What is Holistic Counselling?
Written by Marcella Jane
What is Holistic Counselling?
Holistic counselling views the individual as a sum of many parts which are innately connected. The holistic counsellor takes into account the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing of the individual and understands that each of these influences the other and that it is unhelpful to address these aspects in isolation.
To that end, holistic counselling provides a mind-body-sprit framework to support the individual to develop deeper awareness and insight, uncover unconscious patterns and triggers, process past and current life events, manage conflict and relationships, change unhelpful habits and behavioural patterns and make important decisions.
What is the difference between counselling and holistic counselling?
Traditional counselling usually focuses predominantly on the individual’s mental health and seeks to identify and resolve a particular ‘problem’. The focus of holistic counselling is broader – it considers the ‘issue’ at hand as part of a more complex, multi-faceted system.
Holistic counselling aims to empower the individual to better understand themselves, to gain insight into their own emotional states and behavioural patterns and to develop strategies and practices to promote positive behavioural and lifestyle change. Because a holistic approach acknowledges that many parts make up the whole, the holistic counsellor may recommend other complementary modalities to best support the individual on their journey.
Who can access holistic counselling?
Holistic counselling can be accessed by anyone; it can be beneficial for individuals who are experiencing specific challenges or those who simply want a safe, nurturing and confidential place to explore their inner world. Holistic counselling is a beautiful form of self-care where you access an empowering and supportive space to get to know yourself better and receive guidance to develop practises to integrate into your everyday life for optimal wellbeing.
What sorts of concerns can a holistic counsellor address?
Holistic counsellors can support you to work you on a large number of things.
These may be specific:
relationship challenges
career choices
dealing with grief & loss
a particular habit that is no longer serving you
emotional ‘triggers’
a decision you have to make
improving a certain skill (such as communication)
enhancing self-esteem
Or they may be broad:
a general feeling of unease or restlessness (feeling that something is ‘just not right’)
feeling stuck or frustrated
feeling lost or direction-less
unable to tune into your intuition
general mental, emotional & spiritual wellbeing
uncovering unconscious patterns & beliefs
cultivating self-awareness
low self-worth
feeling disconnected
repeating unhelpful life patterns
What does a session with a holistic counsellor look like?
During a session with a holistic counsellor, you will be invited to share what is on your mind and heart. The holistic counsellor will support you through an exploration of this, offering insights, gentle questions and reflections to support you to process what you are feeling and to gain insight into yourself. The holistic counsellor walks with you and acts as a guide. The session may include meditation and mindfulness work if it feels appropriate. You may also be given strategies to practise outside of the session to support you in moving forward. The aim is to leave you feeling heard, understood and empowered to navigate what is happening for you.
You can book a Holistic Counselling session at Ardor with Marcella on Fridays and Glenda on Tuesdays.