Welcome to our new series, Holistic Business Spotlight. In this series we will take a closer look at the businesses that focus on helping us to live a healthy, happy and meaningful life.
With that being said let us introduce Hope and Restoration Counseling, a counseling private practice that specializes in grief and loss and provides mental health services to individuals in the Metro Detroit area.
We asked Dr. Matthews, owner of Hope and Restoration Counseling, what can one expect from holistic counseling and what does the term Holistic mean as it relates to her practice?
A future client can expect openness, respect, and flexibility from a holistic counselor/therapist. When I work with clients who are grieving the death of a loved one or a recent loss we discuss multiple factors that may influence their loss. Additionally, we discuss various coping skills that may help them accommodate to the loss in their life. For every client, coping skills will look and be different - that is the beauty of a holistic approach it is amenable to each person.
What does the term Holistic mean as it relates to your practice?
For Hope and Restoration Counseling, holistic means counseling people from a "whole" perspective - not viewing people by their disorder or a problem/issue. It means valuing the complete person (emotions, spirituality/religious, physical, mental, psychological, etc.). Additionally, a holistic view of counseling can incorporate non-traditional methods of therapy (e.g., nature-based counseling, walk-and-talk therapy, and animal-assisted therapy).
Are there any other recommendations or tips for someone looking into holistic counseling?
Since holistic counseling (wellness model) is part of traditional counseling and the training of future counselors, it is important to read the therapists' background and clinical experience. Asking a potential therapist questions like, what is your philosophy of counseling, how do you believe people change or improve are important to know as a future client.
Dr. Matthews is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Michigan, a National Certified Counselor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor. For over 10 years she has worked in a variety of settings helping individuals face various life transitions. Additionally, she is an Assistant Professor at Oakland University, where she teaches graduate level courses in the Counseling Department.
Visit the Hope and Restoration Counseling listing page to learn more about them.