Holistic Approach to Mental Health: Your Complete 2025 Guide
Medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Giordano, DO
Mental health can be described as the absence of mental disease and the state of focused wellness, purpose, and harmony.
The basis of a holistic approach to mental health aims to tackle the cause, not only the effect, of mental disease.
Compared to the biomedical model that focuses on disease only, the holistic approach includes physiological, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being, acknowledging the somatic and psychological connection.
It highlights modifying behavior, diet, physical activity, and non-pharmacological measures such as stress reduction.
True You Psych looks at mental health problems through a holistic lens.
By doing that Dr. Giordano ensures patients receive individualized treatment so they can slowly and steadily come off their psychiatric medication.
Make an appointment today to begin a new chapter of healing and restoration for your body, mind, and spirit. Here's why it is important!
The Growing Need for Holistic Mental Health Care
Increase in Mental health challenges
More People on Psychiatric Medications: Research reveals that approximately 1 in 6 adults in the United States is on psychiatric medication.
This includes drugs for depression, anxiety, and sleeping disorders.
Although they may abate unwanted symptoms, they do not offer a "cure" for mental illness.
Overuse of Psychiatric Medications: There is cause for concern that the use of psychiatric medications is excessive.
In some cases, they can compound the problem and worsen the quality of mental health in the long run.
Risk Factors and Long-Term Side Effects: It is important to note that the use of psychiatric medications comes with side effects.
These might include weight gain, sexual side effects, and physiological dependence, among others.
The risk of side effects increases over time and has implications for physical well-being and increased susceptibility to mental health issues.
Limitations of Traditional Approaches
Traditional mental health care commonly focuses on symptoms instead of the whole person.
Medications and therapy are helpful but might miss key factors, such as:
Social Determinants of Mental Health: Conditions such as disease, social isolation, and unequal access to treatment can all influence mental well-being.
Traditional measures might not fully address these root causes.
Gaps in Conventional Treatments: Most cultures neglect the issues of lifestyle, people’s relationships, and their personal development.
The psyche and soma should be explained better to individuals so that they can heal their bodies more effectively.
Holistic mental health care meets these needs.
It considers the emotional, physical, and social aspects to ensure a balanced view.
This is favorable due to its holistic nature, which aims to address various aspects of the patient and may decrease the likelihood of requiring long-term medications.
Benefits of a Holistic Approach
A holistic approach to mental health care is the opposite of the traditional medical model, which is more an industrial model focusing solely on symptom reduction.
Dr. Jennifer Giordano (widely known as Dr. G) is a psychiatrist who specializes in helping you understand your mental health treatment options both naturally and medically.
A holistic approach is centered on goal attainment and overall well-being. Here are some key benefits:
A. Addressing the Root Cause
The major advantage of holistic care is that it focuses on the cause of the mental health problem.
For example, some mental health issues may be caused by physical causes owing to infections or chronic diseases.
Strep throat is a known factor that can cause changes in mental health if it is not treated properly.
Traditional pharmacological treatments focus on reducing symptoms such as anxiety or depressive disorders. It does not aim to get to the root of the problem.
On the other hand, a holistic approach is a comprehensive approach.
It discovers what, when, and how certain stimuli lead to a change in the body's functioning, which may include looking at things like hormone levels or bowel function.
An integrated approach encourages people to address the root of the symptoms, which is much more likely to stop the cycle of suffering the individual may experience throughout his/her life.
B. Enhancing Overall Health
Holistic mental health care also enhances physical health, which intimately impacts mental health.
It acknowledges that mental and physical health are contiguous.
For instance, stress or depression affects the immune system, and diseases can cause mood disturbances or anxiety.
Mind-body wellness strategies such as mindfulness, the right diet, and physical exercise are encouraged.
These practices address mental health symptoms, increase energy, enhance sleep quality, and build a healthy immune system.
See Our Guide on Holistic Solutions for Anxiety
This approach can also enable individuals to consider reducing their reliance or even gradually come off psychiatric medications, as research on psychotropic drug discontinuation showed.
It involves proactively managing physical symptoms like tremors and mood changes, which is where holistic care shines.
In most cases, support of both mental and physical balance makes people feel healthier and more energetic.
Overcoming Challenges and Misconceptions
Despite the many benefits and advantages, there are some misconceptions surrounding holistic healthcare.
A. Understanding Limitations and Myths
Most people perceive holistic care as unscientific or ineffective.
