What is Holistic Counselling?
Holistic Counselling is a form of counselling that focuses on a person in their entirety. It uses a humanistic or interpersonal approach in enhancing personal growth, healing and self-discovery of a person. During assessment and treatment, the therapist takes into account the entirety of the human being and their experiences in life.
Holistic means whole, which means that the therapy focuses on the whole person rather than just address the symptoms. Holistic counselling is based on the belief that human beings are able to heal themselves in mind and body. However, there will be times that they will struggle to do this and may "lose their way". Qualified holistic counsellors will help them address their problems through compassion and gentle assistance in re-discovering oneself.
How Does Holistic Counselling Work?
In a holistic counselling session, the holistic counsellor will help the client open up about what's bothering them in different aspects of their life, from the physical and mental to the emotional and spiritual. They also touch on issues that affect them on the energetic level.
A holistic counsellor offers specific guidance on an individual basis in a safe, confidential space to allow healing and significant changes to take place. Moreover, they use gentle and creative methods in helping bring about awareness and healing into a person's life and their relationships. In addition to psychotherapy techniques, some of the modalities that they would incorporate into their integrative approach include yoga, energy healing, nutrition advice and meditation.
What are the Benefits of Holistic Counselling?
What sets holistic counselling apart from conventional therapy is that it works on the underlying cause of a problem regardless of which aspect of a person's life is affected. A holistic counsellor looks beyond the client's presenting symptoms, knowing for a fact that trauma and other deep-seated emotional difficulties manifest as physical pain when they're not addressed properly. In doing so, they are able to assist their clients in using their inner resources to resolve their issues and find their true purpose in life.
As well as improving mental and emotional wellbeing, holistic counselling also increases self-awareness and one's sense of spirituality. What's more, it can help resolve deeply-rooted emotional issues like the following:
- Trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Emotional distress
- Low self-esteem
- Pessimism
- Stress
- Self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviour, self-esteem, stress anxiety, depression
What Can You Expect From Holistic Counselling?
Before the session starts, the holistic counsellor will assist the client to understand their present challenges and guide them in transforming these to new skills that can be used in their everyday life.
During the session, the holistic counsellor will support the client as they talk about their issues to develop a more refined and deeper inner awareness. During this process, the client's understanding of their emotions, beliefs, thoughts, physical sensations and behaviour patterns will start to unfold. They will also experience a sense of wellbeing, release and empowerment after the session.
Sessions usually lasts from 30 minutes up to an hour and can be conducted in person or through phone or videoconferencing.
Is Holistic Counselling Safe?
Nothing can be safer and more empowering than the realisation of your innate strengths and capabilities to move beyond whatever difficulties life throws at you. Holistic counselling is a noninvasive, nondrug treatment that allows you to do just that. Everybody, regardless of age, gender or health condition, can benefit from working with a holistic counsellor and move forward with their life with much joy in their heart.
