What is Holistic Care or Whole Person Therapy?
Holistic medicine is a form of healing that considers the whole person — body, mind, spirit, and emotions — in order to achieve health and wellness. According to the holistic medicine philosophy, one can achieve optimal health by gaining proper balance in life.
Holistic practitioners believe that the whole person is made up of interdependent parts and if one part is not working properly, all the other parts will be affected. In this way, if people have imbalances (physical, emotional, or spiritual) in their lives, it can negatively affect their overall health.
The ideas behind holistic therapy are also frequently used in areas of preventative therapy, which are also known as wellness practices. Within the realm of prevention, holistic therapy takes the form of numerous alternative practices such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, and massage therapy. A wellness-focused therapist will generally work with people to strike a balance, often encouraging clients to take part in physical activities, explore their spirituality (for those who express a spiritual nature) or remain connected to their loved ones through positive communication styles in addition to the issue they are seeking treatment for.
This whole person approach to mental health and wellness is the foundation of Integrative Therapy of Nashville and the practitioners that serve our client base.
What Types of Treatments Do Holistic Practitioners Use?
Holistic practitioners use a variety of treatment techniques to help their clients take responsibility for their own well-being and achieve optimal health. Depending on the practitioner’s training, these may include:
- Patient education on lifestyle changes and self-care to promote wellness. This may include nutrition therapy, exercise, counseling, relationships, spiritual growth, and more
- Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, yoga and mindfulness and others
- Western Medications
- Brain-based therapies such as EMDR & Brainspotting
Issues Treated With Holistic Therapies
Holistic therapy can be used to treat a diverse range of issues and individuals. A holistic approach may be beneficial in the treatment of:
- Anxiety
- Car accidents
- Chemical Imbalances
- Childhood traumas
- Concerns related to Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness
- Core functions of sleep
- Depression
- Digestion Issues
- Eating Disorders
- Migraines
- Mood regulation
- Negative Thought Patterns
- PTSD
- Sexual Abuse & Assaults
- Somatic ailments
- Stress
- Trauma