How Integrative Mental Health Care Can Help You or a Loved One
Mental health is a critical but often overlooked aspect of overall health. Mental illness can manifest in many ways, from mild anxiety to debilitating depression. Without proper treatment, mental illness can lead to grave consequences, including social isolation, unnecessary disability, substance abuse, problems related to work or school, or even suicide. Fortunately, we have many treatment options for those who suffer from mental illness. One promising approach is integrative mental health care.
Integrative mental health care takes a more holistic approach to treatment, considering all aspects of the person's life and health. It includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors.
This approach recognizes that mental illness is often caused or exacerbated by imbalances in these areas of life. Therefore, integrative mental health care strives to restore balance and improve overall well-being. It can be very effective in treating mental illness, as it addresses the root causes of the problem instead of just masking the symptoms with medication.
What is integrative mental health care, and how does it differ from traditional mental health care models
Integrative mental health care (IMHC) is a relatively new field that combines traditional mental health care models with integrative and holistic approaches. Unlike the traditional models, which rely heavily on pharmaceuticals to "fix" the patient, integrative mental health care takes a more holistic approach that considers all aspects of the person's life and health. This model is more likely to lead to lasting results and improved mental health.
The benefits of integrative mental health care
There are several advantages to integrative mental health care.
IMHC practitioners are trained to look at the whole person, not just the symptoms of their mental illness. This means they can identify and address the root causes of mental health issues rather than just treating the symptoms.
IMHC practitioners use several treatment modalities, which gives them the flexibility to tailor treatment to each individual. Contrary to traditional mental health care, which often uses a one-size-fits-all approach.
Integrative mental health care typically includes lifestyle changes and self-care strategies as part of the treatment plan. This is in contrast to traditional mental health care, which often focuses solely on medication management or therapy sessions.
Finally, integrative mental health care practitioners typically have a more positive attitude towards their clients and are more likely to view them as partners in their treatment.
How integrative mental health care can help you or a loved one
If you or a loved one are suffering from a mental health issue, integrative mental health care may be the answer. The IMHC provides an integrated approach to mental health, which can help address the underlying causes of your mental health problems. After your first session, they can gather the information to include lifestyle changes with conventional mental health care. For instance, here at Levelheaded Mind, after your evaluation session, we come up with a tailored treatment plan for you that might include: the appropriate prescription of psychotropic drugs and the provision of psychological therapies sessions, with lifestyle changes in your diet, adding nutraceutical supplements, exercise, mindfulness practice, among other lifestyle changes.
As you can see, lifestyle changes and self-care strategies are typically included as part of the integrative mental health care treatment plan. If you are interested in this approach then let’s talk, our initial phone consultation is free and you can sign up by clicking the contact us below.
The types of treatments available in integrative mental health care
We covered how integrative mental health care sees your illness in a holistic approach and includes different treatment options. Now let's dive a little deeper into the treatment options that might be part of your overall plan.
1. Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is a type of therapy that involves talking with a therapist about your thoughts and feelings. It can help you to understand and manage your mental health issues.
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that helps you change the way you think about and react to your experiences. It is used to treat several mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
3. Mindfulness-based therapies: Mindfulness-based therapies help you to focus on the present moment and be more aware of your thoughts and feelings. They can be used to treat a variety of mental health issues, including stress and anxiety.
4. Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, or even taking a deep breath can help reduce stress and anxiety. Check our youtube video to see how breathing techniques can help you reduce anxiety.
5. Lifestyle changes: Making healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, can help to improve your mental health.
6. Self-care: Self-care activities, such as journaling or taking a relaxing bath, can help you reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Holistic mental health care is a growing trend, and for a good reason. It can offer you the lasting change you need to feel better. Levelheaded Mind provides high-quality mental health education to empower you in making informed decisions about your mental health care. Our mental health coaching services incorporate a holistic approach that focuses on building resilience for our clients. If you would like to receive 1:1 guidance on how to move forward on your mental health care journey, consider scheduling an initial mental health coaching session to level up your mental health and get unstuck.