This is not the case.
In fact it takes into consideration the uniqueness of each patient, which is the most scientific you can get.
It not only considers the biological factors of a human being but also includes the psychological, social, and environmental influences one has.
A traditional approach, which is a more medication-based approach, may ignore many of these facets and put patients in a general one-size-fit all category.
When you incorporate all the aspects of a person into your treatment, it significantly changes the outcome of the treatment and contributes greatly to a person's wellbeing.
Research has shown how tools used in an integrative approach can significantly improve a person's mental well-being.
The second false belief is that holistic care substitutes for conventional medicine.
In fact, it complements ordinary treatments by considering the source of the problem.
The moment you rely heavily on medication as the primary treatment for mental health struggles, you will likely fail to address the underlying social and psychological aspects of mental health problems.
An individual can do better by combining a comprehensive approach to their mental health struggles.
B. Accessibility and Inclusivity
The first major issue is the universality of care, or, in other words, how to achieve equality of care for various population groups.
Many holistic care methodologies are described as costly and, therefore, only accessible to the wealthy; this is not true.
Affordable sliding-scale services, community programs, and online resources are helping societies understand that holistic services aren’t a luxury but a necessity.
In fact, the traditional approach which heavily focuses on sedating your symptoms, in the long run, may turn out to be costly, both financially and health wise.
Real-Life Application: A Client's Journey with Holistic Care
Holistic care is not just a concept without solid ground.
A real-life example of how our holistic plan helped a client [Nova], a woman in her forties who suffered from anxiety and depression for many years.
Although she attempted conventional methods such as counseling and drugs for several years with little success, she sought a more natural option.
Nova’s Success Story
Nova had always been overwhelmed by everyday tasks and expectations.
Even if she took antidepressants and went to therapy sessions, she could hardly forego the sensation of being anxious.
Despite her previous treatment mainly consisting of medication, she resolved to switch to a more holistic treatment model.
She preferred comprehensive care for her mental issues without solely focusing on the symptoms.
Her plan of action included therapy accompanied by exercise, meditation, talk therapy, and diet modification.
She also had to change her diet accordingly to help her brain, which involved incorporating foods containing omega-3 and antioxidants.
The outcomes were revolutionary.
Some of the changes observed by Nova were that her anxiety was under control and she needed less medication.
Meditation benefited her in a way that silenced her thoughts, while regular exercise physically invigorated her and made her feel happier.
In time, Nova felt more empowered, stable, and well-equipped to face life challenges.
Practical Tips: How You Can Start
The experience of Nova shows that a holistic approach works for common symptoms of mental illness like anxiety and depression.
If you’re looking to begin your holistic journey or your loved one, here are some practical tips:
Incorporate Mindfulness: Consider incorporating at least 10 minutes of deep breathing or meditation upon waking in the morning to focus.
Focus on Nutrition: Increased consumption of foods that improve brain function, like fresh greens, blueberries, and walnuts.
Move Your Body: Set a goal of at least thirty minutes of exercise several times a week. Even light walking can improve one’s mood.
Try Tai Chi: This is an age-old practice from Chinese culture that involves movement, breathing, and meditation. Tai Chi is known to easily alleviate stress while focusing on body steadiness and increasing the activeness of a rationally oriented mind.
Seek Support: Consult with holistic therapy experts, who will work closely with you to develop a care plan that best suits you.
Explore our resource on Holistic Approaches to Taming Silent Panic Attacks
Conclusion
Finding more natural ways of improving your mental wellness program is now possible and it is time to make that first move. See Dr. Giordano today and prepare to change your life for the better. Click here to schedule your appointment.
FAQs
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Holistic medicine can help with conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders by addressing both the mind and body.
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Mental health disorders often disrupt emotional health, leading to feelings of sadness, anger, or frustration that can impact daily life.
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Treatment centers provide specialized mental health services that combine medical and holistic treatments for those who need more intensive treatment or care.
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The mind-body connection influences brain health because mental health can impact physical well-being, including things like immune function and stress levels.
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Art therapy allows individuals to express their emotions creatively, helping to improve emotional well-being by providing a safe outlet for feelings.
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Yes, mindfulness practices can help manage chronic pain by promoting relaxation and reducing stress, which can amplify pain.
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Alternative therapies like yoga or Tai Chi promote social well-being by enhancing relaxation, fostering connections with others, and improving overall stress management.
