The Australian Bureau of Statistics' snapshot of social trends indicated the rise in patient numbers had led to a doubling of the complementary health workforce, from 4800 to 8600 in the 10 years to 2006.

However, Bathurst naturopath Colin Taylor said while a lot of people were training in natural therapies, "75 to 80 per cent of those who train are not working in the field a year or two later".

"That's because they can't make a living as a natural therapist," he said.

Mr Taylor said many natural therapists were forced to take up other jobs in order to make ends meet.

He said the statistics may indicate a 51 per cent increase in the numbers visiting alternative therapists, but that figure was not representative across the nation.

"People are becoming more interested in natural therapy because they have hit a point with conventional therapy where it isn't working," he said.

"If you go to a GP, the key in to other medical services, the majority of drugs dispensed are variations on pain killers and mood alterers, which don't fix the problem.

"For example, arthritis is caused by lifestyle and emotion and painkillers are a temporary covering tool which doesn't address the cause.

"Naturopaths look deeper and try to treat the cause of the problem," he said.

The snapshot also showed that women made up half the population in 2004-05 yet they accounted for 62 per cent of people who had visited a complementary health therapist.

Naturopaths, the group that had the most practitioners (2980) was made up of 79 per cent women.

Mr Taylor said these statistics were reflected locally.

"Seventy per cent of my clients are women, and 20 per cent of my male clients were sent by women," he said.

"This is also true for GP visits as well.

"Women are more aware of what is happening in their heads and ask for help.

"Men push along until they crash," he said.

Fellow naturopath David Marston said he believed the fact more women sought advice was associated with the role of women as nurturers.

"If a woman is sick, the whole family falls down, whereas nothing knocks a man over except when he gets a serious illness," he said.

"The majority of people I see are over 40 and they come for serious illnesses, not the common cold or flu," he said.