Is Fast-Track Training Healing Or Harming The Holistic Training Industry?

My Own Journey In The Holistic Sector

Despite relying mostly on holistic well-being to help support me with rare and chronic medical challenges for over 3 decades while studying and practising as a therapist, healer, and coach myself.

I personally believe that there should be a certain level of professional requirements and standardisation in the health and holistic training sector.

Although I strongly support of holistic and complementary medicine,  I can also understand why some aspects of the healing and therapy industry are viewed with caution and suspicion.

Because like everything in life, in the wrong hands most things can be harmful.

My own life story is an example of what can go terribly wrong in both modern and holistic medicine.

Coaching & Holistic Training Schools

Every week I see examples of ill therapists, ill-equipped by fast-track training schools.

The main issue is that most of these holistic training schools no 1 focus is just making money than providing good quality holistic training.

More training schools than ever are popping up and pushing out Diplomas and Certificates like hot dinners.

Too many of these holistic training schools provide certificated courses in areas, in which they have no or very little training or expertise in.

Why Students Struggle To Know The Difference

The bigger problem is the students buying these courses, have no idea what is a quality in-depth course and what is not because they are not experts in these areas, many are extremely naive.

It is becoming increasingly hard for potential students, and consumers today to discern the professionals from the opportunists. And it is getting harder for many genuine holistic training schools to survive.

The Problems Poor Training Creates For The Holistic Industry

Sadly I meet so many therapists and coaches who have invested thousands of pounds which turns out to be poor training. That leads to too many therapists, healers, and coaches having to reinvest and retrain.

I have had so many students come to me who have signed up for training that was misrepresented, coaching training that didn’t teach them how to coach, and courses that had mindfulness in the title but didn’t teach any mindfulness2.

Importance Of Showcasing Your Qualifications and Training

That is why it is so important as a holistic business owner for you to own and share your level of training, your qualifications, your depth of experience, and your areas of expertise with your ideal audience. Another reason why you should choose to niche in your holistic business.

To help build that know, like and trust with our ideal audience. To help your audience feel more confident that you are fully invested in doing what is right for the client, and are skilled enough, qualified enough to know the difference.

Ethics In The Coaching & Holistic Training Industry

I have lost count of the number of Coaches, NLP, and Hypnotherapists through the years who came to me for advice after feeling sorely disappointed by the reality and lack of support after poor training.

Some spent all their savings, and retirement naively thinking these course would change their life quickly and easily. Only to be left with a very large hole in their bank account and a realisation that they could have had a full year of intensive training in all the skills they needed with a true expert at the same or less price.

Lack Of Standardisation In Coaching & Holistic Training

Lack of standardisation of holistic education is a big problem not just in the UK but worldwide. Poor standardisation leaves the holistic and healing industry open to all sorts of serious issues and of course heavy criticism.

I am perfectly aware that standardisation does come with its own set of issues, especially in relation to who decides on the standardisation. But equally, I know I know how vital it is that all holistic therapists do no harm first.

Seeing Things From The Clients Perspective

Would you want to be treated for your health by a Dr, Nurse who only had a few hours, few days, or weeks of training?

So why would you put your health and well-being in the hands of such a therapist?

Through the years I was contacted on numerous occasions by training schools wanting to hire me as a lecturer/ tutor. But ethically I had to refuse, as many were delivering training over 1- 2 days that would normally be delivered over 200 hours.

I have been in classes where lecturers openly admitted they were taking a class for something they weren’t fully qualified in.

Bad News For Many Dedicated Coaches & Therapists In The Holistic Industry

Now in many ways, holistic medicine and therapies helped save my life and gave me some of my life back after spending many years mostly house and bed-bound. Fortunately,  for me, I  had the opportunity to meet many highly qualified, experienced, and truly dedicated coaches, healers & therapists.

But equally, I have also been on the receiving end of what could be deemed as very serious harm.  One that nearly cost me my eye.

It only takes a few bad practices,  to have a knock-on effect on the complementary and holistic industry as a whole.

For this main reason, I think the holistic sector has to wake up and step up, especially if they continually want to be taken seriously.

How To Choose Suitable Holistic Training For Your Needs

Do your homework, and find out more about the normal accepted standard requirements of specific fields.

Think about your and your business’s needs.

When choosing any sort of therapy training it is important to identify the reason for the training and the type of clients you will be working with.

Is the training your considering just some extra tools for your coaching or therapy toolbox or is it any area you require full training in?**

Find out how qualified the trainers are at the holistic training school you are thinking about attending. And find out what their certificate or diploma actually means every industry has different requirements.

Confusion With Certification

An example I trained in stress management for many years and went on to train at the university level in this area.  A young girl contacted the organization I was working for at the time stating she had a diploma in stress management and was looking for work.

The girl got an interview after my colleagues assumed it was a post-graduate diploma from a university she had. It turned out after further investigation that she had only attended a few evening classes at a local college the course was not even accredited at all by the college.

The lecturer had simply designed a short course ( not qualified in stress management herself)  and just given out a diploma certificate without any approval from the college, the certificate wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.

The course was on many levels just a beginner’s course but the organisation mistook she had done Stress Management at Post Grad level.

First Do No Harm

One of the main things that I learned as a therapist was that first and foremost it is my job to always do no harm first, if in doubt miss out, refer the client or send them to their consultant or GP.

Sadly too many today simply see their clients as cash cows to be manipulated or even at times experimented on.

Many clients are vulnerable, naive, and trusting, they are just desperate for help and not always in a good mental, emotional, or physical state to see things clearly. Once they have been burned it can take a lot of time and trust to get back on the wagon again and to seek that help.

It is one of the reasons it is so important for you as a therapist, healer, or coach to build an authentic relationship with your audience. Help them know you are the real deal, help them feel and experience your integrity and full commitment towards them.