Finding your wellness team
If you’ve spent any time with me (or with any other good therapist) you’re already very familiar with considering a holistic approach to wellness. The mind cannot be separated from the wellness of the body, which cannot be separated from the condition of the soul. Chronic physical health issues will always effect mental health in some way. Unrest in the spirit will always show up in the mind in some way. Mental stress will often manifest as illness or pain…etc.
Committing to weekly therapy sessions is such a wonderful start. I wouldn’t be in this profession if I didn’t believe in the importance of recognizing your patterns, working through past trauma and learning how to develop new healthy habits. But talking on it’s own doesn’t do much toward cultivating lasting change. There is SO much more to feeling and being well.
MIND
The mind really is one of the greatest battlefields. It can be your greatest strength or your greatest weakness. It needs to be nourished through good books, calm thoughts, sleep and more.
If you tend to be an ‘overthinker,’ you might spend a significant portion of your therapeutic process in learning how to simplify, trust, practice flexibility or let things be. If you can’t learn how to become aware of your thoughts as you’re having them, no one else can do it for you.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the classic ‘underthinker.’ Perhaps you prefer keeping conversations and relationships on the surface and may feel uncomfortable considering the complicated depths of human emotion. Bright-siding might be your subconscious M.O, and we may work to shift a lot of your subconscious life into your conscious awareness.
Either way, there’s always work to be done in your mind, the way you perceive others and process information, the way you think about yourself, and the way you speak.
You can do a lot of work with your mind on your own via meditation, journaling and mindfulness. All of these aspects are what we like to bring to the surface in session so that you can have a more peaceful thought life.
BODY
Physical wellness is such a blessing when you have it and can feel like such a curse when you don’t. The body is SO complex and can feel completely out of control at times. Sometimes we do our best to care for it through activity or exercise and end up with injuries or pain. It’s imperative to find a team of physical wellness professionals who listen to you, support your goals and make you feel empowered.
From a holistic perspective, these may include things like acupuncture, nutritionist, chiropractic, naturopathic doctors, massage therapists and more. It can take time to locate the good ones, but don’t settle for less. If you ignore your body most of the time, it will eventually get your attention. It’s best to pay attention and take care of yourself as best as you can.
“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from their selves.”
SPIRIT
Spirituality almost always comes up within the therapeutic process in some way, whether you like it or not.
Just like we would need to process through a serious illness or chronic health issue within the body, we can’t avoid the fact that we are all spiritual beings. It’s counterproductive to avoid it.
I often find that a spiritual component is either completely lacking (ignored), overactive (often as in obsession with foretelling the future or ‘manifesting’) , or is exhibited in a strong aversion (such as atheism). Just like within the mind or the body, we can have spiritual trauma. Splankna is a wonderful tool for gaining access to those subconscious challenges, but there are other ways as well depending on your comfort level and needs.
Having a spiritual mentor, pastor, friend or leader can be so helpful in healing and staying connected in a healthy way. Even if you’re not ready for spiritual structured, it’s certainly wise to become aware of your aversions.
Everyone needs a tribe of healing professionals to feel supported in this day and age. It’s not easy to be constantly bombarded in our minds (social media and technology), always battling toxicity within our body (because of the toxic world we live in) and often unsettled in our spirits due to unseen forces. All we can do is our best, but ‘trying harder’ or doing it alone really isn’t an option. Reach out for support and let me help you find your tribe!
