Exploring And Understanding Holistic Therapy: Benefits And Methods

You may have heard the term “holistic therapy” mentioned when it comes to managing your overall well-being, but what does holistic therapy mean specifically for mental health? Holistic therapy refers to a variety of practices that are often described as “complementary and alternative therapies.” It may be beneficial for a wide range of mental health conditions, and online holistic therapy options can help you find affordable and available treatment. 

What is holistic therapy?

Holistic therapy seeks to address psychological, physical, social, and spiritual needs, providing a well-rounded approach to health and wellness. It focuses on helping patients find balance in many different areas of their lives, including their mind, body, and spirit, with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of their overall well-being. 

Holistic psychotherapy can be especially beneficial for those managing mental health issues in addition to physical symptoms. Nutritional counseling, self-care practices, and chronic pain management may be included in this type of holistic treatment for mental illnesses and physical health conditions.

Origins of holistic therapy 

In many Eastern medical practices, the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit is considered critical for improving physical and mental health. Many wellness practices emphasize herbal medicine, mind-body movement practices such as tai-chi or yoga, and non-invasive physical treatments such as acupuncture.

Clinical holistic medicine has found the support of many medical professionals over the years, including Thomas Percival, John Macelod, Michael Balint, and the Royal College of General Practitioners. 

Mental health conditions benefiting from holistic therapies

Many mental health conditions may benefit from holistic psychotherapy, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and more general mental health concerns. 

Additionally, mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety, often helping patients find ways to restructure their thought patterns and improve their relationship with their emotions. For example, in one review and meta-analysis of twenty randomized controlled trials, acupuncture was found to have beneficial effects for patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Depending on your condition, your holistic therapy treatment plan may employ multiple techniques to help you improve certain symptoms. Your therapist may also combine these techniques with traditional methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychoanalysis. When you decide on a therapist, it can be important to speak with them about the types of holistic therapy methods they practice and how they anticipate these practices can help address your specific concerns. 

Benefits of holistic therapy

Holistic therapies are often considered alternative medicine, something to be used as an accompaniment to traditional medicine. Many people have found them to be integral to the healing process. Holistic therapy can offer several benefits, including:

• Improved spiritual health: A person’s sense of connection with the world around them can have a profound impact on a person’s life and well-being.
• Boosts emotional health: Holistic therapy offers tools for emotional control, which may help manage stress and improve emotional well-being. 
• Promotes addiction recovery: By addressing both the physical and spiritual aspects of addiction, holistic treatments may provide a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment, supporting individuals in their journey toward recovery.
• Supports stress management: Various holistic treatments may include methods that may help reduce stress levels and improve sleep among healthy adults.
• Better overall health: Many holistic methods have been shown to improve both a person’s mental and physical health.
• Cost-effective: A number of holistic methods can be attempted for little to no expense. For example, breath therapy may help reduce the severity of anxiety associated with PTSD, and yoga can increase negative behaviors associated with substance use disorder. Directions for each of these complementary therapies can be easily found online. 

Holistic healing practices encourage individuals to explore the spiritual aspects of healing, providing a sense of connection and purpose. Many treatment centers are now incorporating holistic treatments alongside traditional methods to offer a more rounded approach to health care. 

Holistic therapy methods

Holistic therapists are mental health professionals who are trained in holistic healing techniques. They often design personalized treatment plans to help their clients gain more control over their mental health symptoms and improve their overall well-being. Unlike conventional therapies that may focus on directly treating the symptoms, holistic therapy seeks to combine various practices to treat the whole person, not just a specific area. They may recommend different methods and relaxation techniques, such as:

• Biofeedback: Biofeedback utilizes biological details, such as your heart rate or muscle tension, to help you identify how your environment and thoughts may contribute to physical responses or pain. 
• Yoga: Yoga is an ancient practice that combines specific physical postures, breathing exercises, and body-mind connections to promote relaxation, physical well-being, and stress reduction. When reviewing 18 studies of varying sample sizes and demographics on the role of yoga, specifically in reducing substance misuse and cravings, the majority of studies found yoga led to a significant reduction in several substance use-related behaviors.
• Breathwork and meditation: Breathwork and meditation are mindfulness practices that involve employing breathing techniques or patterns to reduce tension and increase calmness. There are different types of meditation, such as guided imagery, which focuses on relaxing nature scenes, and mindfulness meditation, which focuses on being present and aware without judgment. Deep breathing techniques calm your nervous system, which may help support stress management. 
• Acupuncture: Stemming back nearly 3,000 years in traditional Chinese medicine, this holistic therapy works by stimulating specific points on the body, typically with small needles inserted into the skin.
• Expressive therapy: Expressive therapy, such as art therapy or music therapy, may be recommended to help you express your emotions and provide a healthy outlet for self-expression and building self-awareness. 
• Exercise: Physical exercise is often recommended to boost mood, reduce stress, and improve overall mental well-being. 
• Tai chi: Tai chi is a gentle form of martial arts that uses slow movements, deep breathing, and meditation to reduce stress and increase mental clarity. Patients with PTSD who practiced tai chi were found to have improved emotion, memory, and physical function.
• Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is a stress reduction technique that utilizes essential oils. Your therapist may recommend a special blend of essential oils depending on your symptoms. 
• Reiki: Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that involves channeling healing energy to promote balance in the body and mind.
• Massage therapy: A holistic massage draws on the connection between mind, body, and spirit. Before the session, the massage therapist may talk with the patient and discuss their specific needs, then provide a massage designed to meet them. This may include classical Swedish, muscle energy, and bodywork techniques.

One benefit you may find from holistic therapy treatment is that it can be personalized for your needs and specific mental health symptoms. Your therapist may recommend various therapies that work synergistically to target your areas of concern. 

If you are treating a mental health condition, holistic therapy techniques are typically considered a type of complementary and alternative medicine. They are not a replacement for the guidance provided by a mental health professional. Speak to your primary care physician about what your treatment plan should look like. It may be a mixture of holistic practices and more traditional treatments like medication and talk therapy.

Choosing from holistic therapists

Because holistic medicine encompasses so many different methods, there isn’t a single governing board that oversees holistic therapists and the services they provide. The therapist you choose to work with will typically depend on your goals for therapy. Because holistic therapies can vary so widely, you may work with a variety of holistic therapists, such as massage therapists, yoga instructors, and aromatherapists. 

Benefits of an online holistic approach

Online holistic therapy has many benefits that may make it an attractive option for patients. With online therapy, patients can attend sessions from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need for transportation and making it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule. Additionally, online therapy is a cost-saving option in many cases, as many types of care are not covered under traditional insurance, which can lead to costly payments over time. With online therapy platforms such as BetterHelp, you may pay less per session than with traditional insurance co-pays. 

While each modality has its own studies, research has consistently shown that participants of online therapy experience significant reductions in anxious and depressive symptoms and less psychological distress—results that are on par with traditional counseling options. With thousands of therapists available to match with, you’ll be able to find someone who offers the services you’re looking for, whether that’s more holistic techniques like integrative therapy or traditional talk therapy.