Short answer: Yes!  Industry recognition and approval is essential for holistic therapist training courses.

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Long answer:  There is a wide range of holistic and complementary therapy modalities that do not fit into the Government Training Frameworks in most countries. These include Yoga, Holistic Counselling, Empowerment Coaching, Meditation Teaching,  Creative Therapy and Holistic Integrated Creative Arts Therapies, just to name a few. There is a misconception that these modalities are unregulated, but they are, in fact, industry-regulated or self-regulated. 

Courses for modalities that are industry-regulated instead of government-regulated do not provide a nationally recognized/government-accredited qualification. These courses provide graduates with an internationally approved and industry-recognized qualification, which meets the requirements to practice as a therapist under these modalities, join industry associations and get professional indemnity and liability insurance.

There are two types of associations.

Modality-based Associations are usually owned by the same people who own training colleges within that industry.  Or they require members to complete ongoing training through colleges they own or have a financial partnership with. They only focus on that particular modality and they often only accept membership from graduates of their own training courses. There is nothing essentially wrong with that. Provided there is plenty of transparency, value, and support for members and the course you are going to study is not ONLY accredited with a modality-based association. If it is, it could mean the college has simply started an association to provide accreditation for their own course. Many modality-based associations only approve of a specific style, technique, tradition, or lineage of that therapy. Some modality-based associations give the strong impression that you must be registered with them in order to practice as a therapist. This is untrue and very concerning in a self-regulated industry. 

Industry-based Associations are not owned by the same people who own the training colleges. They are separate, not associated with the colleges, and are non-biased. Their purpose is to protect the end-user and maintain the integrity of holistic and complementary therapies. 

They may offer training courses and professional development training, but there is no requirement for members to participate. They accept members from a very wide variety of different therapeutic modalities. They are not concerned with specific styles, techniques, traditions, or lineages. They are concerned with the quality, educational content, course outcomes, scope of information, where that information originated, and the integrity of the course provider. They have a rigorous process that course providers must adhere to before they provide approval for any training courses.

Our courses are recognised with The International Institute of Complementary Therapists, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, The Complementary Medical Association and The International Association of Therapists. All have excellent global reputations and rigorous screening processes.

We are very proud to have their stamps of approval. Our graduates can join the IICT, IAOTH, IPHM, and the CMA and get professional practitioner insurance. 

Mind Body Education courses are all evidence-based and incorporate a wide variety of techniques and styles.

Holistic Integrated Creative Arts Therapist (HICAT) and Master Practitioner of Holistic Creative Therapy graduates are able to join the HICAT Association and Mind Body Education Practitioner Support Network (this is a newly established modality association to support Practitioners - It's free and provides ongoing support and networking owned by Mind Body Education). In the UK and globally you may use the title Creative Arts Facilitator or Creative Therapist. 

Members of all of the above associations can be listed on practitioner directories on all of these associations' websites to help drive potential clients directly to you, the qualified and industry-approved practitioner.
 

No matter where you decide to enrol, we recommend you only choose training courses with industry accreditation. You may not be able to obtain insurance or practice legally if you do not.