The holistic (or integrative) approach to wellbeing

What is the integrative approach to wellbeing and why is it important?

Integrative Health is individualised, client-centred and promotes optimal health and wellness, combining a whole person approach with evidence-based strategies. It not only reduces disease risk by turning around lifestyle behaviours but also enables people to truly thrive physically, mentally, spiritually, socially and in all aspects of life.

It pulls together collaborative practice and draws fresh thinking and solutions from a world of healing options. Integrative health invites collaboration among professionals employing health-enhancing approaches to support individuals in their search for TOTAL wellbeing.

An Integrative Health Coach will focus on the 'whole' person and look at what they require which might include a combination of - nutritional coaching, fitness and exercise, mental wellbeing, behaviour change and life coaching, Pilates and/or Yoga therapy and more. It may involve both eastern and western philosophies and brings together traditional medicine with more complementary forms of healing.

The approach is essential to address the main causes of a problem and not just the symptoms. It takes everything into account and encourages people to take charge of their health and well-being. It is a comprehensive approach which is about caring for the whole person and meeting his or her physical, mental, spiritual and social needs.

It is based on the understanding that all of these aspects affect your overall health, and that not so great in one area will affect you in others.

At Elementary Wellbeing, we are firm believers that If we take care of all aspects of our life and our bodies, we will have the best possible experiences and outcomes. In so doing it will indeed help us to feel 'whole' again. Through this approach we find root causes of your problems and find solutions at a more basic level to prevent symptoms in the first place.

Even if something isn't healing you, if it makes you feel good, it's probably helping you. By definition, holistic medicine has to do with lifestyle changes, non-invasive remedies and improving the flow of a person's vital energy, as well as improving the body's own ability to heal itself whereas traditional medicine looks at people and their health in a very limited way. It only takes account of physical aspects, and without taking into account the mental, emotional or spiritual state of a person. Patients suffering from chronic pain or mental ill-health often turn to holistic health practices because drugs alone don't work.

The approach includes you in the conversation and help you determine which changes could have the greatest impact on your health. That in itself is very empowering as you are actively involved in your health decisions and healing processes, including wellness-oriented lifestyle choices.

Through my own journey to health and healing, I have genuinely found that if we honour the mind-body connection and treat our whole person, through a variety of proven therapies a person we are much more likely to experience wellness on a deeper level that allows for a more joyful and truly healthy way of life. The way you think about things, the way you see life and yourself, your achievements and your potential, is not only essential to your growth and happiness, but it also influences your health, in all or its aspects.

Thank you for reading

Leanne x