Is Your Psychotherapist Really Holistic?
Many psychotherapists and other health practitioners say they are "holistic," but exactly what does that mean? First of all, it means having
special training in specific schools and techniques that are holistic. In professional terms, holistic means more than just an approach to
health care - it refers to education. This education can be gained in different academic settings, from weekend workshops to doctoral programs.
Obviously, the more advanced the education, the more well-versed the person will be.
If you are attracted to a health professional because they say they're "holistic," or into natural healing, it would be wise to ask what training
they have to make sure it's more that just a sales pitch.
Defining Holistic
The word holistic is often used to describe health care practices that are also known as "complementary and alternative," such as
acupuncture, massage therapy, naturopathy, and homeopathy. These methods often attempt to bring harmony to the physical, energetic, and
emotional states of individuals.
In a similar manner, holistic psychotherapy seeks to bring balance between mind, body, and spirit. As with other approaches to psychotherapy,
its primary focus is the treatment of psychopathology, that is psychological symptoms that manifest in depression, anxiety, trauma, and
related disorders. It is the manner in which holistic psychotherapy approaches and treats these disorders that marks its departure from conventional
psychotherapy and denotes its singular effectiveness.
Traditional psychotherapy tends to focus on problematic thoughts, behavior, and symptoms, and then interprets the underlining meaning.
Rather than focusing on the problem, holistic psychotherapy fosters growth and healing by capitalizing on the synergistic relationship between
all the ways we experience ourselves and the world. Additionally, a holistic psychotherapist may use a different therapies in order to create a
synergistic effect.
In holistic psychotherapy, the belief is that you are whole at the outset of the work. Holistic therapists don't try to "fix what's broken"
because they don't believe the person is broken. The goal instead is to help the client rediscover the natural vitality
that have been covered over from years of distress. To do this, the therapist draws on a variety of techniques that are appropriate both
to the moment and to the client's goals. These include
a balance of talk, dream and Gestalt therapy, Jungian shadow work, inner child work, guided visualization, bioenergetic
exercises, meditation, breathing exercises, and spiritual practice development. Additionally, holistic therapists may bring in other modes
of therapy, such as naturopathy or hypnotherapy.
Holistic psychotherapy works well with naturopathy because both focus on a natural, drug-free approach that builds on a person's inherent ability
to heal themselves. With a holistic psychotherapist, there are no artificially imposed limits on how the client is perceived.
The holistic psychotherapist is as comfortable talking about the spirit as behavior, thoughts, or feelings. A holistic psychotherapist
sees both problems and potential solutions residing within the person. Resolution is a matter of tapping into those answers rather
than imposing standardized solutions.
Transpersonal Psychology
Transpersonal psychology is the main approach to psychology that concerns itself with the integration of mind, body and spirit.
Because of this, a holistic psychotherapist will always have some education and training in transpersonal psychology.
While other degrees and certifications can be useful for a holistic psychotherapist, their education in psychology should be
grounded in transpersonal theory.
There are a few schools that specialize in
transpersonal psychology, so if seeing a holistic psychotherapist is important to you, look for someone who has attended one of these institutions.
Some schools have a Holistic Studies program as well as a regular psychology program, so you need to ask about specifics. For example, at John F.
Kennedy University in California, they have a Holistic Studies Counseling Psychology program as well as a regular Counseling Psychology program.
The later focuses on just traditional psychology, whereas the Holistic Studies program focuses on traditional psychology as well as transpersonal
psychology. Because the Holistic Studies Program also contains the study of Transpersonal Psychology, it is a considerably longer program.
For those who want a psychotherapist who has a holistic approach, you will need to ask where they went to school and what other trainings they have.
By asking these specific questions, you can easily determine the level if education and training someone has in holistic studies and
transpersonal psychology.
Examples of schools that teach transpersonal psychology include:
John F. Kennedy University, Pleasant Hill and Campbell, CA. Program: Counseling Psychology, Holistic Studies Program
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA
Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center, San Francisco, CA
California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA
Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, CA
Naropa University, Boulder, CO
With the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine, many health professionals, including psychotherapists, may throw the term
"holistic" around quite loosely. In their defense, they may know what the definition of "holistic" is, particularly if it hasn't been part of their
education. Do your homework to be sure that you are getting something more than just a catchy sales pitch from a well-meaning
professional who may not even know what they're misstating.
References (To view, roll mouse over the "References" heading; to hide, click on the heading)
Fredricks, R. (2008). Healing & wholeness: Complementary and alternative therapies for mental health. Bloomington, IN: Author House.
Murray, M., & Pizzorno, J. (1997). Encyclopedia of natural medicine. New York: Random House.
Pelletier, K. R., & Simon, W. L. (2002). The best alternative medicine. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Peters, D. and Woodham, A. (2000). Complete guide to integrative medicine: Combining the best of natural and conventional care. New York: Dorling Kindersley.
Smith, A. E. (2007). Unbreak your health: The complete guide to complementary & alternative therapies. Ann Arbor, MI: Loving Healing Press.
Trattler, R., & Jones, A. (2004). Better health through natural healing: How to get well without drugs or surgery. Victoria, Australia; Hinkler Books.
Thiel, R. J. (2000). Combining old and new: Naturopathy for the 21st century. Warsaw, IN: Wendell W. Whitman Company.
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