Holistic therapy is a term that has had high visibility in the past decade. Yet many of these therapies have been used for thousands of years. So it can mean a lot of things to different people. In this article I offer an interpretation of what holistic therapy is, its benefits, various approaches and what to expect.

What Exactly Is Holistic Therapy?

The core of holistic therapy is centered around the treatment of the whole person, rather than individual symptoms or parts of an individual. It takes into account all dimensions of a person:

• Environmental
• Physical
• Mental
• Emotional
• Spiritual
• Social
• Lifestyle 

The patient is viewed as a person, not a disease. Core beliefs of holistic therapy are that we all have innate healing powers and treatment involves finding the cause of the issue, not just treating symptoms.

Widely known as CAM—complementary and alternative medicine—and more recently as integrative medicine—holistic approaches are designed to help people regain physical and energy balances of mind, body and spirit. They often are now used alongside conventional medicine and therapies in a complementary way, and many techniques are no longer considered “alternative”.

Alternative medicine is categorized together with complementary medicine under the CAM name. Complementary medicine refers to therapies that complement traditional western (or allopathic) medicine. Alternative medicine refers to therapeutic approaches taken in place of traditional medicine and are used to treat or ameliorate disease.

There are five main domains of CAM practices [1]:

• Alternative medical systems
• Mind-body interventions
• Biologically based treatments
• Manipulative and body-based methods
• Energy therapies

The primary objective of holistic therapy is to help people develop an understanding of their whole self by improving the mind-body connection. Holistic treatments seek out and address underlying causes of mental health issues. By targeting these root causes directly, people may find long-lasting relief from mental health symptoms.

Why Is Holistic Therapy So Popular Nowadays?

Many people are seeking multiple methods for improved self-care and healing to complement traditional western medicine. 

• Some are disillusioned with traditional western medicine with its “allopathic” focus on isolated symptoms, disease and treatment with medicines.
• Others are seeking alternatives to the traditional “doctor/expert knows best” model of care. They want more agency in their healthcare decision making. So they are seeking a “partnership” model with their therapists
• There has been a shift towards a more proactive concept of health, rather than waiting for something bad to happen and then having a doctor try to treat it
• And some people get a lot of satisfaction and comfort from the touch, talk and time that a complementary therapist typically offers. It feels more personal and less clinical
• Some prefer holistic therapies because they are perceived to be less invasive
• Many people like the idea that holistic therapies seem more natural and are non-toxic
• Many feel that holistic approaches are more aligned with their own values, beliefs and philosophical orientations towards health and life

In the past few decades there has been a substantial increase in acceptance of alternative therapies. They’ve become mainstream and are now called “integrative” medicine. As acceptance has grown, the terminology is changing. With this there has been significant growth in the number of practitioners doing these therapies. So they are now far more available.

There has also been an increase in the integrative therapy model since the COVID pandemic. People were seeking a wider range of approaches to help cope with solitude, depression and stress. There has been a growing body of research, partly stimulated by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s best-selling 2015 book The Body Keeps The Score, which examines how trauma affects both mind and body.

Benefits of Holistic Therapy

The aim of holistic therapy is to develop the ability to self-regulate and effectively manage thoughts and feelings.

The biggest challenge with holistic therapies is that there is still a lack of evidence-based research. This is the main obstacle to their acceptance by the scientific and medical establishment. 

However, this is changing in some areas, which is promising. Peer-reviewed research that has been done to date shows that various holistic therapies such as mindfulness, yoga, guided imagery, deep breathing, among others, can help improve mental overall well-being and may offer benefits for [2]:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Cognitive function
• Family Communication
• Addiction
• Trauma
• Chronic pain

Who Can and Who Shouldn’t Go for the Holistic Approach

The answer is it depends, as it varies greatly with each person, their mental health issues, medical condition and history. For example, there is not yet evidence to prove that various holistic therapies can cure cancer, although they may alleviate some of the symptoms and side effects of chemotherapy or other treatments. Nonetheless, research is ongoing [1].

However people should be informed about the safety and efficacy of alternative treatments to avoid believing in, spending money on and wasting precious time on quack remedies.

Each individual needs to consult with their doctors and providers of integrative therapy to decide what is best for them.

Most Common Holistic Approaches

Holistic therapies focus on:

• Physical health
• Spiritual growth and well-being
• Emotional balance
• Mental growth in self-awareness, self-esteem and self-acceptance 

Holistic practices include, among others:

In addition to these integrative therapies, it’s common for psychotherapists to also include Psychodynamic (talk) therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT). 

What To Expect from Holistic Therapy?

This very much depends on what type of holistic therapy a person does. Some types of holistic healing work include:

• Integrative Therapy:  Works from a variety of traditions including forms of psychotherapy and holistic approaches, designed around your needs
• Mind-Body Therapy: Draws on a suit of techniques to improve body functioning and increase mental wellness
• Somatic therapy: Focused on bodywork including breathwork, meditation and movement to heal stress and trauma
• Spiritual therapy: Inspired by various belief systems to examine problems in someone’s life

Corner Canyon Can Help

Treatment is available in Utah. Are you or a loved one looking for a compassionate space to heal from trauma, other mental health issues or addictions? Our licensed professional therapists and counselors can provide compassionate help using a range of holistic techniques.

Reach out to our Admissions team now at Corner Canyon Health Centers. We’re in a peaceful setting bordered by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.

Sources

[1] Tabish SA. Complementary and Alternative Healthcare: Is it Evidence-based? Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2008 Jan;2(1):V-IX. 

[2] Holistic Therapy: Treating Body, Mind, and Spirit for Whole Person Healing. 2022. Healthline.com.