Recently, more people have started to follow holistic practices in their lives. “Holistic” means that all components of a larger entity are related and can only be treated or evaluated with the entire entity in mind. When applying this to medicine, holistic practitioners consider their patients’ physical, mental, and social factors in determining the cause of a medical condition. Instead of treating the patient’s symptoms, holistic medicine tries to treat or cure the root of the problem.
What is Holistic Psychiatry?
Holistic medicine doesn’t solely treat physical illnesses. Many mental health professionals use holistic medicine when treating certain mental health conditions. Holistic psychiatrists focus on the overall health of their patients, not just their symptoms. Instead of prescribing medication to treat their patients, psychiatrist considers the cause of the symptoms to address those. Holistic psychiatrists sometimes prescribe medication, but only if it is a medication that is beneficial to your overall health. Other concepts make holistic psychiatrists different from traditional psychiatrists. These concepts include:
- Individualized treatment plans: Many treatments prescribed by traditional psychiatrists focus on treating a condition’s symptoms. Holistic psychiatrists believe that mental wellness is more than not experiencing symptoms. Their approach involves methods that promote fulfillment and happiness. A holistic psychiatrist invests in preventative treatments to promote a healthy mindset to prevent symptoms. They encourage healthy coping mechanisms and advocate for solid support systems.
- Promoting healthy relationships: Holistic psychiatrists believe their patients’ relationships are essential for their well-being. A holistic psychiatrist creates a comfortable, safe space for their clients while stressing the importance of repairing, maintaining, and initiating healthy relationships with family members and friends. They believe healing and improving these relationships are essential for their mental health.
Holistic psychiatrists have the same training and expertise as traditional psychiatrists. But holistic professionals offer a different approach. Traditional psychiatrists focus on a tiny piece of the puzzle, but holistic psychiatrists look at the individual parts that make up the whole. Holistic professionals improve overall mental and physical health by helping their patients work through the parts contributing to their condition. They create a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs rather than a treatment plan that works in a generalized sense.
A patient with anxiety can benefit from medication. However, a holistic psychiatrist will rule out organic diseases that can cause anxiety. Holistic professionals look at their patients’ lifestyles, habits, sleep, exercise, relationships, and stress management. Some even consider their patients’ nutrition when trying to find the underlying cause of a condition. Some patients prefer supplements, botanicals, acupuncture, or psychotherapy instead of medication.
Alternative Health Center of the Woodlands and Holistic Psychiatry
If you’ve experienced mental health conditions and haven’t felt like you’re getting the correct treatment from a traditional psychiatrist, it might be time to give holistic psychiatry a shot. Dr. Stephen Clouthier at the Alternative Health Center of the Woodlands is experienced in holistic psychiatry and can help you navigate your mental condition. Psychotherapy, art therapy, acupuncture, medication, and general mindfulness are all methods that our doctors use when treating patients. If you think holistic psychiatry is right, call us at (281) 419-9104 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Clouthier.
