Psychology of the Whole Person

As psychology has celebrated the Decade ofcontribution to healing and consciousness.
Behavior, it is time for a psychological celebrationI propose an integral view to healing trauma, one
of the Year of the Whole Person. This paradigmthat incorporates the mind, body, and psyche.
shift would take the form of a new holisticRather than a top-down or bottoms-up approach
perspective on psychology that brought behavior,to healing, such a process might be viewed as
cognition, and consciousness together in acircular, with movement connecting inner to outer,
dialectical relationship. A psychology of the wholemental to physical, and all to the interactive field
person integrates body, mind, and psyche, andthat is in close relationship with another (e.g.,
embraces a diversity of techniques andmother-child dyad, and intimate partners), or in
approaches to include the imaginal realm.connection with the universe.
Clinicians appear to view the body in three distinctAs depth psychology collaborates with
ways: as independent of the mind (physical body),neuroscience, quantum physics, and metaphysics,
integrated with the mind (emotional body), and asdisease and healing can be approached from a
a site for symbolic representations of subtlemulti-disciplinary perspective, crossing cultural and
(energetic) body. In Western culture, the body istheoretical boundaries toward a more integrated
seen as something to be controlled by the mind.approach to wholeness. Through my work and
Expanding the definition of body from purelydialogue with the various fields, I wish to
somatic, to include the psychological and emotionalencourage and promote a whole-person approach
in clinical psychology is the wave of the future.to healing disease, and offer an integral approach
Movement from a mind-body dualism, a splitfor psychology, including the mind, body, and
reinforced by the field of mental health, towardpsyche's role in healing the body of mental,
an integrative approach in healthcare is inevitable.somatic, and emotional symptoms.
It is time for psychology to bring its unique