This guide helps students and new practitioners to establish a natural therapy practice. It covers the entirety of the process—from discovering a natural therapy career, to running a successful business.
If you haven’t decided which natural therapy to study, you’ll need to thoroughly research the modalities, and make a decision about which to embark on. Take care to choose a modality that best suits your skills, personality, financial goals, and demand in your local area. If possible, talk to qualified natural therapists who are already working in their field, to find out more information about the day-to-day of the job.
Many natural therapists study multiple modalities, to broaden their scope of practice and offer a greater number of services to customers. If this is the case, you will need to research each of the modalities to make an informed decision.
These are the natural therapy modalities that ANTA accredits:
Once you have chosen your career path, enrol in a course that is recognised by ANTA, to ensure that you can become a member.
Once enrolled, sign up for free ANTA membership and gain access to world-class scientific resources, access to our quarterly journal and eNews, reduced future membership fees, and a whole lot more.
If your course doesn’t include first aid as standard, you will need to complete a separate first aid course. This is a requirement of ANTA membership, and necessary for health fund and WorkCover recognition.
When you’ve completed your qualifications and finished celebrating, it’s time to set up your new business!
The first step is selecting a location for your practice, and it’s an important one. If you set up your practice in a location where people are likely to use your services, you’ll be on your way to success. You should consider the following when selecting a location for your practice:
You can contact the local council for this kind of information, or research online.
This is a critical step, so take this slowly.
You can run a natural therapy practice as a company, sole trader, partnership, or a trust. Each option has pros and cons—we recommend talking to an accountant or solicitor about which business type is best for you. They will also be able to help you set up the company.
If you’d rather set up the business by yourself, you can apply for a business name and ABN through the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. To register a business name in your state, you can contact the Office of Fair Trading for your particular state.
When establishing a new practice it is important to identify which licenses are required, and any regulations you must comply with.
Licenses relating to premises and your practice can vary considerably depending on your approach (building a new business, taking over an existing business, leasing a business, etc.).
To understand which licenses are required, and which regulations you must adhere to, contact your local council.
To separate your personal finances from your business finances, you will need to set up a business bank account. To get the best account for your business, spend a little time shopping around.
If you need to apply for a business loan for your new company, this is a good time to look.
Business insurance is complicated, and will vary depending on your business. The best approach is to shop around for different types of business insurance, and see what is available.
For your Professional Indemnity Insurance (a requirement for natural therapists), we have developed custom plans for our members through Guild Insurance, which covers Professional Indemnity, Public and Products Liability, and covers you for a minimum of $2 million. This insurance allows you to be registered as a provider with health funds (for applicable modalities) and covers your legal responsibilities for potential injuries and other expenses.
By tailoring this insurance policy for our members, you won’t have to spend hours finding an insurance cover suited for your practice.
Certain natural therapies are exempt from GST, provided they meet the requirements. The eligible modalities are acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, naturopathy, and osteopathy. You can find out everything you need to know on our GST exemption page.
As a natural therapist dealing with people’s personal information, you must adhere to the The Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, and should understand your requirements.
Under Federal, State and Local Council regulations, standards must be maintained for your clinic. ANTA Clinic Standards, Hygiene & Infection Control Guidelines.
There are many factors within your control that can determine your success:
ANTA has a fully staffed National Administration Office that provides services and support for ANTA members. Contact us on 1800 817 577 (Monday to Friday) for further information and assistance.
Commonwealth and State Government Agencies also provide services and assistance in setting up a new business and you should check with the relevant government agency in your state. The Australian Taxation Office website www.ato.gov.au also provides information on tax requirements in running a business.