- Patricia Schuetz, M.A.
Holistic Therapy
Updated: Feb 6, 2022
Holistic therapy emphasizes working on the whole person not just the emotions or behavior modification.

Holistic approaches to therapy may include talking about feelings, or patterns from early childhood development but also may include utilizing spiritual or transpersonal approaches to the therapy session. Movement or Somatic therapy may fit some clients more appropriately. The Holistic Therapist enquires with their clients to find out what their needs are spiritually, physically, and emotionally and suggest methods of using them to heal past wounds.
There is something really healing about using talking, expressing, movement and spirituality in therapy!
Holistic Therapy at work for you
Holistic therapy emphasizes working on the whole person not just the emotions or behavior modification. Our lives consist of many developmental stages and early development has a base effect on the latter. Therapy can be very successful by addressing the whole person and working with early memories that influence current behavior.
In holistic therapy, healing can be found in TALKING, EXPRESSING, MOVEMENT and SPIRITUALITY.
Talking brings perspective and insight into our history and our narrative. Exploring one’s story, a connected strand of experiences, can allow one to review, reframe and adjust thoughts about life’s current experiences that may be strained by previous patterns, emotions and compulsions. Exploring the mental and emotional narrative of early life experiences is a start to finding patterns in relationships, thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. This can reveal inner truths about the current state of mental wellness. Truth is powerful in the face of secrets, denial, and buried, unresolved pain. Truth sheds light on it, good, bad, or ugly. Honesty and willingness to examine all our parts can be a huge healing breakthrough.
Expressing is subconscious representation combined with physical mastery. The mind can be utilized in a non-intellectualized way to allow deeply imbedded symbols to percolate up to the surface and cause healing epiphanies to occur. Using a medium like painting to portray an emotion, concept or psychological state combined with physically making something creates amazing opportunities for change. There are many different experiential practices available to create mastery. Mastery creates better self-esteem, more self-confidence.
Doing something you have a passion for leads to discipline (because you do it a lot), then mastery, which leads to self confidence and positive self regard. Your passion may reveal a deeper purpose in life. These are deeply healing discoveries for any person.
Movement creates physical mastery opportunities. The body is a powerful tool in creating opportunities for mental healing. Whether its art making, singing, yoga, or hula dancing; movement creates opportunities for individuals to master their bodies in positive ways. This creates confidence, higher self-regard, and new avenues for stress relief.
Spirituality inspires humility, purpose, and a sense of empathy, mercy for others. Belief in a higher force greater than yourself is a positive exercise in humility that can be the basis of altruism and social enrichment. Identifying divinely given gifts can create clarity around purpose in life. Learning ways of living in a state of love and peace toward others can relieve old tendencies to engage in non-forgiveness and therefore relieving much stress. Spiritually based therapy can create optimal opportunities for mastery in the most profound ways possible.
All of these holistic ways of working in therapy can be helpful.