When you’re not feeling well physically, emotionally, or psychologically, it’s common to think of traditional forms of healing, such as going to a doctor, looking up information on the Internet, and talking to friends and family. However, there are many alternative forms of healing as well that are slowly gaining acceptance.

Alternative forms of healing are useful because it provides you with a list of options to try if the traditional paths of healing aren’t successful. It also might open your mind to the ways that the body and mind can heal, which can happen outside of traditional medicine.

Now, it should be noted that while some of the following practices are gaining in popularity, some of them have not been proven to be successful. Therefore, this article isn’t an encouraging you to let go of the methods of healing you’re currently using; rather the list of alternative forms of healing below can supplement your healing path.

And you might even find the healing methods below in more and more places, such as in a teen residential treatment center or at a hospital. Knowing about these various forms can give you options when you need them:

• Acupuncture is a system of complementary medicine that involves pricking the skin or tissues with needles, which are intended to relieve pain and/or treat various physical, mental, and emotional conditions.

• Aromatherapy uses essential oils from plants and herbs, which are inhaled or applied to the skin. Aromas derived from natural plant sources have been shown to support emotional balance, stress relief, and overall well-being.

• Art Therapy works with the images in your mind. At times, when the mind is inflicted by disease, these images might be self-destructive, leading to teen addiction, depression, and suicide. If, for example, you have an image of yourself that is shameful or unworthy or unlovable, it might be hard to feel deserving of what life has to offer. It might be difficult to find the energy to manage the emotional, psychological, and physical changes taking place during adolescence.

• Biofeedback is a scientific way of learning about tension reduction. Instruments are used to provide immediate feedback about the level of tension in the body.

• Craniosacral Therapy is a modality that uses the craniosacral system – the soft tissues and fluid that protects, nourishes, and cleanses the brain and spinal cord – as a means for assessing disease in the body. A therapist trained in this modality knows how to work with the craniosacral system to release tension in the body and improve functioning of the central nervous system. Because of its ability to release emotionally held trauma that was stored in the body, this form of therapy has been used to treat a vast number of veterans with great success. Although it’s an alternative form of therapy, it has been used to treat addiction and continues to be a widely used healing method.

• Guided Imagery is a treatment technique that uses imagination and focus to direct attention on the nervous system, particularly the part of the body that might hold the answer to one’s issue. It can be used on those who have both psychological and physical illnesses, such as addiction.

• Herbal Therapy is a form of treatment that uses herbs, which are natural botanical substances that affect the body. Many herbs have long been used in detoxification. For instance, the herb Kadzu has the potential for moderating alcohol abuse. Milk thistle can improve liver function, and Kava and Valerian can be used to treat insomnia, which often accompanies withdrawal.

This alphabetical list of 14 alternative healing methods will continue in part two of this article. Lastly, keep in mind that there are a vast number of healing methods, in addition to those provided here. This article series is meant to give you a taste of alternative forms of medicine.