Integrative therapy through mind-body-spirit: Healing in entirety

While many people seek counselling for depression or anxiety, what I have found in my work as a transpersonal therapist, is that what they are ‘seeking’ is not just an alleviation of symptoms, it is a connection with something deeper, often forgotten or overlooked, and it is when we make contact with this ‘something’ that the client begins to feel better.

Many psychologists have different names for this. Winnicott, for example, refers to it as the ‘true self’ – a state of undifferentiated being, which, as the baby grows and develops, is gradually masked by an adaptive ‘false self’, to meet the needs of the child’s external environment.

As the child grows, demands from parents or teachers further draw them away from this innate spark or ‘wholeness’ and, if they are not guided to see this is who they are (and that is ‘enough’), they will slowly lose connection with this. They lose connection with themselves.

Johann Hari writes a lot about this in his book Lost Connections, the title of which gives away the premise of his idea – that it is our disconnection to what is most important that is driving the ‘mental health crisis’ in modern times.  

By adulthood, people have usually learned ways to cope with life, but they often find themselves depressed or anxious, as (to a greater or lesser degree depending on a person’s sensitivity) they realise that there is, and always has been, ‘something else’. 

Reconnecting through therapy

Through therapy, we learn to reconnect with ourselves, or this ‘spark’ which we know on a very deep level is where we may rediscover our authentic selves. There are many different therapeutic modalities to help with this, and it is the therapist’s role to hold the space, to show the way, for their clients to do this inner work and access this part of themselves they have become disconnected from.

In my work as a transpersonal therapist, I work with the mind, body and spirit. There is a limit to the things the ‘thinking mind’ can understand, and the best way to heal is to incorporate our whole being into the process. This might include breathing exercises, visualisations, somatic experiencing and exploring dreams and metaphors. 

Carl Jung spoke a lot of the ‘collective unconscious’ – a deep reservoir of connection which binds all humans to the same ultimate truth. It is through tapping into this connection – to ourselves and (in the same process) to others, that we may come to know who we are. 

This is the spiritual dimension to the work. There is a lot we do not know in psychotherapy, but working with a therapist who can remain with and explore the ‘unknown’ with you, can help you find your own meaning and answers. 

The simplicity of therapy

Many people feel therapy involves a lot of talking – exploring the past and going over old ground for years on end. While talking is absolutely important, it is also important where the words come from. ‘Telling a story’ doesn’t heal us. ‘Telling our story’ does. The difference is subtle, but it is in working with the spirit and body that we can bypass the thinking mind, our conditioning, and really get to the root and depth of our being. And this, in my experience, is the way to truly heal. 

Many counsellors offer somatic therapy, working with the breath and body or creative interventions as part of their practice. If this approach resonates with you, do speak with your therapist about ways you can incorporate this into the work.