The mind, body spirit connection is an important combination to consider in the art of healing. This combination is often considered when applying the holistic or alternative approach. Used in other countries such as India , Egypt , and Canada , this alternative approach is commonplace there.

In America , until recently, it has rarely been given much attention. 

We have specialists for all parts of the body, mind and spirit. 
There are hand and foot specialists working alongside leg and arm specialists, one specializing in the knee while another the wrist. These professionals work on the body parts. 

The brain is handled separately by neurologists, psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health counselors.

Spirit, if handled at all, is usually addressed by the priest's, rabbis, minister's,and on rare occasions, a Shaman. Rarely is the human being treated as a whole, but almost always looked at as parts of that whole.

Many times, especially in the field of psychology and counseling, we see what seems to be one disorder replacing another.
A client will come in for therapy to deal with a phobia or anxiety that involves certain problems they are facing in their life at that time. However after the problem has been addressed and relieved some return several months later with another more pressing, or similar problem. 
Sometimes new symptoms seem to replace the first ones experienced, but with another type or diagnosed condition . 

One could be accident prone, coming in for various injuries, the other may seem to have one illness after another. More often than not doctor visits are ongoing for these patients.

In a healthy human state it is these three parts, mind, body and spirit that are working well together. The knowledge of how they work along with taking them all into consideration when diagnosing and treating could be the key in filling that gap that causes one disorder to replace another. All parts are, after all, attached.

I am sure most remember the time some physicians had not considered the mind as being part of the physical condition at all. 
I can remember asking if a thought or feeling, possibly a traumatic memory, could have caused an asthmatic problem in my son. The answer from my doctor at the time was "No, absolutely not." 
Unlike then, there are some Physicians today that now think traumas experienced at a young age can be a cause of asthma as well as other disorders.

In an article from Innovative Health titled the emotional cause of asthma, they stated;
"Our brain and body is not separate. The brain and body cannot work independently of each other."1

One of my favorite definitions of the mind comes from the American Heritage Dictionary which stated;.
"Human consciousness that originates in the brain is manifested in thought perception, emotion,
Will, memory and imagination" 2

Imagination is one of my favorite words, I use it often both in speech and action in order to manifest my desires or in order to heal.
Do you ever wonder how our imagination can be so creative? We would not even have a light bulb without imagining it first.
Could some of that imagination come from our spirit and memories of long ago, or from a group memory of some sort?

Could not the will be a serious part of the spirit and could some of that memory have come from the spiritual realm or perhaps even other lifetimes? Should not all this be considered when diagnosing and treating our clients? 
Why would this combination of information not have an effect on all parts of the human condition?

The great Psychiatrist, Carl Jung suggested the existence of a collective unconscious which supports the theory that not only is our mind connected to our body and spirit, but also to everything that ever was.

Other Psychiatrists, such as Roberto Assagliolli, in his book 'Psychosynthesis' concurred with the collective unconscious theory. He went on further to describe a possible method in which to clear the subconscious and quiet the conscious, so that one could get in touch with such memories, calling it connecting with thehigher consciousness.

That concept will be discussed in other articles; however, it does support the premise of the connection of a spiritual life before this one as part of our existence. 
Again, that is something, that if taken into consideration, could assist in the diagnosing process. The theory goes, if there was a serious trauma sometime, even before the present life took place, it may be important to what is occuring at the present time.

Webster Dictionary describes the body as;
"The physical structure and material substance of an animal or plant, living or dead." 3 

What makes us different from a plant or animal? Could it be the nature of our spirit or soul memory?
Does a plant or non human animals share the substance and totality of what we have in our mind/ brain?
The experts in the field of computers have admitted there is no computer created that can compare with our minds.

In your dictionary the word Psyche, the term often used by Psychologists in describing the mind, is described as 
The spirit or soul. 4

First definitions of spirit; from American Heritage followed by Webster Merridian are;
"The vital principle or animating force within living beings." 
Offered by Education Yahoo from American Heritage dictionary 
"An animating or vital principal held to give life to physical organisms 
Found in the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary 5, 6

It is not only in the field of holistic medicine, but also in orthomolecular and now functional medicine that the three components of the human being, that of the mind, body and spirit, are all taken into consideration when diagnosing and follow up treatment is considered.

1 Innovative Health

2 Education Yahoo , Descrition of the mind, American Heritage Dictionary

3 Definition of the body Webster Dictionary

4. Definition of spirit sntp.net

5.Definition on spirit, Education yahoo.com Dictionary

6 Definition of Spirit, Merriam-Webster Dictionary

For more information or Books on the subject and related products go to www.lorraineblum.com

What is healing all about?  I remember when my son was young I would simply put my hand on his head and concentrate on his health.  With a few ounces of  a mother's love and total intent on relieving his fever or pain my child was himself again. 

There was one occasion that was close, as his temperature did rise to 104 at the time, my in-laws were screaming to take him to the hospital.  I felt that would have been an extreme pre mature thing to do at that moment and refused.  His fever broke and he was fine.  Later we learned fever is important in the healing process.

I still believe that the easy natural way is best.  If someone is in need of a doctor or hospital that is certainly something they need to do, while making sure they are as safe in that environment. Perhaps, have a family member be close by during their stay.

