Holistic Therapies
Holistic Therapies is one of several expressions used to refer to certain ways of treating physical, mental, emotional or spiritual dis-eases. In many cases, such treatment methods are not always available, e.g. they may not be offered, or might not be funded by the conventional medical provisions available in a particular time and location e.g. provided by national healthcare services or conventional health insurers.
The main overall connotation of the word 'holistic' as used in the context of health include the idea that all aspects of the person (or animal, in the case of veterinary cases) are interrelated. That is, a basic philosophy of holistic medicine involves seeking to balance all aspects of the patient, including mind, body, and spirit (sometimes referred to as 'soul'), as opposed to merely treating the symptoms or clinically-recognised causes of a specific physical condition, trauma, state of mind, or disease process.
Other related terms include:
- alternative therapies,
- complementary therapies,
- natural therapies,
- traditional medicine, and other similar expressions.
Other related terms include complementary therapies, holistic therapies, natural therapies, traditional medicine, and other similar expressions.
Examples of treatments that may be referred to using these terms include:
- acupuncture
- aromatherapy
- massage
- reflexolgy
- reiki and
- spiritual healing among others.
For more about the distinctions between these and similar terms see the terminology page.
