“A bio psycho social spiritual perspective recognizes the importance of whole person care and takes into account a client’s physical or medical condition; emotional or psychological state; socioeconomic, sociocultural, and sociopolitical status; and spiritual needs and concerns” (National Association of Social Workers, 2016, p. 10).
The inclusion of spiritual awareness and resources gives the mental health clinician a meaningful and dynamic base for deep and powerful healing of life’s toxic and traumatic interruptions to the happiness and satisfaction that all persons seek. The model presented here is but one of many paradigms that give imagery for the healing that an integrated clinical approach can provide. It is based on the following assumptions:
Humanity’s source of meaning is one of wholeness and goodness grounded in individual understandings and images of a power/personage in and of the universe that persons of faith seek to know. It is a wisdom that, for some, is revealed by a Messiah, Prophet, or sacred writings. Some individuals personally seek this wisdom and truth by vision quests, contemplative prayer and meditation, sacred rituals, and other disciplines of spiritual growth and direction.
Each person has four areas or arenas of existence out of which he or she experiences life and into which life brings its realities. Persons will have individual development and awareness of the four areas. Each area exists with its own “language,” ways of storing information, making meaning of the information, and recalling information. Distinct stimuli summon the data “stored” in each area of a person’s totality.
Healing requires an understanding and meaningful integration of these four arenas and a working model of accessing one or more areas to unlock trauma and toxic experiences. The individual is then able to identify which area holds the toxicity and use the other areas to release it with healing results.
This paradigm images the four areas or arenas as “bubbles” of differing sizes depending on individual life experiences and resources. Picture four soap bubbles that are Distinct to each other and actually penetrate one another. Each bubble is one of the four arenas of life experience.
The area most developed, and therefore the “largest” in our western culture, is Mental. Great emphasis is given to its nurture and development as evidenced by the requirement of early education and the value of higher learning. Children are given regular evaluations of their intellectual growth by “report cards” and there is an implied financial value of “having a good education.” This area of human experience is illustrated by a brain and holds the intellectual capacities of human beings. The intellectual types of content are two dimensional and characterized by rational thought, linear thinking, and memories stored as mental images and memorized data. It is the “computer printout” of the brain. The “language” of the mental area is words. Its content is taken in and communicated by words that serve as representations of the intellectual content.
The next area of human existence and experience of western culture is the Physical. It is evidenced by attention to physical beauty, physical health and general welfare, e.g. clothing, health care, pharmaceuticals, diet and nutrition, exercise and fitness, and personal care items. The content is entirely experiential and cannot be communicated by words. These experiences are uniquely communicated by shared experiences. For example, one person cannot, with words alone, describe the taste of a dill pickle. However, once another person shares the taste experience, the communication is accomplished. This area of humanity is illustrated by a human body and holds the sensory experiences as body memories of life: touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste.
Feelings and emotions are the third realm of human experience that help to define humanity. They are symbolized by the heart and are the byproducts of human experience. Emotions bring Technicolor to the otherwise black and white world of humankind. They are in dynamic and constant dialogue and tension with life’s experiences. Each stimulates the other. Emotions can drive behaviors, thoughts, values, opinions, decisions and choices. Feelings can also arise from these very same dynamics. Emotions are stored until they are consciously or unconsciously expressed or released.
It is impossible to completely or adequately express feelings with words or expressions of the five senses. Each person has an emotional vocabulary that defies expression by words or physical sensations.
The fourth component of human experience is that of the Soul. It is in the realm of spirituality that humanity encounters eternity, infinity, and other mysteries of existence. Spiritual life can be expressed in communities organized around the doctrines and creeds of organized religion. There are also those who spiritually thrive in less orthodox structuring of symbols and rituals. The soul is communicated and expressed through symbols that are given meaning and life when they are shared in community rituals. For example, the Christian does not believe in two lines intersecting at right angles: a cross. Rather Christians are devout followers of the deep truths and wisdom that the Cross illuminates.