When talking about mental health, a strike of ideas come to one’s head: a set of taboos, shame, and guilt feelings, and of course let us not forget the stigma caused by the society we live in. As a psychologist and psychotherapist in the Middle East region, I have heard myths about my occupation more than congratulations after my graduation! And ever since I have begun practicing, I couldn’t but observe what kind of stress mental health patients go through when dealing with therapy, as if they didn’t go through enough already! This article aims to break some misconceptions on seeking mental health support and to introduce the holistic approach to mental health.
It is firstly crucial to clarify two points: who visits a psychologist/psychotherapist in their clinic and why? People may expect a scene that includes screams and shouting all over the place, someone breaking the door, “people going crazy everywhere”… But this is never the case. Let’s start by calling them patients – people being patient until they get better. Meanwhile, keep in mind that critical mental health cases would require hospitalization like any other severe organic disease in need of frequent monitoring and a specific treatment approach. Therefore, the cases we encounter in a psychologist’s/psychotherapist’s clinic often include people experiencing anxiety, phobia, OCD, depression, or the aftermath of trauma. On top of that, people may find difficulty in healthily managing and expressing emotions such as anger, may have experienced relationship problems, etc. There can be several reasons as the human is complex and has there is a myriad of specific challenges, he/she may be facing.
Thus, sometimes the demand of the patient is a bit different from what a psychologist/psychotherapist can offer as the self-investment is not just on a mental level. Instead, several sectors surrounding health should be tackled to ensure better results, and that’s where holistic approach takes place.
What’s a holistic approach? A holistic approach means to provide support to all aspects of a person, not just their mental health needs. However, the support should consider their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing as well.
As an example, people suffering from anxiety or depression need to deal with many emotional and functional challenges daily. The ability to identify and cope with these difficulties is a major advantage of a holistic approach to mental health.
What are some major advantages of a holistic approach to mental wellness?
- Holistic measures help the mind to become a healing tool by preparing it to reshape a provided situation or to respond differently to a provoking stimulus. It can be as efficient in alleviating symptoms as psychotropic medicines
- Every symptom is engaged in treating mental health issues, incorporating psychiatric, medical, social, spiritual, lifestyle, and behavioral.
- Stress management by using holistic treatments is crucial for advancing along the way to wellness, as stress triggers several mental health issues.
- Shifting to physical activities with a balance diet as an example, can be extremely effective in eradicating symptoms of anxiety, depression, mood swings, and boosting sleep quality.
In the end, everyone is unique, and as a mental health professional who has practiced both the traditional psychology approach and the more holistic approach, I find that offering a wide range of treatment methods helps each person discover what works best for them. Ultimately, it’s always about supporting the goals of the individual visiting the clinic.
You are courageous enough to ask for help, and for this you really deserve a huge Bravo!
You now know you should search for the method that makes you more comfortable, and the ideal way to know is by asking yourself, what is it that I want to work on, and why?
Taking the initiative to invest in yourself is the first step towards having a PHD in yourself, so what are you waiting for?
