“I believe we are a “four-part” person: body, mind, emotions and spirit. Each part of us is important and requires attention. Each of the parts has an impact on the others.
If you neglect one part of your Self, you will create a state of “dis-ease,” which will manifest in some sort of symptom: illness, being over or under weight, depression, anxiety and other mood disorders, addictions, acting out behavior, spiritual bankruptcy and cynicism, isolation, fear of being alone, compulsive behavior, inability to sustain emotional intimacy.
Children, from infancy forward to toddler age, elementary, middle school and teenage years have the same four-part system and needs. They are extremely vulnerable and dependent upon their families to take care of these needs. If they are raised in unhealthy families, they can be wounded in their body, mind, emotions and spirit and will manifest many of the same disorders as adults.
After thirty-six years of providing psychotherapy in a variety of traditional and non-traditional settings, studying Jin Shin Do acupressure, cancer counseling, Jungian psychology, substance abuse treatments techniques and yoga, and embarking on my own journey of spiritual inner healing, it is my sincere belief that in order to heal the whole person, a holistic approach must be used – one that treats the body, mind, emotions and spirit. It must be comprehensive. When only one part of the person is treated, the other parts of the person will continue to carry the problem.
When children and teenagers come for treatment, in addition to treating their four parts, the therapist must also identify problems in the whole family, as children often reflect the untreated problems that the mother, father, and other family members have. Unless the larger problems are treated, children will continue to manifest symptoms, which can turn into more severe disorders.
In future articles, I am going to present you with a holistic model for healing your body, mind, emotions and spirit. All of these methods, used in conjunction, will help heal your wounds from childhood and enable you to live a healthy, abundant life. When you are healthy on every level, your life will be in balance and you will feel comfortable in your own skin. You will feel a sense of inner peace and you will radiate an aura of light and energy that will attract good people to you. I encourage you to take a holistic approach to your life.