Naturopath
Naturopaths believe in improving their clients’ health through natural therapies and education about lifestyle, diet and exercise.
Salary Scale: Variable
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
You’ll need to get a qualification that is recognised by one of the professional organisations for naturopathy.
The General Council and Register of Naturopaths (GCRN) is a professional body for naturopathy and recommends that courses should last at least 3 years, should involve attendance and not be done by distance learning alone.
You should also check the course content and how much of it includes clinical placements to get work experience.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 3 A levels, or equivalent, including at least 1 science
More information
Registration
- you could join an accredited register managed by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or the Federation of Holistic Therapists
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the General Council and Register of Naturopaths and Association of Naturopathic Practitioners, for professional development and training opportunities.
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a naturopath from the General Naturopathic Council and General Council and Register of Naturopaths.
Skills and knowledge
You’ll need:
- knowledge of medicine and dentistry
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- knowledge of psychology
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- customer service skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with your hands
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Day-to-day tasks
Your day-to-day duties could include:
- discussing your client’s symptoms and their lifestyle
- carrying out a physical examination
- taking blood samples and carrying out other tests
- designing a treatment plan based on the consultation and test results
- advising on diet and lifestyle
- keeping detailed client notes
- seeing clients for follow-up appointments
- referring clients to a GP where necessary
Working environment
You could work at a client’s home or in a therapy clinic.
With experience you could move into teaching or research.