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How to become a colon hydrotherapist in Australia
We are in an unusual position to write this article. Since 2003 we have been certified colon hydrotherapists and instructors, and through our I-ACT School of Colon Hydrotherapy Australasia we train and certify Australia's colon hydrotherapists ourselves. So here is the honest version of how you get into this profession: what the work is really like, what the qualifications mean, and how to take the first step.
The honest job description
What the work actually involves
Let us be upfront: this is intimate, caring work. Your day is spent with people at their most vulnerable, taking health histories, running consultations, guiding clients through treatments, and cleaning and sanitising equipment and rooms between every session. It is not glamorous, and anyone who tells you otherwise has not done it.
It is also some of the most appreciated work we know. Clients arrive nervous and leave telling you things they have never told anyone about their digestion, their confidence, their comfort in their own body. After tens of thousands of sessions between us, including running the colon hydrotherapy department at Tony Robbins' global events since 2004, we still find that part quietly wonderful.
If you have never experienced a session yourself, start there. In fact we recommend 1 to 3 colonics before training, and a first visit at one of our clinics is $145 on our standard pricing. You cannot guide someone through something you have not felt.
Qualifications
Why certification matters in an unregulated field
Australia has no licensing scheme for colon hydrotherapists. That makes proper certification more important, not less.
I-ACT
The International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy has set the professional standards worldwide for over 35 years, working with the FDA, CE and TGA. It certifies therapists at four levels: Colon Hydrotherapy Training, which lets you practise professionally, then Intermediate, Advanced and Instructor. Membership also gives you access to insurance, seminars and an international professional community.
NBCHT
The National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy in the USA offers board certification on top of I-ACT training. We are both National Board Certified, Michelle was I-ACT's 2012 Instructor of the Year, and Andrew is certified at I-ACT Advanced Level. You can read more about us on our about page.
In an unregulated field, certification is what tells clients, insurers and equipment suppliers that you trained to a recognised international standard rather than watching a few videos.
The course
What our training covers, and how long it takes
Our complete I-ACT certification training runs in two parts. First comes 200 hours of online study, which you can begin any time after registration and must finish before the practical. Then you join us for 7 days of on-site practical training, 60 hours of theory and hands-on device work, 9am to 6pm daily.
The curriculum is the whole job, not just the treatment: health questionnaires and consultations, contraindications, anatomy and physiology, equipment operation on the LIBBE and Angel of Water open systems, cleaning and sanitation, supervised practical treatments with real clinic procedures, client care and communication, and a business module on building your practice. You will also experience the treatments yourself, including colon hydrotherapy, infrared sauna and detox foot baths.
Afterwards we stay involved. We help you plan your treatment-room layout and give you a customised set of procedures so your new practice runs smoothly from day one. The full curriculum is on our training page.
Locations
Where you can train
Your training location is customised when you enrol.
Our Sydney clinics
Train inside a working clinic at Caringbah in the Sutherland Shire, an easy trip from Cronulla, Miranda and Sutherland, or at Newport on the Northern Beaches near Mona Vale and Avalon. You learn in the same rooms our clients are treated in.
Gumtree Retreat, or your own clinic
Prefer an immersive block? Gumtree Retreat is our boutique day spa on 40 acres near Coffs Harbour, NSW. Or, by mutual agreement, we can train on-site at your own clinic with your equipment, with a minimum of 3 students per class.
Is it you?
Who tends to thrive in this work
Nurses & naturopaths
People with a health background often find colon hydrotherapy a natural fit: the consultations, the anatomy and the client care all feel familiar, and it adds an in-demand service to an existing practice.
Massage & wellness therapists
If you already work hands-on with bodies, you have most of the temperament: presence, gentleness and the ability to put a nervous person at ease. The technical side is very learnable.
Career changers
Some of our best graduates came from offices, trades and completely unrelated fields. What they shared was a genuine love of helping people and no squeamishness about real, human work.
The formal pre-requisites are modest: a high school diploma or equivalent and a current CPR certificate. The real requirement is the caring part, and that you cannot fake.
Thinking about it?
Questions from future therapists
Do I need a medical background?
Is colon hydrotherapy regulated in Australia?
How long does training take?
Can I open my own clinic afterwards?
Where does the training happen?
What does the training cost?
Ready to find out if this career is for you?
Read the full course details, then get in touch and we will send you the I-ACT School of Colon Hydrotherapy Australasia information pack, or come and experience a session for yourself first.