When people consider trying a holistic mental health treatment, they may be unsure of what to expect. This is often because, in general, holistic medicine is not often discussed in our society. Sometimes people may view it as a lesser form of medicine compared to contemporary medicine. This is, however, far from the actual truth.
In a study titled A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials of Mind-Body Interventions for PTSD, it has been found that holistic forms of treatments (mindfulness, yoga, and relaxation) have aided those struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That’s well and good, but what exactly is holistic mental health treatment?
The answer is fairly simple. Holistic mental health treatment is a philosophy that your physical body, mind, and spirit are all connected and deserve equal treatment. You can’t just treat the mind, because mental health issues also affect other parts of the person. The whole person needs to be treated before they can heal. Some mental health care facilities, like Acera Health, believe strongly in this philosophy and use this type of treatment to help many people achieve recovery.
Why Choose This Type of Treatment at All?
People choose to include holistic mental health treatment in their treatment plans for several reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason is that it affirms all the needs of an individual. Sometimes people feel as though they are being pushed aside when getting medical care. Yes, their body is being looked at, but their feelings may be disregarded as irrelevant to the matter at hand. Being cared for fully is appealing to many people, which is why clients often choose holistic types of treatment.
Sometimes contemporary medicine alone just doesn’t work. Medication and alternative forms of treatment, such as neurofeedback therapy, have helped many people. Many people, though, have found success in combining contemporary and holistic mental health treatments. Both types of treatments make up for what the other can’t do and offer the highest rate of recovery success.
Others just may feel more comfortable with holistic forms of treatment, and that is perfectly valid as well. Before making a decision, it’s important to speak with a mental healthcare professional, who can help you make an informed choice.
What to Expect With Holistic Mental Health Treatment
When receiving holistic mental health treatment, you will first learn how to communicate with your treatment provider. Holistic treatments rely on the input of the client experiencing them, and sometimes some treatments may not be the right fit. Often it takes a little trial and error to discover what is best for an individual. Being able to express your needs and your feelings helps aid a treatment provider in narrowing down the most effective treatments.
Nobody will ever force you to do something that you don’t want to do. You may be encouraged to give a new experience or treatment a try, but the decision is up to you. As a person, you hold a lot of power, and the power of choice is extremely important. This is because a person cannot heal if they honestly don’t want to. If someone is just forced into treatment, they will never be able to recover. However, by acting as a guiding force instead of a taskmaster, a treatment provider will have more success in helping someone achieve recovery.
As mentioned before, holistic medicine breaks down the treatment of an individual into three parts:
Body: This is your physical self. Factors such as your nutrition, injuries, sleep cycle, exercise rate, organ health, and others affect your mental health. The most common types of treatment for your body are a change in diet, creating an exercise plan, and practicing physical activities, such as yoga.
Mind: This is your mental self. This is mostly your emotions and how well you feel mentally. The physical aspect of this includes the health of your brain and nervous system, which are sometimes compromised when dealing with a mental health disorder. Common holistic treatments to help the mind include meditation, practicing mindfulness techniques, and relaxation.
Sprit: This is how you view yourself and your place in the world. It can also be known as the soul, or the fire inside everyone to keep going despite everything. Some people may also view this as a connection to the world around them, or a higher power. Common holistic treatments to help the spirit are meditation, nature or animal therapy, and art therapy.
Holistic mental health treatments are safe and overseen by a team of professionals. It’s not uncommon to see someone like a nutritionist or a personal physical trainer as part of your treatment. Regardless, you can expect to be treated with respect in a safe, encouraging environment.
Where to Find Holistic Mental Health Treatment
If you are interested in trying a holistic mental health treatment, you must first contact your local mental health care facility. Not all facilities offer holistic mental health treatments, so it’s important to call ahead and check first. Some places, like Acera Health, specialize in holistic mental health treatments and disclose what they offer on their website. Browsing a facility’s website not only lets you know their core philosophies in treatment but also lets you know if they are accredited as well.
If you are far away from a treatment facility that offers holistic mental health treatment, don’t despair. With the age of technology, it’s now possible to receive treatment over the phone or the internet. Speak with the facility first and ask if they use telehealth or other digital treatment.
Research is always helpful, and allows someone to feel more confident about themselves before trying treatment. You will never be judged for asking a question. To learn more, contact your local mental health care facility today.
When people think about treatment for mental health, they often think about medication or psychotherapy. These things can indeed help someone recover from a mental health disorder or illness. However, sometimes people need more in order to fully heal. One such method is by using holistic treatments alongside contemporary medicine. Here at Acera Health in Costa Mesa, California, we offer an extensive holistic treatment program. With holistic medicine, your whole being is treated, not just your mind. With so many options for treatment, everyone can find the one that helps them the most, and that includes you. If you or someone you love is struggling with a mental health disorder, call (949) 647-4090 today.
Melody is a highly skilled proactive clinical administrator, with more than 17 years of experience serving the community in the behavioral health field.
Her clinical management career started in 2011 as a compliance manager and program director. In 2018, she became an executive as chief clinical officer (CCO). She is a seasoned licensed marriage & family therapist.
