Colorado School of Energy Studies offers certification trainings in energy-based therapies including Polarity Therapy and Craniosacral Therapy. We strive to combine theoretical information with practical applications throughout all programs, to prepare practitioners for professional success. While energy therapies have a long history in both modern and ancient times, they are currently being re-discovered by a new audience, a mainstream public which is often highly dissatisfied with the nature and effectiveness of modern drugs-and-surgery health care. Our graduates are pioneers in bringing a different approach to wellness, based on a deeper inquiry into cause and effect. For the competent practitioner, this is a rewarding career choice. Our trainings are carefully designed to help students learn the difficult palpation and sensory skills necessary to practice energy work. We do not minimize the challenge involved, there is no question that perception and facilitation of energy fields requires deep study and long practice. But for those who persevere and gain these skills, a career in this new profession is truly "right livelihood," helping others solve health issues on a deeper level, while also making a good living. Energy work has several possible advantages over other touch-oriented therapies. The bodywork style is physically much easier for the practitioner, avoiding the repetitive motion strain (especially in the back and arms) problems of regular massage. Energy work is never repetitive, as sessions are custom-designed for each client. Clients tend to be more clear in their intentions about the service and do not need to disrobe, so the recreational touch issues common to massage are avoided. Finally, energy work is truly holistic with multiple applications and approaches available to the practitioner, so you can develop your own niche based on your particular special interests and skills, such as exercise, nutrition, counseling, etc. By becoming an energy therapy practitioner, you also place yourself into position to "catch the wave" of increasing public awareness. In 1998, all four of the national touch therapy magazine featured "Energy" as the front cover theme of at least one issue. In one poll, Craniosacral Therapy was named as the fastest growing touch therapy modality in the U.S. Dr. Andrew Weil's "Spontaneous Healing" (with chapter 2 devoted entirely to the story of William Sutherland student Robert Fulford, DO) achieved the #1 bestseller position in the New York Times book ratings. The increasing popularity of energy therapy is due to its effectiveness. While hard scientific research to prove effects and describe phenomena has been slow to emerge (medical research funding being somewhat driven by potential pharmaceutical profitability), anecdotal stories are abundant. Polarity Therapy founder Stone always asked for the hardest medical cases to use in demonstrations, and consistently got positive results, as did Sutherland, Becker, Fulford and other founders in the field. The esoteric nature of the theory of energy work will always distract some people, but the results speak for themselves and remain an unanswered challenge for allopathic medicine. By entering this profession, you take on the exciting lifelong challenge of bringing these results to your own clients, and re-defining the nature of modern health care.