Holistic Counselling
What is holistic counselling?
Holistic counselling is about looking at the whole you. That means not just the different areas of your life, but also the different parts that make you who you are. Most of the time, what you’re going through isn’t just coming from one place, there are usually several things at play. Together, we’ll take time to explore your emotional, relational, physiological, mental, financial, and even spiritual health (the soulful kind). We’ll create space to gently work through past wounds that might still be affecting you in ways you don’t even realise and help you feel more connected to yourself and the world around you. This is what holistic counselling is all about.
One way I like to think about wellbeing is through the image of four pillars that support a strong foundation:
Relationships (with yourself, others, and the natural world)
Health (mental, physical, and spiritual)
Work (purpose and finances)
Home (safety and rest)
If one pillar is a little cracked, we can usually manage. But over time, even a small crack can wear down the whole structure. The more unstable the pillars, the more shaky things feel—and when all four are struggling, it’s no surprise we feel like we might completely fall apart. In holistic counselling, part of our work is to explore these pillars together and find ways to steady, strengthen, and support your foundation overall.
Traditionally, mental health has been approached through a pathologising, diagnostic lens. And while that framework has given us huge insight into the human experience - and still offers many people clarity and validation - it’s not the only way to understand what’s going on. As a holistic counsellor, I take a slightly different approach. I’m not here to tell you what’s ‘wrong’ with you. In fact, what we now know to be true is that the body and mind usually respond in intentional ways, often to something they’ve perceived as a cue of danger. So rather than labelling, the real work is in getting curious and compassionate. Together, we’ll work to better understand what you're feeling and why, and learn how to listen more closely to what your system is asking for. This is how we begin to heal.
There are several evidence-based therapeutic approaches we can take. Holistic counselling includes Somatic Therapy, Polyvagal Therapy and Internal Family Systems Therapy. If this speaks to you, reach out below.