Holistic Psychology

I have studied and worked in the psychological field for almost twenty years. As a student, I could not accept the fact that I must label people, place them into categories and provide only certain types of treatment. So being a "Patch Adams" of the psychology field, I struck out to find new ways of assisting others.

Human beings are entities, who have many intelligences. We have a physical intelligence which lets us know when were are healthy or not; a mental intelligence which allows us to receive and process information; an emotional intelligence which tells us how the environment we live in and those within it effects us; and a spiritual intelligence that can offer us guidance through our intuition and other sensory factors, if we will open to it.

I believe that clinical psychology focuses on the mental and emotional intelligences in an important way and is a good place to start exploring one's nature. Holistic psychology, however, develops all four intelligences to bring more harmony and balance into one's life.

Stephen Levine, a meditation teacher, defines holistic psychology as, "...if I were going to make a highly over-simplified definition of psychological work and spiritual work, it would be that psychological work has to do with the content (in one's mind) and maybe the process...but spiritual work has to do with the space it (content/context) is floating in. When you start to sense the space the process is floating in, it is quite amazing what can come up. Not only is it making the subconscious conscious, because nothing is restricting it, but also whole new senses of being... can actually arise." Holistic psychology explores content/context AND the space it is floating in around you.

Through a variety of modalities learned from meditation teachers, shaman and holistic healers, as well as my own intuitive/psychic awareness, I treat each individual as a unique being. Each person has original medicine, and all they need is some guidance to access what it is to bring peace into their lives. Everything about the person is taken into consideration, i.e. all four intelligences are discussed and evaluated. It doesn't matter what religion, color, race, creed or anything else that we would like to think separates us; what does matter is how to integrate these four intelligences within the individual so they can follow the call of their own soul.

Holistic psychology is not years-long-therapy. It is also not a quick fix. Holistic psychology depends on the individual's needs and especially on the strength of their desire to actively participate in their own healing program. Holistic psychology empowers the person, not the therapist. The old saying, "when the student is ready, the teacher appears" is true, only in this case it is YOU who are your best teacher and student, and all you, or anyone else needs, is a little assistance along the way to access what you already know. Holistic psychology is an alternative to clinical psychology and they can exist in harmony.

KATHRYN LEEMAN is a transpersonal/ holistic psychologist, meditation teacher, wife, mother, grandmother, and child of Spirit. Her website is www.kathrynleeman.com and her business is located at The Redlands Holistic Health Center, 261 Cajon Street, Redlands, CA. 909-792-2094 x3#.