“A Note on Being ‘Holistic’ ”
By John Diamond, M.D.
Just what do we mean by “holistic”? More and more holistic health centers are springing up around the country, and they proudly announce that they offer professional work in many different areas – yoga, meditation, biofeedback, reflexology, nutritional counseling, patterned exercises, relaxation therapy, massage, acupressure and so on. But simply offering all these forms of therapy does not necessarily make a clinic holistic.
“Holistic” in our framework encompasses the way you treat the person. It is your attitude toward the patient, the manner in which you assess all factors influencing him – spiritual, mental and physical, as he goes through his daily life. This can be done by one person or by a team of professionals and paraprofessionals. But when it is done by a team, the team should know what each member is doing with an individual patient. The person should not be fragmented.
We are delighted to see holistic medicine and holistic therapy on the upsurge. But do not be discouraged if your practice does not boast a large staff offering many different aspects of holistic therapy. With your attitude toward the individual, and the goal of enhancing the Life Energy and creativity within him, you might surprise yourself at just how “holistic” you can be!
