Integrative Therapies

    In attempting to describe the rapidly-evolving health care movement which endorses non-medical healing practices, some have called these practices alternative therapies, others call them complementary therapies, and the most recent buzz-word is integrative therapies.  Exactly what are these, and how do they relate to each other?

Alternative Therapies.  This category includes systems of healing that use other than traditional western allopathic practices (surgery and pharmaceuticals) as the primary way of treating physical diseases and disease symptoms.  Examples include Ayurvedic practices and medicines, chiropractic, homeopathic remedies, naturopathy, energy-based healing techniques such as Reiki and Healing Touch, acupuncture and acupressure, Traditional Oriental Medicine, Native American Practices, herbal medicine, and mind/body control.  The significant feature of "Alternative Therapies" is that, in general, people who are wanting a course of treatment for a specific disease or symptoms usually seek out one or more non-medical alternative therapy practitioners in preference to a traditional licensed medical physician.  

Complementary Therapies.  This category includes the use of one or more non-medical "alternative" systems of healing mentioned above, but also includes the services of traditional licensed medical physicians.  Persons using "Complementary Therapies" to treat diseases have access to both traditional medical and alternative non-medical therapies.  This is a more enlightened approach than alternative therapies alone.  Usually, practitioners of both approaches are sought out by the patient, and the strengths of each are used where appropriate.  The standard medical practices and alternative non-medical approaches are considered to be complementary to each other.  This usually implies that it is left up to the patient to educate himself about a wide range of potential therapies and determine which might be applicable or useful to address his or her particular disease or symptoms.  However, some traditional medical physicians are recognizing that drugs and surgery alone cannot completely address all their patients' needs, and are becoming more and more willing to refer patients to alternative non-medical practitioners for specific therapies.

Integrative Therapies.  This category is considered the most enlightened of the three since its primary focus is on true healing of the entire person, not just removal of physical symptoms.  Usually a cooperative effort on the part of several types of practitioners is required to construct a comprehensive and holistic treatment program that addresses not only the physical symptoms and disease a person might have, but also recognizes and addresses the emotional, mental and spiritual needs of the patient/client as well.  Practitioners of Integrative Therapies recognize that each person coming to them has a unique combination of energy patterns that defines his or her personality, determines how they interact with others and their world, and that affects their health on all levels -- physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.  The standard medical practices and alternative non-medical approaches are closely integrated with each other in a comprehensive and holistic treatment program that enlists the training and expertise of a wide range of physicians, therapists and practitioners as needed.

    It is also noted that the National Institutes of Health has formed a "National Center For Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)" which is actively investigating the healing potential of several alternative therapies.  Its research and investigations can be found on their web site http://nccam.nih.gov.  

This page last updated November 3, 2001