The Types of Holistic Therapy

Holistic therapy is a range of traditional and non-traditional methods for treating the mind, body, and spirit. To be holistic, a therapy must concern itself with the whole person. Many holistic therapies have origins that date back millennia in other cultures, whereas Western culture has only more recently begun to embrace some forms of holistic therapy.

Many different types of holistic therapy exist. For instance, you may not think yoga is a good fit for you, but you may be attracted to practicing meditation. No doubt there is at least one holistic therapy that can fit your needs during treatment for mental health or substance abuse.

Connect with Serenity Grove by calling 844.904.3485 to learn more about substance abuse treatment near you.

What Is Holistic Therapy?

So what exactly is holistic therapy? It’s a broad category and that can make it frustrating to pin down what is or is not holistic. Essentially, for something to be considered a holistic therapy, it must address the whole person.

That means it considers the four dimensions of someone’s being: mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. One of the goals of holistic therapy, in addition to the treatment of an underlying issue, is to help someone gain a better understanding of themselves across the four dimensions.

Holistic therapy is often used for treating mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and stress management. It is also growing in its use among substance abuse treatment providers. Holistic therapy can also relieve physical symptoms that are rooted in psychology.

Different Types of Holistic Therapy

Holistic therapy is really an umbrella term that encapsulates a number of wide-ranging methods. There are really four main categories of holistic therapy that different types actually fall into. So let’s start there by describing the four categories of holistic therapy.

1. Eclectic or Integrative

The eclectic or integrative practice draws on a range of methods and treatments. Oftentimes, when a clinician or practice is said to be integrative, it means they combine holistic treatment options with traditional medicine as a means of comprehensively addressing complex issues.

2. Mind-Body Therapy

Mind-body therapy is another category of holistic therapy. It houses a group of techniques that focus on improving a person’s physical and mental functioning. Practicing relaxation through different types of holistic therapy is key to a mind-body approach.

3. Somatic Therapy

Somatic therapy techniques are body-centric. That means tactics like breathwork, dance, and reiki fall into this category because they engage physical movement or action as a means of addressing trauma or mental health issues.

4. Spiritual Therapy

Spiritual therapy includes any holistic therapies that specifically engage spiritually as a means of treating a problem. That does not mean spiritual therapy is inherently religious or that someone needs to follow a certain religion to benefit from spiritual therapy. Instead, spiritual therapy tries to get someone to tap into their metaphysical side in order to unlock self-discovery or healing.

Different Types of Holistic Therapy: Specific Techniques

Holistic therapy prioritizes self-understanding and self-awareness. This is true no matter the specific technique being used. Each of the different types of holistic therapy falls into one of the four categories explained in the previous section. Some of them even overlap into more than one domain.

Here’s a list of the different types of holistic therapy that you might take advantage of:

• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback
• Meditation or mindfulness
• Reiki
• Tai chi
• Yoga

Any of these types of holistic therapy can be paired with elements of more traditional therapy like cognitive-behavioral therapy or person-centered therapy.

5 Benefits Of Holistic Therapy That May Surprise You

1. Holistic therapy focuses on the well-being of a person is far more effective at promoting happiness and healthy decision-making because the end goal is to become a healthier, happier person rather than stopping a behavior.
2. Acting with intention instead of reacting to tension produces a better outcome. Holistic therapy looks at the big picture of a person’s well-being instead of trying to treat behaviors or symptoms individually. The idea is that, if a person is healthier and happier, some of the troubling situations or behaviors will be easier to resolve.
3. Holistic therapy in the context of substance abuse treatment works well because substance abuse is not a stand-alone problem. Substance abuse is a complex condition. People abuse substances for a variety of reasons, some physical, some mental, some emotional. In order to maintain a strong recovery, each of these reasons must be uncovered and addressed properly.
4. Holistic therapy promotes healthy self-care and self-love. In our society, focusing on one’s own needs gets a bad rap at times, but in order to be healthy, self-care and self-love are vital. Therapy that addresses the needs of the whole person can help develop good habits around caring for oneself.
5. Holistic therapy can help clients learn to understand themselves in a new way that promotes health, happiness, and recovery. Often it can be hard to recognize all the ways that our feelings, emotions, and thoughts can become entangled and affect our behavior and choices. Holistic therapy can help clients unravel all these relationships and learn an approach to life that promotes and supports recovery.

Discover Holistic Therapy Near You at Serenity Grove in Athens, Georgia

Serenity Grove is a leading provider of mental health and substance abuse treatment. We specialize in the melding of traditional and holistic treatments. Learn more about our Holistic Therapy in Athens, GA at Serenity Grove by calling 844.904.3485 or filling out our online form and learn more about the holistic therapy options near you.