What are Complementary Therapies?
Complementary therapies (CT) are those that are not yet part of the general conventional Western biomedicine. They are therapies that may be used in conjunction with, rather than a replacement to conventional medical treatment. Complementary therapies can also be used alone when they are used to promote health and well being i.e. massage and relaxation techniques. Tataryn classifies them within four paradigms of health and illness. These include: Body, Body/Mind, Body/Mind/Energy, and Body/Mind/Spirit (Health Canada, 2001, Perspectives on Complementary and Alternative Health Care, p.1.5).