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Actinotherapy is a type of medical therapy, and it is a general term that may be used to describe, or in place of, other terms that include radiation therapy and photodynamic therapy.
Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses the same principles as acupuncture. But instead of inserting needles at points around the body, pressure is applied by hand or via a variety of different devices.
Acupuncture is a Western term which means “puncturing with needles”. It involves inserting needles into the patient and manipulating them, at any of the 360 or so points around the body. The needles are far smaller than those used for giving injections, as they do not need to be hollow and the lengths vary with the type of treatment.
Acutonics is a form of alternative therapy that was developed by Donna Carey and Marjorie de Muynck who have been working together on this since 1995. When compared to many of the ancient traditional Chinese medicine therapies, on which this is partly based, this is a very new form of alternative therapy.
Basically speaking, adventure therapy is a form of therapy that puts both adults and/or children into situations where there is a certain element of perceived risk, though within a safe environment. The intention of adventure therapy is to build the participants self-esteem, to encourage cooperative games, problem-solving, trust building and team building, by introducing them to particular environments that should elicit a certain type of reaction and behaviour.
The Alexander Technique was developed by F. Matthias Alexander between 1890 and 1900. Alexander was experiencing vocal problems which doctors had told him were not the effect of any medical condition, so he set about trying to find the cause himself.
Amatsu has developed from an ancient Japanese therapy and is used to correct many musculoskeletal problems, for pain management and for rehabilitation after injury. In addition it works to restore general health by addressing physical, emotional and nutritional stresses on the body.
Animal assisted therapy is a type of therapy that involves the use of animals as an essential part of the person’s treatment.
Apitherapy is the use of honeybee products for medicinal reasons, to heal or recover from a variety of illnesses. The products used can include honey, pollen, propolis (a resin-like substance used to seal small holes in the hive), royal jelly and bee venom.
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses essential oils and other aromatic compounds from a large variety of plants.
Art therapy is a type of psychotherapy which is used so that the individual client or group can express themselves and their emotions through the use of various art materials. The expression of their art is the primary form of communication between the individual concerned and the art therapist and is hence very useful for people who have difficulty expressing themselves for whatever reasons.
Attachment therapy can refer to two quite different forms of therapy, both aimed primarily at children. One is complementary and controversial, whilst the other is far more mainstream and accepted within psychotherapy circles.
Aura therapy is a non-invasive healing technique, based on the belief that all humans have an aura or vital energy field. The colours that are identified in a person’s aura reveal what, if any, diseases are present.
Aura-soma is categorised as an energy therapy that is chiefly based on colour and divination and the idea that colour itself is a universally understood language.
Auriculotherapy is also known as auricular therapy or sometimes ear acupuncture. However, ear acupuncture is actually quite a different type of therapy. It is based on the idea that the ear is a micro system and that the whole body can be represented within the ear, and hence manipulating the ear in some way can treat ailments across the whole body.
Australian flower essences therapy is a flower essences therapy that uses just plants and flowers native to Australia, and may also be referred to as Australian bush flower essences.
Authentic movement therapy was started by Mary Starks Whitehouse in the 1950s, and is an expressive improvisational movement, performed individually or within a group.
Autogenics therapy, or autogenic training as it is sometimes known, is a relaxation technique, which was developed by Dr. Johannes Schultz, a German psychiatrist, in the early 1930s.
Aversion therapy is very similar to shock therapy, in that it uses shock, as well as other unpleasant sensations, which practitioners purport help the client to break unhealthy habitual behaviours or addictions.
Ayurvedic medicine, or ayurveda as it is also known, is an ancient alternative medical system used frequently today on the Indian subcontinent.