Kweku’s Korner
By Madia Norton
Madia Norton
Holistic LPC-IT, Holistic and Creative Workshop Developer, Space holder for Health and Wellness consultation, Sound Bath guide for somatic release
When you scroll through your social media or even flip through a magazine, you can be guaranteed to run into the buzzword holistic healing in relation to some spotlight on how it can help mental health and wellness. These two relatively new terms, “wellness” and “holistic health,” represent a major shift from the language of the 1950s and earlier, when mental health was largely synonymous with mental illness.
If you ask your elders what mental health means, they would probably say something along the lines of “people with mental illness” or “crazy people”. During the civil rights movement, deinstitutionalization occurred, releasing many patients from hospitals and institutions. Later during the 1980s and 1990s a shift in defining mental health from the World Health Organization started to populate. Mental health began to be seen as a need for a continuum of self-care for all and not just in the treatment of those with a severe persistent mental health illness or disorder.
Of course, this shift didn’t happen instantly. Even today, much of the mental health system operates under a “sick care” model, relying heavily on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) for diagnoses and treatment planning. (And if I’m being honest, it sometimes feels like these labels are more about categorizing individuals for insurance billing and pharmaceutical management than about truly supporting wellness.)
But let’s be more positive. A movement, or maybe a reawakening has been trending, especially since the pandemic. With time to slow down and reflect, many people have reconnected with the practices and wisdom of their ancestors. This awakening has led to the rise of holistic healing: the idea that we are more than just our physical bodies, and that true wellness includes mind, body, and spirit. Holistic practices from ancient wisdom attend to exactly that of our mind, body, and spirit.
Some of these approaches, backed by scientific research, have been integrated into Western medicine and are now even billable by insurance. Others, while gaining popularity, remain outside mainstream medical practice.
Holistic methods aim to release stored traumas that can contribute to physical conditions like anxiety, stress, mood disorders, diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer.
Neuroscience research has shown that practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and intentional breathwork can reduce cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, and boost “feel-good” chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.
Other holistic modalities that are less scientifically backed by research fall into metaphysical healing, such as “energy work” and “alchemy.” These modalities deal with a more Spiritual and energetic level of holistic healing. While some view this as “whoo whoo,” others believe it to be powerful and have the ability to transform deep healing on a generational level of carried dis-ease and baggage.
Sound therapy is another form of holistic healing that is gaining scientific support. Based on the principle that movement creates vibrations, and vibrations create frequencies, sound therapy uses specific tones to resonate with the body’s natural rhythms. Much like the brain’s various wave states during sleep and wakefulness, indigenous instruments used in sound healing can influence brainwaves, promoting relaxation and healing. Although sound therapy shows promise, it has not yet gained enough mainstream acceptance to be covered by insurance.
The list can go on with all the different holistic approaches that one can explore for treatment and prevention outside the Western traditional clinical space. The bigger question remains: Will holistic healing become the future of mental health treatment? Or will empowering individuals with self-care tools to live a wellness lifestyle pose too great a challenge to the capitalist interests that dominate the medical and pharmaceutical industries?