly what the costs are in order for you to determine what is in your budget.
Often there is an ‘initial consultation’ if it’s your first time. These appointments are usually longer because more time is needed to review your health history, provide an assessment and to ask further questions. This appointment is also important to understand what the treatments will look like, how long it might take and to essentially manage your expectations.
Depending on your issue, multiple treatments over weeks or months might be necessary. But a practitioner would never be able to tell you this over the phone as everyone is so complex and these are individualized medicines.
Once the initial is complete, in many cases follow-up appointments will be offered at different lengths and will usually cost less.
It’s Go Time
There you have it, an essential guide for determining what you need and whom do you need it from. By following these steps, you can find a holistic practitioner that is right for you and on the path to better health and wellness.
Interested in seeing what a holistic healthcare experience would look like for you? Feel free to book a Discovery call with any of our amazing practitioners, Here.