The word “holistic” was first coined by South African soldier and statesman, Jan Christian Smuts, to describe his philosophy regarding the organization of nature.
Within his philosophy, the term holistic implies that taking a systems, or integrated, approach to understanding complexities in life (such as humans) is a more powerful framework than focusing solely on singular symptoms.
What is Holistic Psychology?
Holistic Psychology is an approach to mental health that considers the whole person - mind, body, and spirit.
From my perspective, and many others that follow a more holistic practice, I see human beings as wonderfully complex. Our minds, bodies and spirit all contribute to how we live our life, how we recover from injury, and how we move through challenges and adversities.
What is a Holistic Psychology approach?
Holistic Psychology is an integrative approach to therapy that considers the whole person in the quest for optimal health and well-being. This therapeutic method focuses on the interconnectedness of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
By addressing all aspects of an individual's life, holistic therapy aims to create balance and harmony.
Opposite Holistic Psychology is Reductionism, an approach that involves understanding complex concepts by looking individually at the smallest parts.
A quality of our Western medical model is to treat the symptom (whatever is being presented in the most obvious way). This is something that is deeply woven into the training and practice of many practitioners available to us here in the Western world.
Taking a singular approach to treatment may look like using heavy pharmaceutical medication to help with sleep. Taking a holistic approach leaves the door open for medication if and when appropriate, but also considers how there are so many things that can disrupt our sleep, including:
A lack of a consistent sleep routine
Improper nutrition
Chronic pain and/or discomfort
Not enough exercise
Stress – and the list goes on!
Holistic Psychology offers the opportunity to assess what is getting in the way of your sleep, and gain specific tools or skills to help quiet a busy night time mind, balance nutrition, manage pain, move the body in healthy ways, or reduce stress.
What are some areas of focus in Holistic Psychology?
In my holistic psychological practice we discuss and investigate how one’s sleep, nutrition, body movement, social connections, values, body, and emotions impacts their life.
Sleep: We discuss length and quality of sleep as well as sleep hygiene and sleep routines
Nutrition: We chat about potential food sensitivities, what healthy meals look like for you, brain food, healthy habits and potential areas for growth and change
Movement: Almost all of us need to be moving our bodies more, so we chat about where and when you are already moving your body and how we can add more variety and intensity to your movement
Social Connections: We discuss how to tell if relationships are healthy, which ones to focus on and nurture, and which ones we may need to loosen our grip or even let go of
Values: We clarify your core values, so they can help drive motivation and understanding for decision-making, and they can be a helpful buffer against ‘decision fatigue’
Body: I spend time teaching you about your own body language, as it can be a powerful tool to help bridge the gap of the mind-body connection
Emotions: I help you create and build emotional literacy so you can see (name), feel and express your own emotional experiences more clearly. This leads to an overall deeper sense of well-being and an ability to clearly articulate your wants and needs to others.
If you are interested in exploring personal growth from a whole person perspective, you can seek professional support with me or another a Holistic Therapist in your area.
Laura Romero is a Holistic Therapist in Alberta who specializes in working with teen girls and adults with ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship challenges, and trauma. Laura is a Registered Psychologist and practices Attachment-Based Therapy, Holistic Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Spiritual Psychology and Trauma-Informed Therapy.