Posted on 11 April, 2022

You may have heard the hype about holistic therapy, but what exactly is it? A form of healing, holistic therapy aims to achieve optimal health and wellness by aligning all parts of a person, including their body, mind, spirit, and emotions. It’s based on the belief that if one of these aspects is off, it will affect all the other parts. Many healthcare professionals are using holistic therapies in conjunction with traditional forms of treatment to help patients, especially those living with chronic pain.

“What we consider chronic pain is not just physical pain,” says Dr. Robert Duarte, director of the Neuroscience Pain Center at Northwell Health. “It's more complicated. Some patients develop depression and anxiety with pain. These are not separate entities; they’re all intertwined. You have to work on it holistically, instead of treating each problem separately. If you don't treat it as a holistic issue, you're generally not going to get pain relief.”

And holistic therapy isn’t just for people in pain. It can be extremely beneficial for anyone who’s looking to cope with stress or find better harmony and balance in their life.

“We all know it’s important to exercise our bodies, but it’s important to exercise our minds, too,” says Dr. Duarte. “When you engage in holistic therapy, you're learning how to exert power and control over your mind and emotions, allowing you to live the best, healthiest life possible.”

Here are five holistic therapy techniques to explore:

Technique #1: Mindfulness meditation

All too often we run on autopilot—driving carpools, dashing from work to the grocery store, and attending social events without consciously thinking about what we’re doing. Mindfulness meditation is the act of bringing your attention to your breathing in order to connect with what’s happening in the present moment. This simple technique has been shown to decrease stress and pain for those with health issues, such as cancer. But it can also help us feel calmer in everyday life. Meditation may improve sleep, memory, and attention span; it also helps regulate your emotions. Best of all, it can be done at home, at any time.

Technique #2: Yoga

If you’re looking for something a bit more physical, consider yoga. Like mindful meditation, this technique involves quieting your mind and focusing on breathing while you flow through a series of physical poses that build strength and flexibility.

Technique #3: Guided imagery

Did you know that your brain interprets mental images similar to the way it interprets external events? This means that just thinking about something has the power to trigger the same physiological responses as if the thought was actually occurring in the world. This powerful mind-body phenomenon is the reason why you may salivate when you picture the chocolate cake you’re going to make for a birthday celebration, or become anxious just thinking about your upcoming work presentation. The good news is you can use this power to your advantage through guided imagery—a process in which you are guided to conjure up mental images that trigger peace and positivity.

Technique #4: Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils (naturally extracted plant materials) to balance, harmonize, and promote the health and healing of your body and mind.

Technique #5: Acupuncture

Finally, consider acupuncture. Originating from China thousands of years ago, acupuncture involves a trained practitioner inserting needles through the skin in order to stimulate specific points on the body. (Don’t worry, the needles are extremely thin and don’t hurt!) Studies show that this technique can ease many types of chronic pain, such and neck, back and knee pain, as well as frequent headaches.

Original Post: https://thewell.northwell.edu/well-informed/5-holistic-therapy-techniques-you-should-try-today