Introduction to Integrative Therapies and Healing Practices

Overview

This introductory course provides a framework for incorporating integrative therapies into your work with clients or patients. By the end of the course, you will be able to assess if integrative therapies are good options in specific situations, as well as educate patients and colleagues about benefits and risks. You will be confident discussing the evidence base for integrative therapies in general, with an understanding of some of the challenges of research in this area, and able to identify reliable sources of evidence-based information. You will leave with the skills to partner with patients or clients around use of these therapies and a plan to introduce integrative therapies in your work or other setting. Continuing Education Credit This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 15 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

Syllabus

Introduction to the Field of Integrative Therapies

In this module you'll get an overview of the field of integrative health and identify the different categories of therapies that promote whole-system wellbeing. You’ll even get a handy checklist for determining patient preferences that you can use in your practice.

Types of Integrative Therapies

Now that you’ve gotten an overview of the field of integrative health, we’ll discuss the different types of integrative therapies in a little more depth, including reiki, chiropractic, and botanical medicine. You’ll also have the opportunity to research an herb and discuss different types of therapies with your peers.

Evaluating the Evidence

In this module we’ll be discussing how to evaluate research. Why is research on integrative therapies difficult to conduct? How can we separate the hype from evidence-based benefit?

How Safe Are Integrative Therapies?

In this module, we'll focus on optimizing the safe use of integrative therapies.

What Impacts Use of Integrative Therapies?

As our course nears to an end, we will equip you with the tools to create a policy for your organization or care setting, as well as some important information about regulatory compliance.

Your Course Project
Reflections and Next Steps

In this module, you will catch up on any materials that you need to finish and then reflect on how you can integrate what you learned into your work or life. We encourage you to discuss the course with your fellow participants and reflect on how you might use this information in your practice.