When I first heard the term Holistic Therapy, I was not sure what to think. Was this some new age therapy that was going to involve crystals and chanting? (Not that those are bad things, if that is what makes you happy, chant away!) However, Holistic therapy simply means considering the whole, or all the aspects of your life, not just mental health. Our mental well-being is affected by a great deal of our life, not just what is going on in our mind. Think of it as treating the whole self, rather than just focusing on one symptom. Taking a comprehensive look at our whole lives, and how we can use therapy to improve them, is the foundation of Holistic Therapy. Through the five pillars of Holistic work, we can find ways to improve and become our best selves.
Social
The social pillar of Holistic Therapy includes all of the things that make up our social life. This includes family, friends, work, and any other ways in which we connect with others. Some people find that they have a vibrant social life and that they thrive this way. Other people feel lost and lonely in their social circles. Still others feel like they would like a better social life and do not know how to reach it. Some may be struggling to find balance in their social life, struggling at work but thriving at home, or the opposite. When looking at therapy through a Holistic perspective, your therapist will help you examine the social aspects of your life. Are you happy with your current social circles? Do you want to make changes? Do you have unrealistic expectations? Who has set those for you, yourself or other people in your life? How much of your social life, desires, and expectations are in your control?
Mental and Emotional Health
The mental pillar of Holistic Therapy refers to cognitive functioning. How is your mind doing? And how are you emotionally handling your day-to-day challenges? When we look at mental health, we are looking at the ability of the brain to learn, process, and adapt to change. This is often where a mental health diagnosis might come in. If your ability to function is compromised, you may be having depression or anxiety. And how you respond to those situations is where the emotional health comes in. Learning about how to deal with our mental health, by adapting appropriate coping mechanisms, accept the challenges we face, and approach our emotions with grace, can be a strong indicator of well-balanced mental and emotional health. If your therapist talks to you about learning skills of emotional regulation, they are focusing on the pillar of mental and emotional health. If you are learning about positive self-talk, self-care, mindfulness, or gratitude, you are also likely looking at mental and emotional health. Much of traditional therapy is spent looking at mental and emotional health. Discovering what is going on with your emotions, and what you are using to cope with them is the main process of therapy. The reason therapy is such an individualized process is because we all process through our emotions different, and because we all go through different mental health challenges.
Physical
There are so many connections to mental and physical health. How our bodies function has direct correlations to how our minds function. If we are struggling with acute illnesses such as a common cold, we will not be operating at 100 percent mentally. If we have more chronic physical conditions, these are bound to affect our mental health. As a holistic therapist, taking a look at the way someone manages their physical health will be a cornerstone of good therapy. If a person does not have their physical health squared away, this is likely going to affect their ability to manage their mental health. Sometimes the ability to manage physical health is hindered by mental health, because of depression, anxiety, or other issues. Working with your therapist, you can find ways to address this. Additionally, caring for your physical needs can be part of the coping skills for mental health. Some people get a lot of joy and accomplishment from physical activity. One of the best things to do with physical activity is to figure out what exercises are best for you. Remember this may be very different from others. Some people may be physically able to do a lot, while some may be able to do a little. Some may be able to walk, some may be able to run. Some may prefer hiking, some may prefer swimming. It is okay if it is just a little movement. One of the best parts about movement for mental health is that even doing a little can be helpful. Physical health also has to do with eating well. If you struggle with exercise or eating well, meeting with someone like a nutritionist or a physical trainer may be a good way to work with that. Getting regular check-ups with your doctor is another way to really make sure that you are doing well with your physical health.
Environmental Health
Environmental health is also an important part of Holistic health. What this means is looking at the environment that someone lives in. Do we have a safe place to live? Is there any abuse going on in the home? Is your neighborhood safe? How are your finances? When you are looking at all of these elements, it can be overwhelming. It can also be difficult to look at self-improvement when you are struggling to make ends meet. Holistic health takes into account that the basic necessities of life do take a toll on our mental health. If we are worried about having a job, a place to lay our head, paying our bills, or safety and security in our home, we may not be able to focus on the other things in our life. Sometimes it is important to look at the basic necessities in life before we can move forward. Abraham Maslow famously talked about this in his hierarchy of needs. A person will be looking at their safety and security often before they look at love and belonging. A therapist who works with a Holistic approach may encourage you to connect with resources to get community services, look for a new job, get a better education, or leave an unsafe environment.
Spiritual
When people hear the term Spiritual health, they may respond with “I am not religious.” Spiritual health does not mean religion, though it can include that. Spiritual health can mean connection to a higher power or something greater than one’s self. It can also mean connecting to values or a sense of purpose. It may mean seeking a life purpose or things that help you find fulfillment. It can mean communing with nature, finding meditation or balance, or trying to find peace. A Holistic therapist may encourage any number of practices within the scope of Spiritual health, all guided by the beliefs of the person receiving therapy. A therapist should never push their own beliefs on to the person receiving therapy. This is often the place where some can work through religious trauma, and do what is called values clarification, a process where they can determine what they believe for themselves, separate from how they were raised and how they were told to believe. Often some of those values will still align with the things they were taught when they were young, and some will be different. A Holistic therapist will allow the client to dictate the process, and not try to impose any of their own beliefs into the process. Spiritual health is as different as the people who come to therapy, and becomes as valuable as the client decides it needs to be.
Conclusion
The practice of Holistic Therapy is a beautiful way to help people consider all aspects of their lives as they journey on the path to the best self. Through examining different areas of your life, you and your therapist can determine which areas to focus on so that you can better accomplish your goals and find more peace and success. If you are hoping to work on any or all of these areas, contact us at the counseling center. We can connect you with one of our well-trained therapists that can assess your needs and help you make a personalized plan. There are so many ways to aid in your growth and help you in your Holistic journey.