Most folks understand or can Google the definition of “holistic” or they may already know it indicates a “mind-body-spirit” approach. But “Holistic” approaches vary, so I want to go a little deeper into the what my version of “holistic psychotherapy and life coaching” looks like and why I feel so passionate about using this approach in my work with clients.
What I have observed both in my own work as well as the in the work of other holistic professionals, or even just with holistic minded individuals regardless of their profession, is the spiritually eclectic nature of being holistic minded, and how empowering and expansive it feels. For example, in addition to being a psychotherapist and a life coach, I have completed coursework in many other modalities, such as shamanic journeying, guided visualization, Ecotherapy, energy healing, astrology, hypnosis, and past life regression.
One might ask, “Why would you need to study all of these other more “esoteric” modalities if you are already trained as a psychotherapist? My answer to that would be, “Because all of these other modalities to me, are essential aspects of Soul work and as a holistic psychotherapist and life coach, I want to assist my clients in deepening their relationship with their spiritual self. This means helping them see the bigger picture of their Soul’s journey. Many of my clients have expressed appreciation for my more spiritual, holistic approach, which they felt had helped them progress in so many ways, complaining of the lack of progress that they had experienced with previous, more conventional psychotherapists they had worked with.”
I also find that my holistic approach is a much better fit with my clients from other cultures – Native American, Latin American, African American, Irish. Which is why I have a referral base in the Native American community. We all come from earth based spiritual origins. Every culture had their shaman who were doctors of the soul. When you break down the meaning of the word psychotherapist, psyche means soul, and therapist means doctor. For me, I take this role very seriously and never stop researching and practicing spiritual teachings and tools that heal and empower both myself and my clients. So a more holistic approach, which Carl Jung, one of the founding fathers of psychotherapy himself actually used, is actually more in alignment with what has worked historically than the more conventional medical model of psychotherapy. Something that many folks are not aware of is that Carl Jung himself studied various shaman from around the world and incorporated their teachings on soul loss and soul retrieval into his work. He also looked at his clients astrology charts for insights into their soul work.
Culturally, regardless of our ethnic background, many of us have “lost our religion.” Yes, unfortunately, negative experiences with some of the more fundamentalist, spiritually hierarchal, or spiritually bypassing tendencies of organized religion turned many folks off, sometimes to spirituality altogether. The danger of this spiritual void is that in it is easy to lose yourself to mentalism (where you are stuck in linear thinking, cut off from your own divine feminine intuitive knowing), to addiction of various types, to your own soul’s needs, or the the soul needs of your loved ones.
This is one of the key dilemmas we are facing in Western society today. For without an understanding of our Soul and Higher Self, which are like the compass and the pilot of our life, we can “lose our way” and get caught up in self destructive patterns such as addiction (even television addiction is soul sucking), victim mentality, violent tendencies, or actual victimhood.
One of my favorite Psychotherapists and authors, Dr. Wayne Dyer (who feels like an angel on my shoulder) always said “Let your spiritual self lead and your human self follow.” Yet how many folks really understand what that means or how to get there? (Unless they have read his books and found a great depth therapist or holistic therapist or spiritual counselor to work with?)
Having myself worked with quite a few different psychotherapists here and there throughout my lifetime, but especially in my young adulthood (when I was in dire need of deep soul work) I could really relate to what my clients were expressing when they spoke of how much they appreciated my more spiritual approach to psychotherapy. Which is why, 15 years ago, as a budding psychotherapist, I recalled what was most effective for me in my own experience of being on the receiving end of psychotherapy; guided visualization, past life regression, breath-work/meditation, and inner child healing. Hence, I embarked on this path as a more “Soul based,” holistic psychotherapist. Even though it wasn’t always easy, forging a “path less followed,” my experience, intuitive knowing, and many synchronicities led me to the deeply rewarding soul based therapy and coaching that I happily and whole heartedly offer today.
