Types of Wellness Experts

Here, the goal is to give you a bit of a flavour of the many different opportunities that exist for you in the wellness industry, in particular, in terms of becoming an expert or a practitioner. We’ll start with some of the more obvious ones (the ones we hear about most in wellness) and then we can get a little more creative with the possibilities.

As you read through this list and the short summary of what this type of expert or practitioner usually offers, please do bear in mind that it is by no means exhaustive and that there will, no doubt, be many other examples that you can look to. This is designed to get you thinking and spark interest if you’re new to this career path.

You might also notice that some of the options could be considered to fall more under the umbrella of health (where the focus is treatment rather than prevention), however more and more medical professionals are finding ways to integrate preventative wellness modalities into their toolkit. This is often described as a more ‘holistic’ approach, or where Eastern medicine meets Western medicine.

Personal Trainer or Fitness Instructor – somebody who creates fitness programmes for their clients and motivates them to achieve their goals. You might deliver this individually or in groups. You may choose to focus on a particular discipline (e.g. high intensity training, mobility or strength training), use a particular type of equipment (e.g. weights or machines), work with particular groups of people (e.g. children, pregnant mothers or cancer patients) or for a particular outcome (e.g. flexibility, weight loss or muscle gain).

Yoga Teacher – somebody who teaches the ancient principles and discipline of yoga including the various poses and philosophical principles.

Dietitian, Nutritionist or Nutritional Therapist – there are often areas of specialism that a nutrition expert might focus on such as weight loss, energy, sleep, fertility, or a symptom/condition such as migraines, skin conditions or autoimmune disease.

Meditation Teacher or Mindfulness Expert – somebody who teaches the various tools and strategies associated with calming the mind and creating mental clarity. There are many different types of meditation – from vedic to transcendental.

Psychologist, Therapist, or Counsellor – somebody who provides tools and formats in which to talk through or process challenges, relieve distress, and/or offer strategies to better navigate such challenges. There are many forms of therapy and many types of counseling – from somatic, talk, or animal therapy, to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based, or psychodynamic counseling. And again, specialising may also refine the type of client you work with – from children or minority groups to veterans or athletes.

Massage or Physical Therapist – There is an enormous array of specialist modalities to explore when it comes to physical and alternative physical therapies, from Reiki, chiropractic, Bowen, or physiotherapy, to Rolfing, kinesiology or acupuncture. Many of these practices stem from ancient times and are rooted in Eastern medicine and, as you’ll learn in the next section, require different levels of qualifications in order to deliver.

Aromatherapist, Naturopath, or Homeopath – examples of somebody who utilises natural ingredients or materials, like plants, or focuses on the body’s self-healing abilities. These types of practitioners may be focused on prevention or alleviation/management of symptoms associated with certain conditions. As with the other types of career paths listed, there are many ways in which to specialise in these areas.

Health or Wellness Coach – somebody who works with and supports clients to enable long-term, positive health changes. They might provide personalised advice based on dietary, lifestyle, emotional, or physical needs to promote overall health and happiness. Again, there may be endless ways in which to focus or specialise in this career – on anything from intuitive eating to high performance.

And so, the list goes on…with a vast array of specialist expert careers that we haven’t explored in detail; like hypnotherapists, life coaches, somatic healers, holistic skin specialists, sports psychologists, tai chi instructors, and so many more.

As you explore the different options available to you in a career as an expert or practitioner in wellness, remember that you are not limited to one area of expertise or type of practice. You might find ways to blend different expertise into one new modality to offer even more value to the clients you work with. For example, you might be a yoga teacher that uses physical practices and combines them with knowledge of or qualifications in mindfulness to provide a holistic therapy that improves the overall result.

You might also consider the other possibilities – like teaching the expertise to others rather than practising it on clients. Or, you might consider the option of delivering this expertise in person, in groups, or in an online format (where possible).

What do you think?

With all of these possible career paths in mind – do you feel a certain pull to explore one or more areas in particular? How has your idea of a career in wellness expanded through reading this list?