One of our Values: Holistic Mental Health Therapy in Atlanta, GA: A Whole-Life Approach to Well-Being

Holistic mental health therapy recognizes that the mind, body, and spirit are interconnected. It takes a comprehensive approach to healing, addressing the whole person rather than just the symptoms.

I have recently been building puzzles with my young son. The thing about puzzles is every piece really matters in order to be able to see the whole picture. If his little sister wanders off with one of the pieces, it could change our ability to complete the entire puzzle or understand what we are looking at. 

Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash

At Steady Hope Counseling, we value and believe that humans are complex beings, that it’s helpful to consider many aspects of wellness as we think about a person’s mental well-being. 

What does Holistic Mental Health Therapy entail?

Unlike traditional therapy models that primarily focus on psychological factors, holistic mental health therapy incorporates a wider range of approaches to promote overall well-being. This might include

Talk therapy: Addressing emotional and cognitive patterns.

Body-centered therapies: Utilizing nervous-system- and somatic-centered approaches. Discussing the integration of practices such as yoga, meditation, or massage to manage stress and physical tension.

Nutrition and lifestyle counseling: Understanding the impact of diet and exercise on mental health. Asking clients about their daily habits, the last time they had general medical physicals, what they are eating / drinking / how they are sleeping. Exploring general stress. 

Spiritual practices: Incorporating mindfulness, meditation, or religious practices into sessions and as an assessment tool. 

Benefits of Holistic Mental Health Therapy

Addresses the root cause: By considering multiple factors, it targets the underlying issues contributing to mental health challenges.

Explores the impact on the whole person- mental health can often impact physical wellbeing, etc. 

Promotes overall well-being: Holistic therapy fosters physical, emotional, and spiritual balance.

Empowers individuals: It equips people with tools to manage their mental health independently.

Provides a personalized approach: Treatments are tailored to individual needs and preferences.

Common Holistic Therapy Techniques 

Mindfulness-based therapies: Cultivating present-moment awareness and acceptance.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Identifying and changing negative thought patterns.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Processing traumatic experiences.

Somatic Breathing 

Art therapy: Using creative expression to explore emotions.

Music therapy: Utilizing music to promote relaxation and emotional healing.

Making referrals or exploring other people to meet with to target other areas of wellness. (For example, scheduling a routine physical, meeting with a physical therapist, finding a trauma-informed massage therapist, attending a workout class, meeting a dietician that is familiar and supportive of mental health.) 

What the first few sessions might look like with our Decatur Therapists who value being holistic in our approach to mental health? 

During our intake questionnaire prior to the first session– Not only do we ask about what brings you into therapy and any symptoms, we also ask many questions related to sleep, movement, spirituality, social support, activities you enjoy. This allows us to start our sessions with clients with a more well rounded view of a person’s experience. Then during our initial sessions– you may find us asking you questions about your routines/ daily schedules, the last time you had a physical, etc. We believe these things all matter.

A few example of things we are paying attention to: 

For a client coming in reporting symptoms of anxiety and we observe that most days they are drinking a Venti size cup of coffee and listening to unsolved murder mystery podcasts on top of working in a high stress environment. We may explore and discuss the potential impact of what they are consuming auditory and orally. 

For a new mom, that is reporting an increase in feelings of depression and we note that they just previously weaned their nursing infant. We may recommend and provide education around hormonal shifts that occur when you stop nursing your infant. 

For a client who just experienced a breakup and they are reporting that they have disconnected from their faith practice and social support. We know it’s going to be easier said than done- but we may recommend or explore what it could be like to slowly add some activity of connection back in. 

For a client who grew up as a second generation immigrant that is attending a prestigious university- and they are reporting high levels of stress from the expectations from parents to do well in school while also still meeting family needs back home. This could look like discussing the balance between learning and communicating boundaries while still respecting cultural familial responsibilities. 

Let’s get practical–

Being a holistic practice is a core value because it enables us to understand how all aspects of life can influence an individual, providing a comprehensive perspective on a client's presentation. 

Understanding the various aspects that form our clients has been integrated into the curriculum throughout both our team's undergraduate and graduate studies, encompassing science classes, theology courses, as well as theories and models courses.

This value of being holistic runs deep our family. The Resilient Communities Center, led by my husband, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing entire communities through holistic care for individuals and the connections that shape their existence. Just as individuals rely on comprehensive care, the well-being of communities is intricately tied to the support of every member and the diverse aspects that form their livelihoods.

Sometimes, the power of holistic approaches begins by simply naming their importance. 

If you are interested in learning more about what it’s like to work with a team of mental health therapists that are going to practice holistic mental health therapy- we would love to set up a free consultation call! Reach out today!