You see this word "holistic" everywhere, but what does it mean?
My take: You are greater than the sum of your parts. You are a dynamic and complicated WHOLE person with an inner teacher. You are not broken or in need of fixing.
This is a very different perspective compared to the traditional view of mental and physical health which considers them to be separate + individual entities, that are not interconnected!
Below are examples of models that help practitioners hold all the many interdependent aspects of a person’s well-being.
Holistic Health and/or Development Models
• The classic and well-known BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL that includes the biological, psychological, social + mental health aspects of person.
Source: thatpsychologyblog.wordpress.com
• KEN WILBER, an American Philosopher, created a model that considers a person’s and community’s consciousness, behavior, culture and systems.
Source: researchgate.net
• The classic YOGIC FIVE KOSHAS (Layers to the Self) include the physical, energetic, mental, wisdom and bliss bodies.
Source: healthline.com
• Similarly, Dr. John C. Pierrakos, founder of CORE ENERGETICS (a somatic-based psychotherapeutic modality) believed there to be five levels within the human being that your energy or life force moves through. These five non-linear levels are the physical, emotional, mental, will and spirit.
Although the above mentioned models may be defined a bit differently from one another, the basic premise is YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST ONE THING, one part, one level, one emotion, one circumstance, one job title, etc.…our identity and the way we walk through this life is greatly impacted at many interwoven, interdependent and complex levels.
Why It Matters.When you begin to understand that you are much more complicated and dynamic than any one aspect of yourself (i.e. not just your mind), you start to understand how each aspect has the potential to impact another.
For example…
• How is your emotional state impacted by your mental thoughts?,
• How is your mental state impacted by the food you eat?,
• How are your social interactions impacted by your mental chatter?, and
• How does having a consistent/inconsistent spiritual practice impact your daily functioning?
Do you notice any patterns or relationships to your answers?
If so, you are at the first step in the change process because the FIRST STEP IS AWARENESS. Only when you become aware of something can it be changed!
Once you are aware, you start to understand it. When you begin to understand it, you start to see its impact. Once you see its impact, you are at a choice-point…you can either choose the same thing and get the results we have always gotten, or shift and make an empowered different choice and create different results; bettering your life.
Simultaneously holding the many levels of your being with curiosity and non-judgement, opens your heart to softness and allows for greater acceptance and compassion towards yourself and others.
Thinking in this way, gives you a tiny glimpse into the beautiful complexity that is the amazing human body. It opens you up to gratitude.
Beginning The Process Of Awareness. Personally consider the below questions. And, remember, a holistic approach to your life can highlight where you want to make specific changes.
• What are you feeding your body?
• What are you doing to move your body on a daily basis?
• How do you hold yourself when you experience emotions?
• What are you choosing to put your mental energy towards?
• What thoughts are you choosing to believe in?
• How do you treat yourself when things get tough?
• How often do you connect to something bigger than yourself?
• Through what processes do you feel a sense of timelessness connection?
• Which people in your community fill you up?
• How often do you give yourself a break?
Conclusion. You are WHOLE - You are more than just one aspect of yourself. HOLISTIC approaches supports the CHANGE PROCESS because they bring about AWARENESS.
When you become aware of your lifestyle, your choices and your states of being and how they are interdependent upon each other, each one effecting the other, you begin to understand that YOU HAVE MORE POWER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. You learn that making one small change in one area can have a cascading effect on other areas of your life!
If you are…
tired of honoring or listening to only ONE aspect of yourself (i.e. your brain) and you keep getting stuck, or
becoming aware that some of your answers to the above questions leave you feeling negative or reflecting on how you run around in circles, or that you are just not feeling your best self, or
noticing patterns that you want to change but aren’t sure where to begin or don’t understand why you can’t easily change them…
Then, I invite you to contact me for a complimentary Discovery Session to discuss what you are experiencing and how working together can help you get into your body to access your wisdom, make authentic and empowered choices, and move forward.