What Does Holistic Healing Mean? Using Holistic Therapy to Heal from Trauma
When you hear the word “holistic”, what does it make you think of? Perhaps it’s some Shaman or Guru speaking about their divine paths. It could be some influencer peddling the next fad in supplements to help you “heal”. Holistic practices get a bad rap among people who likely haven’t undergone holistic treatment. In truth, holistic medicine and, in turn, holistic therapy are far deeper than what you see on social. Let’s dig into the real meaning of holistic healing and how holistic therapy may be a treatment option for healing your trauma.
What is the Definition of Holistic Healing?
Holistic healing is an approach to health and wellness that considers the whole person — body, mind, spirit, and emotions — in the quest for optimal health and wellness. It’s part of the holistic medicine philosophy that you can achieve optimal health by gaining proper balance in life. Is holistic medicine the same as natural medicine? No. Naturopathy is part of holistic medicine and can aid in healing but many holistic practitioners use naturopathy along with conventional treatments.
Here are some of the key aspects of holistic healing:
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection - every part of you is interconnected so if one part isn’t working properly, it’ll affect the rest! This approach looks at the root causes of your symptoms which may be linked to other imbalances in your life.
Individualized Treatment - every individual is unique and treatment should be unique to their conditions, needs, and circumstances rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Natural Methods & Integrative Approach - in holistic medicine, this focuses on including natural healing methods like herbs, diet, and lifestyle changes. In holistic therapy, we include other techniques like yoga, somatic exercise, meditation, and health and wellness coaching as an integrated approach to a treatment plan.
Individual Empowerment - your treatment is only as good as you allow it to be and holistic healing empowers you to take charge of your health and well-being
What is Holistic Therapy?
Holistic healing focuses on you as a whole person rather than addressing your symptoms. Similarly, holistic therapy will focus on getting to the root of the mind-body-spirit disconnection instead of just focusing on one area like your anxiety or people-pleasing tendencies. Since holistic therapy is grounded in holistic health principles, it operates on several core beliefs that guide its practice. They are similar to the key aspects above and are integral in treating the whole person.
Here are the key holistic therapy principles:
Whole Person Focus: Treats the body, mind, spirit, and emotions as interconnected.
Individualized Treatment: Tailors therapy to each person's unique needs.
Natural Healing: Emphasizes the body's ability to heal itself using natural methods.
Prevention and Lifestyle: Focuses on healthy living to prevent disease.
Client Empowerment: Encourages clients to take active roles in their own health.
Integrative Approach: Combines conventional and alternative medical practices.
Relationship-Centered Care: Values a partnership-based therapeutic relationship.
Root Cause Treatment: Aims to address the underlying causes of health issues.
Personal Growth: Includes elements for personal development and self-awareness.
Safe and Ethical Practice: Commits to safety, ethics, and client privacy.
By sticking to these principles, holistic therapists (like me!) have a goal of facilitating your healing and wellness journeys in a more balanced way by digging into the diverse and interconnected aspects of your life.
How Can Holistic Therapy Help in the Healing Process?
When some people enter therapy, they know some of their issues and what’s causing them but not everyone is like that. Some people start working with a therapist because their anxiety is sky-high, they feel more than just sad, or because they’ve lost the motivation to enjoy life. But they don’t know why any of those things are happening! Therapists will work with their clients to get to the root cause and help them build a toolkit of strategies to navigate the symptoms that occur in triggering situations. Holistic therapy can do this, too, but it goes deeper than traditional therapy.
As a holistic therapist, my job is to understand the WHOLE you – connections and disconnections alike.
We go deep in our sessions but our sessions may be a mix of talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), somatic therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, yoga, reiki, and even health and wellness coaching. Since we’re treating the whole person, your healing journey is going to be more thorough and effective.
You might not think you need to be healed but you’ve made it this far in your reading so the idea isn’t off your radar, right? Understand that by focusing on identifying and addressing the root causes of your issue, holistic therapy facilitates sustainable and long-term health solutions. It enhances self-awareness, encouraging individuals to become more in tune with their bodies, emotions, and thoughts, leading to better self-care and healthier life choices. Additionally, practices like meditation, yoga, and massage, common in holistic therapy, are effective in reducing stress and anxiety, which are often key contributors to various health problems.
Different Approaches to Holistic Healing in Therapy
In general, therapy should never be a cookie-cutter approach. You’re unique and your treatment should be, too. Most traditional therapists and counselors work through various talk therapy modalities and methods, or one or two forms of therapeutic methods like EMDR or CBT. That’s not the vibe we’re going for in holistic therapy. There are different approaches to holistic therapy but we’re going to focus on the modalities and approaches I use in my practice.
Transpersonal Psychology integrates the spiritual and transcendent aspects of the human experience while still staying within the guidelines of modern psychology. Transpersonal Therapy aims to increase your sense of self and improve your overall quality of life through spirituality and self-understanding.
EMDR focuses on changing thoughts, behaviors, or emotions that come from a traumatic or distressing experience. As you briefly focus on a traumatic memory or difficult experience, you’ll experience bilateral stimulation (usually eye movements) to reduce the disturbance of the memory and the emotion associated with it.
CBT is one of the most common forms of talk therapy to become aware of your negative thinking patterns so you can learn to change your mindset, view challenging situations differently, and respond in more effective ways.
Somatic Therapy is a body-centered method that looks at how your body stores emotions physically after traumatic or distressing experiences. The goal of somatic therapy is to help release trauma, stress, and tension that’s trapped inside your body using somatic exercises.
Meditation is a practice of mindfulness that allows you to focus your attention inward. It helps promote mental clarity, emotional calmness, and overall balance to help you reduce stress.
Yoga isn’t a new concept but it isn’t well incorporated into therapy! Yoga in therapy combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to aid in the release of built-up emotions in the body to reduce stress levels.
Reiki Energy Healing is another uncommon practice in therapy but it works to clear negative energy and transfer universal energy to you to promote emotional and physical healing. Reiki is a great way to restore balance and harmony to your mind, body, and spirit.
Breathwork is widely used alongside yoga and meditation as a way to promote healing and relaxation. When your breathing is directed consciously, you can help your mind and body manage your emotions.
Health & Wellness Coaching isn’t therapy and doesn’t replace seeing a therapist but it does aid in the healing process. The goal of health and wellness coaching is to encourage positive changes that help you meet your well-being-related goals. Utilizing it as part of a holistic therapy approach rounds out the “whole you” treatment plan by looking into your sleep, diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits for more mind-body-soul disconnections.
Since every client is unique and has unique circumstances, my holistic therapy approach will be different for each client. There’s often a mix of modalities and methods used to ensure my clients are getting the right form of help at every stage in their healing journey. By mixing modalities, you’re treating the whole person and not just addressing their anxiety or chronic stress.
While every person can benefit from holistic therapy, not everyone is open to it. Holistic therapy works best for open-minded people. You need to be ready to dig deep and look at every aspect of your life that isn’t serving you which can be uncomfortable, at times. Just like any type of therapy, holistic therapy can make you feel vulnerable and sensitive but that should not stop you from trying. Finding the right holistic therapist can be hard, but it shouldn’t be complicated. Most holistic therapists offer a free consultation to learn more about their practice so you can figure out if you’re a good fit.
Holistic therapy is a unique approach to psychotherapy but it can help you raise your vibe while cultivating a healthy, aligned, and purposeful life.