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Integral Holistic Psychology Model

The Wellness Centre’s psychological services aim to support people to build self-defined, purposeful lives.

The Wellness Centre offers a holistic approach to treating psychological problems. The term holistic refers to an approach that addresses the whole person- i.e. body, mind and spirit. Holistic approaches aim to look beyond a person’s symptoms/problems and view them in their entirety. From a holistic perspective, psychological health is directly related to the health of the body and the vibrancy of the spirit.  The Wellness Centre aims to integrate traditional psychological therapies with a holistic approach; thus promoting the health of the mind, body and spirit.

The Wellness Centre follows a recovery model to psychological health. A recovery model emphasizes and supports a person's potential for recovery.  Recovery models focus on developing hope, personal identity, supportive relationships, empowerment, connection, coping skills, and meaning. This model can be seen as an alternative to the medical/clinical notion of recovery, which focuses on set outcomes- such as the absence of symptoms and restoring social functioning. In contrast, recovery models view recovery as a journey rather than a destination; a journey which is unique to each individual. The most widely used definition of personal recovery is from Anthony (1993): “…a deeply personal, unique process of changing ones attitudes, values, feelings, goals, skills and/or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life even within the limitations caused by illness. Recovery involves the development of new meaning and purpose in ones life.”

Reference:

Anthony WA. Recovery from mental illness: the guiding vision of the mental health system in the 1990s. Innovations and Research 1993; 2:17-24.