As a Psychotherapist I was a Director of a large Out-Patient Psychological Practice back in the eighties and nineties.  I had Psychologists in my practice who did on occasion admit a client into the mental ward of the hospital.  If a patient was considered to be a danger to his or herself there was no other choice then but to take that action.  However,thank God, I never had the need  to go to that extreme with any of my patients, though once it was close.

I had a entire family come to my office one evening just before closing time. There were cousins, nephews, children with their children, sisters and brothers that brought in a woman in her seventies. 

When I approached them a Man stepped in front of the crowd with a suitcase in his hands,
"This is my mother, she needs to go to the hospital and the insurance states we have to come here first and  have you sign the papers." 
I explained to him I had to first evaluate his mother, then I would be able to make a decision about her treatment.  They looked bewildered but reluctantly walked the patient over to me.

 I took the quiet, almost catatonic, woman back to my office where she sat in a frozen silence for the first ten minutes.  Finally I began to speak. 
"I am in a position to determine if you belong in a hospital.   This is a serious position for me to be in. Deciding if someone needs to go to a locked up ward of a hospital is very serious.  I need you to help me make the right choice.  This may turn out to be one of the most important decisions of both our lives so lets see if we can work together to resolve it.  I promise you this, I will be here for you and we can do it together as long as it takes."

 The woman sat still, she did not speak at all. She continued to stare out.
I got up put my hand on her shoulder and repeated.
"I mean it I am here.  I will be with you as long as I need to be.  However, the hospital could be a dangerous place for someone that does not belong there, please help me."

She began to cry and soon her sobbing became hysterical.  I waited about eight minutes as she continued to cry uncontrollably.  I put my hands on her shoulders again and said,
"Lets start talking about all of this, it is obvious you have been dealing with it, alone, long enough." 
I sat down and waited, as she continued to cry for several minutes longer, finally she was able to speak.

The woman explained that her husband of fifty three years had passed away two years earlier.  She had been lonely and afraid since his passing, but did not want to burden anyone with her heartbreak.  She had been able to hide her feelings from her family, acting as though she was fine.

Then one day her daughter came by with two of her grandchildren asking her to babysit.  She loved her family and did not mind at all watching her daughters two girls for the day. 

That day, however, turned out to be very stressful for her.  One of the children, having severe behavioral problems, acted out poorly.  Though it was known to the family this particular child had these types of problems no one ever talked about it..

 It is not uncommon for families to use denial as a defense mechanism in these situations.  Just as they all had about their mother's grieving, they pretended this child was fine.

The mother of the child was the most sensitive. She felt guilty and confused over the frustration and anger she herself  felt about her own child and remained in denial. 
When she returned for her children, this grandmother was so tense and exhausted she said something derogatory about her grandchild and how bad her behavior had been that day. The words were out of her mouth before she knew it.
"That bitch was terrible." 

Before she could say another word, her daughter,in anger and shock, grabbed her grandchildren.
As she left her mother's home she yelled back,
"That's ok mom, you never have to see any of us again."

Though this was just a statement her daughter made, in an angry moment that she later forgot, the woman began to think, as she had when her husband passed,
 'I will be alone for the rest of my life'

It was a fear she had never dealt with,having been able to deny her grief up to that time.  Now the dam was broken and she, frozen.  Though some in the field may have thought otherwise,to me this was not a reason for hospitalization.

I explained to the client I could not sign the papers, but would suggest she talk with her family and tell them how she felt.  I suggested further that she should come back for several sessions and/or seek a bereavement group in her community, but that as far as I was concerned she would be fine after she allowed herself to grieve.  You could just imagine the faces of her family as we walked out talking to each other.

She came back for two more sessions and then joined a support group in her area to attend on a weekly basis.

If a person needs extreme care a hospital may be the place, but first all alternatives need to be explored.

There are many new products and modalities that are effective and at the same time harmless.  A person owes it to themselves and their family to search for them.  One should at least learn about all the gentle but effective choices they have before making any serious decisions.

There are alternative health fairs all over the world, attend one today if you can.
In California and Arizona they are almost monthly,   In fact,here in Florida you can find great seminars and expo's at the Duncan Center in Delray Beach. 

This month March 26, 2011 from 1-6 pm, Saturday,  they had  the 1st Annual Mind, Body, Spirit, Alternative Healing Expo with professional licensed certified alternative health experts, healthy food and more at the Duncan Center in Delray Beach for additional information go to http://www.dazle.me

Among the speakers were Dr Lynn Migdal, well know chiropractor, Steve Lanoff, formerly an MD, now an Alternative Practitioner, Dr. Simm Gottesman Licensed Acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese Medicine, local and International Shaman Carey Stokes, who lead all on a sacred journey,
Myself, Lorraine Blum, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Fellow in he National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, Stacie Cohen, Raw foods Chef and author,Hattie Parker, Astrologer and Aura practitioner,  Maris Tain on Kagen Water, and many more. There was even have a financial expert that was able to  assist in other areas of importance, such as protecting the disabled,  LeAnn Barber of EDWOOD JONES. There was incredible massages by Fabian DeGuf,f a Certified massage therapist, in the field for sixteen years.
That was one not to be missed and there were guests atending as far away as Chicago and california.
There is a reason people are searching out these events, they want the answers.  They deserve to heal. 
 This will be one expo you will not want to miss, and one that will be talked about for a time to come. There is even a Certified Angel Practitioner and an International Shaman at this one.
However, where ever you are there is one good alternative health fair or expo nearby, attend it.  You may just find out in future time it saved you or a loved ones life.