How Natural Therapists enhance positive expectations of patients

ObjectiveTo examine if Natural Therapists purposely enhance patient expectations, and if so which strategies are used in clinical practice.MethodInterviews were conducted with ten experienced Australian Natural Therapists using semi-structured questionnaires. Data was analysed using grounded theory.ResultsThe Natural Therapists in the present study reported that they spent considerable time and effort to deliberately enhance positive expectations. Strategies included an enthusiastic delivery of the therapeutic scope of the practitioner’s modality and the practitioner’s capacity to diagnose and treat disease based upon their training and experience, and confidence in patients’ self-efficacy, with an emphasis on personal strengths and positive aspects of patients’ health. The therapists claimed to be optimistic, but at the same time realistic, cautioning against false hope, particularly in serious or terminal diseases. In order to enhance patient expectation greater emphasis should be placed on these strategies in the training of Natural Therapists.