Holistic Medicine treats the whole person, using holistic healing, nutrition and herbs to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself.

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Course materials in detail

Course Title: Holistic Health Practitioner

Course Duration: 1000 hours (You have 24 months to complete this program)

Pre-Requisites: Applicants who do not hold a High School Diploma or Equivalent will be required to pass a basic entrance exam that will demonstrate their knowledge of English and basic math. If you do not hold a High School Diploma or Equivalent you can still enroll online today. Once you've completed the online enrollment form, you will be taken to the online entrance exam page. Please don't let this entrance exam make you nervous as you will have an opportunity to see your score before submitting the results to admissions and you can retake the exam as needed. You will be required to obtain a 60% passing grade. If you are enrolling by mail or fax, you can still complete the entrance exam online or request a hard copy by calling 1-800-605-6520. To see a sample of the entrance exam, please click here. (Please do not fill this form out if you do not wish to enroll.)

ENROLL ONLINE NOW Tuition fee including study materials: $2,880.00 Discount: -$600.00 Course with discount: $2,280.00 Enrollment fee: $75.00 S&H: $38.00 (International Students click here) Total Price: $2,393.00

ENROLL BY MAIL or call 1-800-605-6520 1st Payment: 40% + $38 S&H = $873.00 2nd Payment: 30% = $795.00 (incl. $35 admin fee) Due 1 month after enrollment. 3rd Payment 30% = $795.00 (incl. $35 admin fee) Due 2 months after enrollment. Total Price $2,463.00 To take advantage of our payment plan option you can either print and mail or fax us the enrollment form by clicking on the "enroll by mail" button or enroll over the phone by calling 1-800-605-6520 Monday through Friday 9a.m.-5p.m. Pacific Time

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GCNM’s home-study Holistic Health Practitioner Program contains 20 comprehensive lessons, covering topics in the areas of holistic nutrition, herbology, environmental medicine, energy work, mind-body medicine, anatomy, terminology, and much, much more.

A Holistic Health Practitioner is someone who is an expert in various aspects of holistic health and is able to offer clients a wide array of natural treatment options. An HHP is able to evaluate an individual’s diet and lifestyle, and uses the latest advances in nutrition and holistic medicine to offer positive lifestyle changes and a personalized meal plan and exercise program. An HHP has advanced knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology, vitamins, minerals, and herbs, and possesses strong empathy for his fellow men.

An HHP recognizes that the whole person needs to be treated and is able to assess the client’s emotional state, while helping to establish a positive balance between body, mind, and spirit. An HHP works on the premise that the body has an innate healing ability and his/her job lies in helping to establish the right environment for self-healing to take place.

Career possibilities for Graduates:

At this point in time, many Holistic Health Practitioners choose to work in private practice offering individualized consultations. Others may be involved in:

- Manufacturing or formulating dietary supplements. 
- Holding health seminars
- Writing articles or books on various aspects of holistic medicine.
- Operating or working at a health food store.
- Educating others about alternative medicine.

Holistic Health Practitioner Program
Curriculum

Module 1
Holistic Health Practitioner Program

HH11 Anatomy & Physiology: Detailed study of the human body and how organ systems correlate to one another.

HH12 Medical/Herbal Botanical Terminology: Hundreds of medical, herbal and botanical terms are explained to the student, to help them better comprehend future lessons and to gain a greater understanding of the client’s medical conditions and treatments. 

HH13 Toxicity and Detoxification: An in-depth study of autointoxification, food and environmental pollutants, Candida Albicans and parasites. The importance of detoxification is emphasized and the most popular cleansing herbs are discussed for each organ system.

HH14 Dietary Guidelines: Holistic Nutrition plays a big part in preserving health and eliminating illness. Students will learn about optimum nutrition and how certain diets can help specific health conditions. The importance of water will also be discussed, as well as the best type of water to consume.

Module 2
Holistic Health Practitioner Program

HH21 Orthomolecular Nutrition: A detailed study of vitamins, minerals, and nutritional supplements, including some case-studies showing the effectiveness of nutritional therapies.

HH22 Weight loss: Fad diets and why they don’t work will be addressed, as well as other contributing factors that inhibit weight loss. Students will learn about the ever-growing obesity problem in today’s culture and how to overcome this dangerous epidemic.

