How A Holistic Therapist Can Help You Find Balance
- For those experiencing abuse, please contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- For those experiencing substance use, please contact SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357
Holistic therapists are professionals with expertise in improving physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being through non-invasive methods. By embracing a wide range of holistic techniques and modalities, they can provide personalized treatment to help individuals improve wellness in many aspects of a person’s life. To understand holistic therapy, exploring this method's principles and discussing the benefits of working with a provider to achieve balance, harmony, and lasting well-being may be valuable.
What is the holistic approach in psychology?
From breathwork techniques to acupuncture, holistic therapy acknowledges that physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of health are interconnected and that nurturing these dimensions can benefit health and well-being. Holistic therapy works by encouraging an understanding of oneself and one's surroundings, emphasizing the benefits of balance and harmony.
What is the role of holistic therapists?
Holistic therapists are skilled professionals who employ various therapeutic techniques and modalities to promote relaxation and emotional regulation while helping to support their clients in achieving balance and harmony in all the aspects of their lives. They help their clients explore and understand factors contributing to well-being, including lifestyle choices, relationships, and personal beliefs.
What makes a holistic therapist's approach different?
Their approach to therapeutic treatment sets them apart from others, as a holistic therapist will focus on addressing a whole person rather than concentrating solely on specific symptoms or issues.
In contrast, other therapists, like a family therapist, may specialize in a particular area, such as family relationships, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, or the impacts of trauma.
Whiletraditional therapists might use some similar therapeutic techniques, they often rely more on conventional methods like traditional talk therapy or pharmacological treatments. Holistic therapists may be more open to incorporating alternative therapies like herbal medicine, acupuncture, breath therapy, or Reiki into clients' treatment plans.
Holistic therapy techniques for physical and mental health
Holistic practices and techniques may involve mechanisms from several therapeutic modalities to support clients in a healing journey, including but not limited to the following.
Mind-body practices like yoga, tai chi, massage therapy, meditation, mindfulness practices, and deep breathing techniques can help individuals develop a more significant awareness of their bodies and emotions while fostering relaxation and stress relief. Research has shown that yoga may improve sleep and be an effective complementary treatment to help clients maximize the benefits of treatment for severe mental illness.
Holistic energy healing
Energy healing techniques like Reiki or acupuncture are complementary therapies that may rebalance the body's energy field and promote natural healing. For those who practice a specific spiritual faith or believe in the potential impacts of energy on health, such practices may be effective alongside traditional modalities.
Nutritional counseling
Nutritional therapy is a type of integrative treatment that may support you in making healthy dietary choices that nourish your body and promote overall well-being.
Talk therapy
Talk therapy can encourage clients to explore and express emotions, fostering emotional resilience and self-awareness.
Expressive therapy
Expressive therapies, such as art, music, or dance therapy, provide a creative outlet for clients to process and communicate thoughts and feelings.
The advantages of holistic therapy with a holistic therapist
Complementary and alternative medicine treatments may provide a wide range of benefits for individuals seeking balance and harmony. One advantage is potential improvement of physical health. Alternative medicine and holistic therapy seeks to address underlying causes of illness while promoting healthier lifestyle choices. Holistic therapy can help support individuals who desire to enhance overall well-being during the healing process.
Another benefit may be a potential enhancement of emotional well-being. Through practices like self-reflection and emotional exploration, clients can gain a more profound understanding of complex emotions and develop healthier coping strategies to manage stress. Treatment may be especially impactful during vulnerable periods, and holistic therapy has shown promise in helping women alleviate symptoms of psychological disorders during the postpartum period in clinical holistic medicine studies.
Lastly, spiritual growth may be a central focus. By nurturing spiritual aspects of an individual's life, this modality can help clients connect with inner wisdom, leading to a heightened sense of purpose and meaning.
Counseling options for holistic psychotherapy
Finding holistic therapists might be difficult if you face geographical limitations, mobility issues, or time constraints. In such cases, you may find more options through an online therapy platform like BetterHelp.
