Navigating Health: New Resource Guide Shows the Way

Patients and caregivers alike are often confused by the many healthcare options available in the world of alternative medicine. Are herbs and acupuncture a good complement to cancer treatment? Will myofascial therapy relieve migraine pain? Can homeopathy help ease chronic fatigue symptoms? Finally, are these approaches safe, effective, and compatible with treatment from a primary care physician?

The Integrative Health Studies program at California Institute of Integral Studies has created a new resource guide to help patients and caregivers find answers to these questions. Intended for health coaches and their patients, Integrative Health Coaching: A Resource Guide for Navigating Complementary and Integrative Health provides comprehensive information on alternative treatments. The guide was written by Integrative Health Studies faculty, graduate students, and advisors, and edited by Program Chair Meg Jordan. Dr. John W. Travis, MPH, creator of the Wellness-Illness Continuum, provided the foreword.

The guide provides in-depth information on complementary and integrative healthcare options, including research, benefits, contraindications, coaching tips, practitioner credentials and licensing requirements, and more. It also includes information on simple lifestyle changes that promote and enhance health.

According to Jordan,

Each graduate student researched a holistic modality for the entire semester and learned how to provide coaching support for it. That makes this a truly unique resource. We hope to keep it updated annually with new entries from each cohort of second-year students.

Proceeds from sales of the guide will support a newly created alumni-generated scholarship fund for future Integrative Health Studies students.