HH23 Alternative Healing Methods: Alternative versus conventional medicine will be discussed. Students will learn about different natural therapies that can be utilized, in place of, or in conjunction with allopathic medicine.

HH24 Alternative Diagnostic Methods: Different alternative diagnostic tools will be introduced such as; tongue analysis, muscle testing, hair analysis, live blood cell analysis, intuitive healing, iridology, etc.

Module 3
Holistic Health Practitioner Program

HH31 Environmental Medicine: The study of environmental allergens in relation to health and illness. Factors such as dust, molds, chemicals, and other environmental hazards will be discussed, including how to recognize the symptoms they produce, and how to treat and eliminate these conditions naturally.

HH32 Energy Work: The study of healing modalities that involve the body’s energy systems, such as Healing Touch, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Qi Gong.

HH33 Body-Mind Medicine: The study of the connection between body and mind, and what is needed to restore balance and harmony between the two in order for emotional and physical healing to take place.

HH34 Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions: Students will learn how to avoid making mistakes when using natural supplements and common medications together. The A-Z guide will teach students which drugs can deplete the body’s essential nutrients, which can help prescriptions work better or reduce drug side effects, and which herbs and drugs should never be taken together.

Module 4
Holistic Health Practitioner Program

HH41 Common Ailments Prevention and Treatment: The most common ailments will be discussed, as well as traditional, nutritional and herbal treatments for each. The three big killers: heart disease, cancer and diabetes will be discussed in great detail.

HH42 History of Herbal Medicine: The history of herbal medicine is woven into the histories of people and civilizations. This lesson is an introduction to Herbology and gives a detailed description of the use of herbal medicine throughout the ages.

HH43 Eastern Medicine: The study of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine is the second-largest medical system in the world after Western Medicine. Ayurvedic Medicine, the traditional medical system of India, is the third largest medical system in the world. The study of these ancient methods of healing will help incorporate ancient knowledge to modern herbal medicine.

HH44 Western Herbal Medicine: Traditional Western Herbal Medicine evolved from the Greeks who were strongly influenced by the Egyptians and Middle Eastern civilizations. Herbal medicine in North America today is also influenced by European and Native American traditions. Students will learn to incorporate the different healing systems and how to determine the best therapy for individual cases.

Module 5
Holistic Health Practitioner Program

HH51 Botany and Plant Identification Harvesting: A detailed study of botany in relation to herbal medicine. Plant anatomy. Over 1,000 herbs will be covered, with over 1,500 colored photographs for quick reference, to assist the student in identifying, cultivating and using herbs.

HH52 Making Herbal Remedies: Students will learn how to make their own herbal remedies, including healing balms, lotions, teas, syrups, oils, tinctures, and more. We’ll also discuss the entire process of preparing herbal medicines at home. From methods of growing, gathering, and drying herbs, to different ways of extracting their vital essences. Students will be expected to send in a sample of a homemade remedy during their final grading.

HH53 Materia Medica Therapeutic Herbalism: The study of hundreds of healing herbs, their uses, ratings, safety issues, dosage, and research behind the plant. Ground breaking herbal treatments will be discussed for over 100 medical conditions including: cancer, migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, and arthritis.

HH54 Business Procedures Jurisprudence: Students will learn how to set up their own practice and how to avoid legal complications. Standard disclaimer forms will be presented, which should be used while practicing any aspect of alternative medicine.

Your study material includes the expertise of well-known leaders in alternative and integrative medicine, such as Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D and Patrick Holford. Learning from such well- respected experts will help ensure that you are receiving the most up-to-date and comprehensive information available.

The study materials you receive once enrolled in the Holistic Health Practitioner Program include the following:

Published in 5 textbooks by the Global College of Natural Medicine*:

Module I
Basic Human Anatomy
Medical/Herbal Botanical Terminology
Toxicity and Detoxification
Dietary Guidelines

Module II
Orthomolecular Nutrition
Weight loss
Alternative Healing Methods
Alternative Diagnostic Methods

Module III
Environmental Medicine
Energy Work
Body-Mind Medicine
Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions

Module IV
Common Ailments Prevention and Treatment
History of Herbal Medicine
Eastern Medicine
Western Herbal Medicine

Module V
Botany and Plant Identification Harvesting
Making Herbal Remedies
Materia Medica Therapeutic Herbalism
Business Procedures Jurisprudence
Case Studies Consultant’s Guide to Analysis

* Please call 1-800-804-5512 (1-831-454-0700) to order these downloadable lessons in pdf format for $15.00 No refunds for program downloads/CDs.

