Two Ways of Looking at The Art of Counselling

Holistic on the left. Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology on the right

The picture above shows how AI art interprets two very different words. They both mean the same thing. The long psycho word is just the medical term for how all the various human systems work together, as explained here.

Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology, which was first described in 1936, is the study of the interactions between the psyche, neural and endocrine functions and immune responses.

Whereas Holistic therapy means something like this

‘Holistic’ originates from the Greek root ‘holos’, which translates as ‘whole’. Therefore, ‘holistic therapy’ is an umbrella term for any healthcare therapies and practices that treat the entire body and the whole person, rather than curing ailments in isolation as modern medicine does.

The first perspective comes from the medical world, whilst the second originates from the world of Humanistic Therapy.

Humanistic therapy is a mental health approach that emphasizes the importance of being your true self in order to lead the most fulfilling life. It’s based on the principle that everyone has their own unique way of looking at the world. This view can impact your choices and actions.

The Art of Counselling as of 2022

As a recently trained counsellor but someone very experienced in the world of mental health, I have studied the science of Counselling in depth. And the conclusion I have come to after 35 years is that it is not a science. It is an art.

Making it science is the medical and academic world's way of corralling and branding it, like gathering and taming wild horses ready for market. Once…