A holistic approach to psychotherapy takes into account all aspects of human life - physiological and psychological - and considers problems in the mental sphere inseparably from the somatic status. For example, if a patient has panic attacks with obvious somatic manifestations, the psychotherapist works not only with the cause of the disease on a psychological level, but also uses the patient’s physical capabilities. For this, techniques such as sports therapy, yoga therapy, meditation, hippotherapy, music therapy, art therapy, hippotherapy, hydrotherapy and others are actively used.
One of the methods of psychotherapy, actively used in the IsraClinic, is based on a holistic approach, which is based on the principle of the inextricable interconnection of all aspects of a person’s life.
The holistic approach considers the mutual influence of physical and psychological problems, as well as how family problems, professional and social problems, problems of creative self-realization and personal growth affect problems of psychophysical health.
In line with the holistic approach, for the most successful impact on the main psychological problem, a combination of integrative dialogue psychotherapy, music therapy, art therapy, hippotherapy, sports therapy, and mental relaxation techniques is used.
Recreational therapy is also of great importance for restoring the emotional sphere. Walks along the seashore, excursions to picturesque places in Israel, visits to “places of power” and religious shrines are powerful factors that complement the work of mental health professionals.
Integrative dialogue psychotherapy is focused on the patient’s diagnosis, and the treatment program for each patient is built individually, based on the results of preliminary testing. Psychological express diagnostics helps to quickly identify the main “targets” of therapy and determine a plan for further work. The methods and techniques most suitable for this patient are used.
The main aspect in holistic psychotherapy is the factor of awareness, involving physiological functioning and relying on physical sensations. Such awareness helps to appreciate reality in all its fullness and integrity, which subsequently helps to solve psychological problems - from neurosis to obsessive-compulsive disorder. All techniques that the psychotherapist uses within the framework of a holistic approach are aimed specifically at the patient’s ability to become aware.
It is awareness that helps the patient perceive the internal and external world as friendly, open, and ready for new experiences. As a result, the patient can change his behavior and make decisions based on a completely different perception of reality. To do this, the therapist uses various techniques that involve the body.
Holistic psychotherapy helps to cope with a wide range of disorders: neuroses, borderline states, anxiety disorders, psychosomatic disorders, obsessive states. In addition, this type of therapy can be used in group and family therapy, working with children, and in psychological rehabilitation.
Depending on the diagnosis, in some cases the main direction of work is teaching the skills of timely recognition of symptoms of the disease, ways to relieve them and improving adaptation in society. In other cases, it is the deactivation of psychotraumas that are the cause of psychological problems, support on the way out of a difficult life situation, and the complete restoration of the patient’s psychological health and normal functioning. In this case, mental relaxation techniques, music therapy and art therapy are widely used to help overcome the patient’s maladaptive psychological defenses and “find and neutralize” the roots of the problem that is preventing the patient from living.
Regardless of the chosen direction of work, the main goal of psychotherapy is to increase the patient’s motivation to recover, take responsibility for himself and his health, and teach relaxation skills.