A Holistic Approach to Mental Health
As a Naturopath, our approach to healthcare is “person-centered” and, through the Treat the Whole Person (tolle totum) principle, applies a holistic model of care that recognizes the whole person, taking into account the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the person.
Everyone experiences mental health differently and everyone has a different path to recovery that is influenced by their age, gender, heritage, language, faith, culture, sexual and gender identity, relationship status, life experience, beliefs, values, current life stage, financial situations, support network, geographical location, and more. A holistic approach to mental health means providing support to the whole person, not just their mental health needs and focuses on a person’s wellness and not just their illness, condition or symptoms.
So what does a Holistic Approach to Mental Health look like?
A Holistic Approach to Mental Health may look different for everyone depending on the person's condition, their symptoms, where they are at in their recovery, their goals, values, and beliefs, financial situation, and support network.
A Holistic Approach to Mental Health delves deep into a person's past history, medical history, diet and nutrition, lifestyle factors, stress management, sleep, substance use, self-care, movement, general health, gut health, social life, home life, work life-balance, self-talk, self-love, psychological aspects and more.
For my patients, it often combines multiple modalities of healthcare to support the individual's needs and goals and includes referrals to other practitioners. Practitioners you might consider engaging with for a Multi-modality approach to Mental Health Care may include a General Practitioner (GP), Counsellor, Naturopath, Nutritionist, Kinesiologist, Acupuncturist, Bowen Therapist, Mental Health Nurse, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Specialist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Massage Therapist, Chiropractor, Personal Trainer, Mental Health or Life Coach, Social Worker, Art Therapist, Dietician, Physiotherapist, or anyone in between.
A good support group of practitioners will not just provide acute symptomatic relief, but will also provide support and encouragement toward implementing strategies for long term support and overall wellbeing.
Don’t be afraid to seek support if needed, whether it’s from a family member, friend, colleague or loved one or support from a professional. It doesn’t have to be a psychologist or counsellor, you could feel better just after having a chat with your massage therapist, hairdresser, nutritionist, naturopath, personal trainer, yoga teacher, friend, or family member.