Holistic Psychotherapy
By Tracy Harrison, LCSW & Psychotherapist
So, what is holistic psychotherapy anyways? Let’s break it down. ‘Holistic,’ meaning emphasis on the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts. Psychotherapy is ‘psycho’ which is a Greek word combining the soul, the mind, and the spirit of one’s life. ‘Therapy’ means treatment. Whole soul, mind, and spirit treatment.
Holistic psychotherapy aims to help you access your mind and emotions but, also, your body, your guts, and your center to release trapped energy (emotion) causing distress. We overthink everything, the body just needs some guidance on how to put it away. I use an eclectic bag of tools to support the treatment of the mind, body, and spirit together. Therapy modalities like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or emotional acupressure) access the body and therefore the mind. Combine these modalities with a symphony of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT or talk therapy), mindfulness, grounding, meditation, reiki energy work, and other eclectic ways into the sensory systems like, aromatherapy, stretching, art, and laughter… you can heal. Is it emotionally painful? Likely for a bit. Is it worse than what you’re going through now? Probably not. I want to help you roll up your sleeves and help clear out that emotional clog.
I use a tailored approach that takes into account your interests, your level of woo-woo tolerance, and your eagerness to heal. Am I a miracle worker? No, but YOU ARE! My job isn’t to heal or give you the magic pill. My job is to be an experienced tour guide on your journey to self-healing. My private practice is aimed at being “boutique” (just loving this bougie word). This, to me, means small-scale, beauty focus where the client and I create space for healing. I’m over insurance companies’ restrictions, and financiers dictating what is best for client work. This also means I am not taking insurance. I can provide a superbill which can be submitted to your insurance company for reimbursement. The trade-off is the genuine heart and care from a non-burnt-out therapist. I know you deserve that and so do I. Starting in January, I decided I do what I wanted, which is what I have found to work best. I am offering the usual 60-minute sessions but allotting up to 90 minutes (yup, same price). Getting into the muck of emotions and trauma doesn’t always fit pretty into 60 minutes (trust me, I’ve really tried). I want to make more space during sessions. Does that mean every session is 90 minutes? No. I know what makes you happy too. But when you need extra time, I’m not throwing you out to see my next client. Sessions over 90 minutes will have an additional charge and we can arrange that ahead of time if needed.
Finally, I’ve recently been certified in Laughter Yoga. Laughing is also a powerful healing tool. It’s fun, it’s silly and so healing. It’s very gentle on the body, works the breath intensely, and clears the mind well. The hardest part is getting in the door. As one participant said, “It’s just one of those things you have to try to see its power.” Look for classes starting early next year. I have a few new client openings for Psychotherapy on Fridays and one weekend morning. Contact me via phone, text, or email about Holistic Psychotherapy or Laughter Yoga.
Happy healing and happy holidays!