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Although no simple grouping of therapies can be devised, when it comes to
choice you may find it helpful to see how some therapies have similar roots.
But be aware that the following ideas are but the tip of a huge iceberg!
Therapies with an Eastern origin generally accept the idea of a
'vital energy' which flows through and around the physical body to nourish
it. They are part of a respectable and ancient tradition of medicine which
was flourishing well before Western medicine was developed. These include
Acupuncture,
Acupressure,
Jin Shin Jyutsu
and Shiatsu.
Reflexology,
which has developed both in the East and West, uses some of the same theory
as well as its own approaches.
Yoga and
Reiki work with the
same concept of energy, but Yoga approaches it through lifestyle and posture,
whilst Reiki lets the body choose how to use the energy.
Healing has a lot
in common with Yoga, in that most healers accept the idea of an energy field
or 'aura' which works in conjunction with energy transformers or 'chakras'.
Healing and Reiki are similar processes deriving from different
cultural traditions - though practitioners are aware of subtle differences.
Another useful grouping of therapies is those which focus on the power
of words, ideas and the mind. Counselling,
Hypnotherapy and
Past Life Healing
all rely on the verbal skills of the therapist and initially impact on your
ideas and beliefs.
Some therapeutic approaches could be described as 'bodywork'.
Alexander Technique,
Massage,
Chiropody,
Chiropractic and
Osteopathy all focus
on the physical body initially - but do not discount non-physical causes and effects.
Herbalism and Nutritional
Therapy have similar aims, if rather different approaches.
Homoeopathy and
Bach Flower Remedies
are superficially similar, but are actually representative of what is
sometimes called 'Vibrational Medicine', in which the resonance of the materials
used rather than the substance itself appears to do the healing.
Several approaches are very strong on diagnosis and then use or
suggest a wide range of approaches to address the problems identified.
Kinesiology and
Iridology are like this, as is Nurtitional Therapy.
What virtually all of these approaches have in common nowadays is extensive
and rigorous training courses and nationally agreed standards of professionalism.
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