Discover the activities of the integrative therapist!

Within integrative therapy, there are various activities that a therapist can carry out to help their patients resolve physical, mental or emotional problems, bringing more balance to their lives. Because these activities complement traditional medicine, they can be very effective in preventing and treating various diseases.

Some of these activities are apitherapy, aromatherapy, art therapy, ayurveda, meditation, music therapy, phytotherapy or medicinal plants, chiropractic, reiki, yoga, flower therapy, among others. You can see that the activities of an integrative therapist come in many forms, all of which seek to bring more balance and well-being to the lives of those who use them.

Now, read on to find out more about the aspects of an integrative therapist!

Understanding integrative therapy

Integrative therapy has helped many patients to treat both physical and mental problems through a more complete and humane approach. In the following topics, you'll discover important aspects of integrative therapy and who it's suitable for!

What is integrative and complementary therapy?

Integrative and complementary therapy seeks to include the patient, in other words, it seeks a more holistic view of the person, taking into account the mind, body and spirit. Integrative therapy uses therapeutic resources based on traditional knowledge to prevent illnesses such as depression and anxiety.

In some cases, integrative therapy can be used to treat more chronic illnesses. Because it takes a more holistic view of the patient, it seeks to heal the person, taking care not only of the physical part, but of all dimensions.

How does integrative therapy work?

It's important to know that you won't get a result from just one session, and that longer follow-up is necessary, depending on the case. So bear in mind that the less anxious you are about the result, the better the treatment will be.

The number of sessions will be set by the professional, and can be weekly for up to an hour or, if the case is more critical, extended to two meetings a week. However, the professional may not limit themselves to just one different technique or activity, and may make changes depending on the patient's progress.

What is integrative therapy for?

If you suffer from illnesses such as anxiety, depression and hypertension, integrative therapy can be a complement to help treat these and other problems. This type of therapy aims to provide complementary treatment (without interrupting traditional medical treatment) for physical, mental and emotional problems.

Many experts believe that when there are mental or emotional problems, illnesses arise, which is why integrative therapy acts as an alternative to bring more health and quality of life to the patient in various areas, be they emotional, physical or mental.

When and for whom is integrative therapy indicated?

Integrative therapy is the result of bringing together a set of practices and techniques focused on patient health care, where the focus is not directly on the disease, but on the patient as a whole.

This type of therapy is suitable for any type of person who needs complementary treatment in times of illness, or simply for prevention. However, it is very important to have a doctor's recommendation and follow-up when deciding to benefit from integrative therapy, as it is very important to take human individuality into account.

Integrative therapist in practice

An integrative therapist is responsible for helping their patients to treat both physical and mental illnesses. However, it is essential to have medical supervision during treatment so that the result is even more effective. In the following topics, you will learn more about this health profession!

What is an integrative therapist?

The integrative therapist is a professional who works to develop skills in the application of the therapeutic arts, enabling her patients to feel better through less invasive practices. She aims to qualify herself with therapeutic knowledge to help treat illnesses, viewing the patient in a holistic way.

Thus, she is a professional who works to promote the health and well-being of patients in a complementary way, or by helping to prevent conventional medical treatment. However, this professional aims to provide increasingly humanized care, helping with treatment and emotional recovery, and targeting mind, body and spirit.

Main activities of the integrative therapist

There are various areas of activity for those who wish to become integrative therapy professionals, all of which are activities that seek to take into account the human being as the center of therapy, leading to greater well-being and a significant improvement in the patient's quality of life.

There are some of the best-known and main activities of an integrative therapist: mindfulness, aromatherapy, yoga, reiki, herbal medicine, homeopathy and chromotherapy. These aspects aim to respect specific knowledge in each area and, above all, to value the patient as a whole, focusing on healing the mind, body and spirit.

The benefits of an integrative therapist

There are many benefits that an integrative therapist can provide for her patients. In addition to physical improvements, she can provide a better quality of life, even if the disease is more complicated to treat.

When a patient allows themselves to experience integrative therapy, there is a greater chance that they will experience feelings of pleasure, relief and hope, which ends up making a big difference to the final outcome of their treatment.

Another benefit is that the integrative therapist helps the patient to participate in their treatment, moving them from a passive to an active way of participating in the search for a cure.

Difference between therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst

Although all mental health professions work using human beings as a means of study and analysis, there are significant differences between them.

Firstly, the therapist or holistic therapist is responsible for using integrative techniques with their patients, looking at the patient as a whole (mind, body and spirit). The psychologist, on the other hand, is the therapist who graduated from psychology school, helping the patient and focusing their analysis on the person's conscious.

