Characteristics of Holistic Health
by Jerry Driessen, PhD - Exec. Dir., Assn. For Holistic Health

1. It is person oriented rather than disease oriented.
2. Its objective is full, vibrant health (positive wellness), not symptom amelioration.
   It respects the valid contribution of current medical science and practice.
3. It focuses on internal healing as a useful supplement to surgery, radiation and drug therapy.
4. It is tri-level (physical, emotional, spiritual), not uni-level (physical body).
5. It focuses on primary prevention rather than crisis intervention.
6. It places major responsibility for health on the client, not the professional.
   It is long-term, not short.
7. It is comprehensive and systematic, not fragmented.
8. It recognizes that the client is an active and committed partner in the healing process, not a passive recipient.
9. It is pragmatic: It recognizes the value of "what works" without having to understand completely the causal processes involved.
10. It fully recognizes the value of the rational scientific approach as a tool for discovery, understanding, and evaluation. Simultaneously, it is accepting of a non-rational, non-scientific approach in some situations, especially when this results in a noticeable healthier person.
11. It recognizes that not all illness is "bad" and "to be eliminated" at the earliest possible moment. Some symptoms represent detoxification or signal the need for balancing.
12. It is more than preventive medicine. It goes beyond the avoidance of illness and accidents.
13. It is a process of centering, integrating, balancing, harmonizing, and vitalizing