The following are complementary materials for the HHP curriculum
(included in the price of tuition):

Alternative Medicine The Definite Guide, by The Burton Goldberg Group: Written by nearly 400 doctors, The Definitive Guide is known as the Bible of alternative medicine. Over 1,000 pages!

The Optimum Nutrition Bible, by Patrick Holford: Discussions of antioxidants, phytochemicals, heart health, immune boosters, and more...

The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual, by James Green: This guide to the kitchen pharmacy discusses the entire process of preparing herbal medicines at home.

The A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb and Vitamin Interactions, by Schuyler W. Lininger Jr. Steve  Austin, Alan R. Gaby, Donald J. Brown, and Forrest Batz:  The A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions, helps you learn which drugs can deplete your body's essential nutrients.

The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments, by Alan Keith Tillotson.

Medical Herbalism:  The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine, by David Hoffmann, FNIMH, AHG:  This text blends science with a very holistic approach to herbal healing.  In addition to suggested herbs and dietary changes for various conditions, helpful rationale is given for why they work.  This book is an herbal reference masterpiece that will aid the practitioner in choosing herbs that are both effective and safe.

Diet For a New America, DVD by John Robbins: A graphic and shocking video of how our food choices affect the environment and our health.

Guide to Optimum Health, 6 CD's and workbook) series, by Dr. Andrew Weil.

World of Healthy Healing, DVD, by Dr. Linda Page:  An overview of herbal healing in different cultures throughout history - China, Ayurvedic and Western. How herbs work in the body; why herbal healing is becoming more popular today; the latest scientific research about a few of Dr. Page's favorite herbs; the difference in herbal delivery systems: capsules, teas, extracts and gels; easy ways to tell if whole herbs are fresh and potent and how to use herbs safely.

Legal Guidelines for Unlicensed Practitioners, by Lawrence Wilson, M.D.: How to practice holistic therapies or any unlicensed profession without legal problems. Includes disclaimer forms, disclosure and consent forms, discussion of how our legal system works, history of occupational licensing laws, problems with occupational licensing the ninth amendment and much more.

Advanced Nutri-Body Analysis with Nutritional Symptomatology: A Professional Guide, by David Rowland, PhD: This questionnaire and companion manual provide the background information you need to make sound recommendations concerning which nutrients clients should be taking and avoiding. A great tool to help get your business started.

Human Anatomy Coloring Book By Margaret Matt: This practical exercise will help you to better understand human anatomy.

Additional Materials:

- Laminated Herbology Chart
- Laminated Nutrition Chart 
- Study Guide 
- Case Studies 
- Final Examination

What is a Holistic Health Practitioner?

A Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) is a person trained in various areas of holistic healing, including Herbal Medicine, Holistic Nutrition, Body-Mind Medicine, etc. An HHP should possess a holistic philosophy, treat the whole person rather than the disease and consider  nutritional needs as well as emotional state of the client.

Can I take extra time to complete the program?

The amount of time varies from student to student. Some finish in 8-12 months, others take up to two years to complete their studies. There is no set time limit, so you can take as long as you like. However, we do feel that in order to maintain your momentum it is best to study on a regular basis rather than just once or twice a month.

What are the legal implications of practicing Holistic Medicine?

The HHP Program dedicates an entire module to the legalities of practicing as a Holistic Practitioner in the United States. We’ll teach you all the right tools to protect yourself and offer disclaimer forms to have signed by your clients.

We are also happy to report that on September 24th, 2002, California Governor Gray Davis signed into law the most important Health Freedom bill in world history - California SB 577. The bill makes health care "wide open." Holistic Health Practitioners, Homeopaths, Herbalists, Nutritionists, etc., are now free to offer services, without harassment.

California, the fifth largest stand alone economy in the world, has for some time led the nation in percentage (estimated at 75%) of health care dollars spent on "Alternative Medicine." Now, that percentage is expected to increase.

What’s the difference between conventional and holistic medicine?

Focus of conventional medicine is to treat the disease or symptoms, using harmful chemicals with possible deadly side effects. Holistic medicine treats the whole person and works on strengthening the body’s innate healing ability through the use of herbs, nutrition and other holistic healing modalities.