Choosing a Practitioner

So you've decided you want to try an alternative modality and you're wondering how to go about choosing an alternative health care practitioner. Picking one is similar to choosing a new doctor or buying a new car. You wouldn't pick the first one you select without asking some questions.

Finding the right alternative health care practitioner depends on a number of factors:

• Your own belief system of health care
• The nature of the health problem
• The degree of responsibility one wishes to take for health care

Below are some guidelines you can use.

1. Take the time to do the necessary homework.
   It is up to you to become educated - network with people. Ask other health professionals and friends for recommendations. Ask about their experiences. Attend self-help groups. Read books and articles. Some types of treatments are covered by extended health care plans most are not.
2. Start looking while you are in good health.
   Don't wait until you are ill. We all make much better decisions when we are not affected by the physical and emotional effects of illness. Think about setting up an initial 'exploratory' visit first.
3. You might have to try various treatments.
   Not every method works well for each person. Finding the right treatment means trying out different methods. There could be some trial and error involved.
4. Make certain to get a satisfactory diagnosis.
   A practitioner who has a thorough training in diagnosis should always evaluate serious symptoms. Make sure of this very valuable information to make your important health decisions. Only a practitioner licensed by the laws of Ontario is allowed to give a diagnosis i.e. naturopathic doctor, doctor of chiropractic, homeopathic doctor.
5. Check out the credentials of the practitioner.
   Training of holistic practitioners is varied. Regulations differ in each and every province and in locality. It's up to you to ask relevant questions about a practitioner's training and professional credentials. Check out what the initials stand for after their name and whether they belong to an accredited board and have the necessary license(s). In the GTA all alternative practitioners must have a Holistic Practitioner's License except persons licensed by the Regulated Health Professional Act i.e. naturopaths, chiropractors, or massage therapists. Ask if they have completed training in each of the modalities listed on their business card. Avoid a weekend seminar graduate or one with an impressive mail order degree from a diploma mill. When one graduates, a practitioner can make up his or her own title. Ask if they participate in ongoing education every year. Holistic practitioners must have malpractice and liability insurance to practice.
6. Understand your specific treatment program.
   Ask about a treatment before you make a commitment.
   What is it all about? Why is it being used? How long will it take before I see progress? Some therapies such as the Alexander Technique require quite a few sessions. How much does it cost? Where can I learn more and understand it better? Do I wear my clothes or do I get undressed - fully or partially? Will I be lying on a table or floor mat, sitting in a chair or moving around? Will I be touched or not? Will you use a lubricant - oil, lotion or cream - or nothing at all? Will I remain motionless - passively receiving - or do I actively participate and how? Will you play music - what kind? Steer clear of practitioners who claim to possess secret knowledge and claim they're the answer to your prayers. Safe and reliable modalities are never closely held secrets.
7. Understand the relationship.
   Your relationship with an alternative health care practitioner may be similar to the one you have with teachers, health care professionals or psychotherapists yet it is almost always more physically intimate.
   Touch is often involved and in some cases so is partial or full nudity. Trust is crucial - trust in the practitioner's professional competence, confidentiality, commitment, sincerity and ethics. You want to form a partnership with the person so that your concerns are the focus of the work.
   It's important to be clear about what you expect and what you need. This is a relationship of exchange - the practitioner provides you with services in return for an agreed-upon payment. It is an economic as well as therapeutic relationship and also a professional relationship with certain boundaries.
   The relationship works best as a two-way process, not a one-way intervention. Ideally the practitioner is able to both follow and guide you. Skillful guidance is important when you don't know exactly what you want or how to ask.
8. Learn to take charge of your own health.
   Do not hesitate to stop your treatment when you believe it is wrong. Don't let anyone bully you by saying you're resistant. It shows a lack of trust in your moving at a pace that is appropriate for you. Focus on what you feel and think and not entirely on what the practitioner thinks and says.
9. Take action if you made the wrong choice.
   Chances are, you'll be happy. If not, you may want to discuss the problem openly or just stop going. Serious problems are best pursued through a licensing board or professional association.
10. Trust your own sense of judgement.
    The chemistry between you and your practitioner is critical to your success. Are you comfortable? Are you being well treated? Does the practitioner just try to smash out a knot in your shoulder or is your comfort level taken into account? Is there open communication and good rapport? Do you have confidence in the practitioner and his or her style of health care? If the practitioner only practices one modality, ask the practitioner if he or she is open to other systems and how they might complement theirs. Beware of practitioners who rigidly advocate only their way.