Should I Go Back to NP School To Become a Holistic Nurse?

Let’s talk about something a lot of holistic nurses wrestle with:“Should I go back to school and become a Nurse Practitioner?”

It’s a big question—and for many nurses, it comes from a place of not being sure what else to do.

You may feel drawn to holistic health but unsure how to actually practice it. So you look around, see other nurses going back to school, and figure… “Maybe that’s what I’m supposed to do too.”

But here’s the thing: becoming an NP might give you diagnostic and prescribing powers—but it doesn’t necessarily bring you closer to the kind of healing work your soul is craving.

In fact, it can lead you down a more conventional path, away from your original vision.

Why So Many Holistic Nurses Default to NP School

Many of us were taught that more credentials = more success.
But as a holistic nurse, success often looks like:

• Having time for meaningful client relationships

• Using tools like energy healing, nutrition, or mind-body techniques

• Creating your own programs or private practice

• Actually loving the way you show up to work each day

NP school may not support any of those goals.

It’s important to remember that it takes around 10,000 hours to truly become an expert in a field. So if your passion is in herbalism, breathwork, Ayurveda, or trauma-informed care, ask yourself:

Would NP school actually help me get better at that?

Before You Sign Up for School, Ask Yourself These Questions:

1. How would becoming an NP support my holistic nursing goals?
   Or am I just hoping it will give me more clarity?

2. Do I want to prescribe meds—or do I just want more “legitimacy” as a provider?

3. Have I shadowed a working NP to see what their daily life is actually like?
   Because it may not look like what you’re imagining.

4. What does my perfect workday look like?
   Does it involve charts and scripts… or breathwork, essential oils, and client healing sessions?

5. Who is my dream client?
   Picture them. What do they need? What do I want to offer them?

6. What does a session with that client look like in real life?
   How am I supporting them? What skills am I using?

7. When I think about my own healing journey, what helped me the most?
   Is that what I want to offer others? Is that covered in an NP program?

Here’s the Truth:

You don’t always need more schooling—you need the right schooling.
Something that sharpens your intuitive gifts, teaches you hands-on skills, and helps you feel confident in the holistic tools you really want to use.

For many of you, that might look like:

• Getting certified in Reiki, yoga, or functional nutrition

• Building a private holistic practice

• Learning business and marketing strategies

• Connecting with other holistic nurse entrepreneurs

And if that’s the case, going back to NP school might actually take you away from your true path.

Holistic Nursing Is a Calling—Not a Job Title

You don’t need permission to be a holistic nurse.
You don’t need to “earn it” with more letters behind your name.
You just need the right support, tools, and confidence.

So before you invest thousands of dollars and years of your life, take time to ask the questions above. You might discover that the next step isn’t grad school—it’s stepping fully into the healer you were always meant to be.

Ready to explore your holistic path?
We offer CNE-approved holistic programs, mentorship, and business tools to help you step into your calling—with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Check out our upcoming trainings and see what’s possible when you stop following someone else’s path and finally walk your own.