A psychiatrist is a professional with a degree in medicine who specializes in psychiatry, who is responsible for diagnosing the patient and, if necessary, prescribing medication for treatment. Finally, a psychoanalyst is a therapist who takes a course in psychoanalysis and whose basis of study and analysis is basically the patient's unconscious.

How to become an integrative therapist?

To become a qualified integrative therapist, you need to study a technological degree in Integrative and Complementary Therapies in the health area, with a focus on training a professional to work on the patient's well-being. In this way, you will use practices and techniques that help in various treatments.

There are also psychologists who take this specialization, making better use of the areas covered in the course. Always remember to do a lot of research beforehand about the place you choose to study, as it is very important that it is a place that offers qualified training for professionals.

Also, make sure you do plenty of research into how the profession works before you join. By reading this article to the end, you're already taking an important first step.

Courses and training

There are several schools and universities offering training for integrative therapists. There are several ways to work in the health sector, one of which is to become a technologist in Complementary Integrative Therapies. There are also free courses specific to these activities, such as reiki, chromotherapy, meditation, among others.

Techniques and activities

An integrative therapist will adapt and incorporate different techniques depending on the patient's needs, so it's important to train yourself to understand the individual as a unique being. Activities such as reiki, meditation and aromatherapy are among the best known.

Job market

Professionals with a degree in Integrative and Complementary Techniques can work in a variety of areas involving a patient's health and well-being, including therapy clinics, retirement homes, geriatric and psychiatric institutions, nurseries and companies. In an organizational environment, they can work to prevent occupational illnesses.

Average salary

Depending on the area in which the therapist works, the salary can vary from R$1,446.68 to R$5,968.98. Some professionals, instead of working for companies, try to become entrepreneurs in this area, either by opening therapeutic clinics or providing home care, as the earnings can exceed this stipulated average.

However, taking into account that health is an important area for humanity, this profession is gaining prominence with each passing year.

Which integrative therapy approach should you specialize in?

There are some aspects of integrative therapy that a therapist can specialize in, bringing more specific knowledge about the specialization. 4 practices that are most in demand are mindfulness meditation, herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and expressive health practices. All of them are aimed at the well-being and health of the patient.

Mindfulness is a meditation practice that aims to help practitioners learn to develop mindfulness. Phytotherapy is the study of medicinal plants for the promotion and recovery of health, while traditional Chinese medicine aims to seek balance through various activities, such as meditation, body practices and nutrition.

Finally, expressive health practices use art (musical instruments, singing, dancing, poetry, etc.) as therapeutic tools.

Further information on integrative therapy

The next topics in the article will cover other relevant information about integrative therapy. In addition to clarifying its effectiveness and negative points, they will also explain how to follow an integrative therapy treatment in line with a conventional medical treatment. Check it out!

How effective is integrative therapy?

Integrative therapy is considered effective as long as it is accompanied by medical treatment. As it is a complementary therapy, it seeks to focus on points that traditional medicine does not address in depth.

Because it takes a holistic view of the human being, it helps to develop the patient's relationship with the illness, helping to make the person more active in their recovery, whatever the degree of the illness. Therefore, never use interactive therapy alone, as some illnesses may require medication to combat them more effectively.

What are the downsides of integrative therapy?

As a therapy aimed at the well-being of the patient, who is trying to bring more physical and emotional balance to their life, it can be said that a negative point is the possibility of finding professionals who are not qualified to use the essential techniques of this profession. All of this is due to the ease of obtaining certification, especially from free courses.

That's why it's very important to know who you're consulting and, preferably, to ask for referrals from doctors or people who have already experienced the sessions. The SUS is a place of reference where you can find these therapies.

Does the therapist's treatment replace conventional medical treatment?

Even though the main objective is to create a balance in the patient's body, showing the real aspects that affect their health, the treatment of an integrative therapist can never replace conventional medical treatment. There are illnesses that can only be treated with specific medication and monitoring by a specialist.

This type of therapy serves as a complement to conventional medical treatment, speeding up some recoveries or acting to prevent illnesses. So remember, never try to forgo the assistance of a doctor, even if this type of therapy has significant results for your improvement.

The work of the integrative therapist is of great importance!

Just like a traditional doctor, the work of an integrative therapist is of great importance in promoting health and well-being in a patient's life. Focusing holistically on the human being (body, mind and spirit), this professional helps a person to heal by taking care of all dimensions.

Therefore, by combining therapy with traditional medicine, we can look at the various types of illness from a new perspective (more human and deeper into human complexity) and posture, both for professionals and patients.

In other words, the work of the integrative therapist is just as important as that of a traditional doctor, so one does not exclude the other and the more medical diagnoses you bring to your therapist, the better and more effective the integrative therapy will be!