Online therapy can be a compatible option for holistic therapy since it offers several advantages that cater to needs of individuals seeking balance and harmony in life. Online therapy's flexible nature enables clients to connect with their therapists at their convenience, accommodating those with busy schedules or who require additional support. Engaging in therapy within one's own home may create a more relaxed environment for some individuals, encouraging open communication and making it easier to discuss sensitive topics.
A review published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research examined the efficacy of internet-based interventions for mental health challenges, including those addressed by holistic therapy. The findings indicated that online therapy could lead to significant improvements in mental health outcomes with effects comparable to those observed with in-person therapy. Online therapy has the potential to be an effective means of delivering this approach, enabling clients to experience meaningful and lasting improvements in overall well-being.
Takeaway
Whether you are experiencing physical health challenges, emotional challenges, or other health imbalances, seeking the support of a therapist who practices holistic therapy may be a transformative and empowering step toward lasting change and personal growth. Consider reaching out to a licensed therapist or your primary care physician for further guidance and support in this process.
What is a holistic therapist and what is their role in holistic therapy?
According to the American Psychological Association, holistic psychology in general is a perspective on mental health treatment rather than a specific modality. It involves viewing the client as a whole and complex person. That means a holistic therapist might use a variety of techniques to support an individual’s mental health, from traditional talk therapy approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to mindfulness techniques, light therapy, and guided imagery. Some may also recommend additional treatments as part of a whole-body approach, such as acupuncture and yoga, or experimental treatments like the ray id method. The role of a holistic therapist is generally to aim to understand the client’s key needs and devising a unique treatment plan—potentially involving multiple modalities—that may best support them.
Can holistic therapists help people with mental health challenges?
Yes; holistic therapists who are licensed mental health professionals can help people address mental health challenges, work-related problems, relationship issues, and other common elements of daily life and health. A qualified holistic therapist may leverage various talk therapy modalities to help a person gain a greater understanding of their thought and behavior patterns, and they may also recommend other approaches—from guided imagery to yoga to acupuncture—in conjunction with them for best results.
Is massage a holistic therapy for the mind-body connection?
Massage can be considered part of the family of holistic therapies. This can be especially true when it’s used as a part of a broader somatic healing approach and/or in conjunction with other treatment approaches like talk therapy and mindfulness.
What does a holistic therapist do?
The aim of a holistic therapist is generally to create a multifaceted treatment plan that is most likely to support their client’s unique needs, whether those are boosting self-esteem and self-confidence or learning to reduce stress levels or anxiety. For example, they might devise a treatment plan that includes dialectical behavioral therapy, tai chi, and guided imagery for one client and cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness for another.
Where can I find holistic therapists?
To find a provider whose methods are holistic therapy-based, you might start with an online search for providers in your area. If you find a few potential matches, you might browse their website and arrange a consultation to learn more about their specific approach. If you have insurance, you might also contact your provider to see if you can search therapists in your area by specialty. Or, some national organizations, such as the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, have therapist finder tools that allow you to search by modality or specialty. You could also sign up for an online therapy platform like BetterHelp and indicate your preferences in the onboarding questionnaire.
How does a holistic approach help mental health?
A holistic approach could potentially have many benefits for individual mental health. This is because it considers and aims to treat the entire person—not just aspects of their mental health. For example, a holistic approach to treating psychological conditions in an individual may involve some type of talk therapy along with mindfulness practices and yoga. The combination may help a person gain a greater understanding of their patterns and work toward healing on a deeper level.
What is holistic therapy also known as?
Holistic therapy is also known as body-centered therapy or mind-body therapy. Because terminology can vary, it can be important to speak with a prospective provider about the nuances of their approach before you begin working together.
What is the meaning of holistic therapy?
Holistic therapy is an approach to mental health that incorporates positive activities for the mind, body, and spirit. It may begin with talk therapy but also include somatic and spiritual healing methods, depending on the provider and the individual client’s needs.
What does holistic mean in simple terms?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, holistic can be defined as “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.” For example, holistic therapy means approaching well-being broadly—not just by addressing mental health concerns but by promoting healing for mind, body, and spirit.
What is another name for holistic therapy?
Body-centered therapy and mind-body therapy are some other terms that may be used to refer to holistic therapy. Asking your provider to define any terms they use may help you better understand their approach.
- Previous Article
- Next Article