Falling in to integration

<table width="100%" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #339999"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table width="100%" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Greetings!

It is is just about time for a change. It's nearing September and that means the school year is upon us! With all this talk about healthcare it is also a good time for a change in how we think about our health. Holistic Treatment for the mind encompasses a vast number of treatment modalities. Alternative and Complimentary Medicine is quickly gaining respect in the medical world, and there is finally some major studies showing that anti-depressants are far less effective than once widely believed. For mild to moderate depression there are far more effective treatment options - including psychotherapy (talk therapy) and diet - than anti-depressants.  
There are countless alternatives out there, but a holistic treatment for depression should not exclude any available treatment that works - and that may need to include mainstream medicine such as antidepressants or mood stabilizers, particularly for Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder. It is important to carefully weigh the pros and cons. In the absence of any viable alternative treatments, psychiatric meds may be better than no treatment at all. Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder are serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses.  
Over the course of the next months I will be featuring some of the well established alternative healing approaches, as well as some types of holistic treatment for depression, anxiety and stress that are not yet widely known. Holistic treatment for depression and other health problems treats the person as a whole. Holistic medicine is based on Systems Theory - which recognizes that anything done to one "part" of us, affects all other parts of us. Any treatment that is in harmony with life, will benefit the individual on multiple levels -- even far beyond what the target symptoms may be. By utilizing a holistic treatment for depression, it is likely that you will also experience healing in other areas as well. Here are just a few of the major categories that we will be taking a closer look at:   BODY (physical interventions and also may include energy work) MIND (working with the emotions and thought process or intellect) SPIRIT (Treating the spiritual dimension/accessing the wisdom of the essential Self or Soul. ) In the spirit of viewing healing from a holistic perspective - the distinctions between Body/Mind/Spirit are quite fluid and overlapping. Holistic treatment for depression should recognize the multidimensional reality of good treatment.

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101093164665/rest_finedine_hdr2.jpg" height="127" alt="" width="636" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="160" style="width: 160px; background-color: #339999; padding: 0px;"> <table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td width="440" style="width: 440px; background-color: #339999;"> <table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"> <table width="100%" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #00ccff"> <tbody> <tr> <td height="1"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="100%" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ccffff"> <tbody> <tr> <td height="1"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table width="100%" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px; COLOR: #99ffcc"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #99ffcc; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Check my blog and tweets for more information on a holistic approach to therapy and wellness. You can access all of this on my web site: www.seattlepsychology.org

Professionals, contact me about writing a guest article on my newsletter to be featured next month. This is all about collaboration and whole person wellness.

Until next time; Be Well.

Shawn
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