Holistic health practitioners in Denver focus on treating individuals as whole organisms, seeking solutions with natural methods. This differs from traditional doctors who solely prescribe drugs.
Devon Nelson is a Family Nurse Practitioner who believes open communication and quick follow up are integral parts of authentic healing and wholeness for her patients. She practices at Bella Health + Wellness in Englewood, Colorado.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an integral component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture involves inserting needles at specific points on your body known as acupuncture points or acupoints – these points are believed to be connected with energy pathways called meridians that run throughout your body, which, when blocked, lead to imbalances leading to illness. Acupuncture can be used for pain management, anxiety relief, controlling nausea/vomiting episodes during cancer treatments and relieving menstrual cramps among other applications – among many more uses!
Acupuncturists use very fine needles inserted just below the skin’s surface for acupuncture treatments. Additionally, they may stimulate these points with heat (moxa) or small electrical current. You may feel some slight sensation of heaviness or tingling when these needles are introduced; several sessions may be required before seeing results.
At your initial appointment, your practitioner may ask a series of detailed questions about your health history, lifestyle and habits in order to assess the source of any symptoms that have developed and create a holistic treatment plan for them. Your treatment could consist of various TCM techniques as well as herbal therapy or nutritional counseling.
Western medicine believes acupuncture relieves pain by blocking nerve signals that send pain messages directly to your brain and activating natural painkilling chemicals in your body. Furthermore, it appears to affect parts of the brain associated with serotonin production and emotional regulation.
When selecting an acupuncturist, it’s essential that they be licensed by your state medical board. Professionals licensed under such boards have completed an intensive educational program before passing a state board examination; additionally they must attend regular continuing education seminars to maintain their license.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a hands-on health care profession that specializes in manipulating joints to their optimal positions and their connection to your nervous system. Instead of using drugs or surgery, chiropractors use manipulation techniques on bones, muscles and joints that may have become dislocated over time – helping your body move more freely while relieving any associated discomfort while helping prevent future issues from reappearing.
Chiropractic doctors believe that our bodies possess a natural capacity for wellness. They acknowledge the role that lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, sleep and stress-relief activities play in this process and often work closely with other healthcare professionals to achieve maximum effectiveness for their patients.
Chiropractic comes from two Greek words cheir (hand) and praktikos (done by hand). Chiropractors are primary contact practitioners, meaning they can see you without needing a referral from your GP. Chiropractors treat conditions affecting bones, joints, muscles as well as musculoskeletal disorders caused by accidents, sports injuries, ageing or other health conditions.
Chiropractors are trained to prescribe exercises, provide nutritional guidance and aid injury rehabilitation. If they feel you require specialist or surgeon care they can refer you.
Naturopathic doctors are health professionals who use herbal medicines, supplements and natural therapies such as massage therapy to treat diseases and disorders. Their treatment takes into account all aspects of life when diagnosing and treating their patients. Most naturopathic doctors possess four-year degrees from universities or colleges while some may possess additional qualifications such as degrees in nursing or nutrition.
Massage
Massage therapy involves manipulating soft tissues of the body to promote relaxation and treat various conditions, including headaches and migraines, neck and back pain, stress-related disorders and the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). Massage can also relieve anxiety while stimulating nerves to block pain signals from entering the brain. A massage therapist may use different levels of pressure depending on who they’re treating.
Hospices and units for patients with terminal illnesses sometimes utilize massage as part of caregiving; nurses or other unpaid practitioners provide this form of touch to promote general well-being and foster feelings of connectedness between patient and care provider, leading to improved communication and trust between them.
Craniosacral therapy, another form of massage therapy, involves manipulating the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord to address imbalances and restrictions in this system. A trained craniosacral therapist usually performs it; it should not replace conventional medical care; rather it should be combined with other forms of treatments, such as physical therapy.
Nutritional Counseling
Nutrition counseling aims to assist clients in creating a new relationship between food and their bodies, by looking into its causes. A client may learn to recognize when they’re using unhealthy choices as emotional coping mechanisms and be shown ways to replace those behaviors with healthier alternatives.
Nutritional counseling typically takes place in one-on-one settings. The initial session aims to assess a client’s relationship with food and determine which issues need addressing. A food journal will often be asked of clients; this data helps the counselor set goals for behavior change as well as evaluate progress during later sessions.
Throughout this process, clients are educated about the various dietary practices. For instance, nutrition counselors may advise clients how to increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in their diet – which can help lower risks of heart disease and chronic illnesses.
Nutrition counseling can be immensely helpful to those struggling with eating disorders, particularly those who struggle with body image issues and antagonism towards food. Nutrition counselors specialize in working with avoidance behaviors and emotional responses related to food – an expert therapist will focus on what’s going well rather than on what may not work so that recovery plans can continue being effective long term.
Lifestyle Counseling
Chronic pain can often be relieved through changes to lifestyle and diet. Such behavioral adjustments may also prevent further episodes of pain, reduce severity of existing symptoms and enhance quality of life. Furthermore, lifestyle counseling provides patients with effective coping skills and provides a strong support network that encourages healthy decisions.
Healthy lifestyle counseling aims to foster behaviors and routines that encourage overall health, such as making healthier food choices and decreasing sedentary activity, while eliminating harmful habits like smoking or excessive alcohol intake. Furthermore, counseling may assist people managing chronic diseases influenced by lifestyle factors, such as heart disease or diabetes.
Lifestyle counseling can be provided by CHNs who specialize in health promotion and disease prevention. Lifestyle factors that influence an individual include sleep patterns, exercise habits, dietary choices, study or work routines, medication usage and recreational activities – these factors all have an effect on an individual’s daily life and healthy lifestyle counseling encourages these changes by setting long-term goals to improve overall well-being.
Lifestyle counseling begins by assessing patients’ perceptions about their current lifestyle and whether or not they’re open to change. This assessment should form the foundation of any partnership between patient and clinician; motivational interviewing provides a client-centric technique designed to induce change by helping clients explore and resolve ambivalence.
Shawna specializes in working with teens, adults, and couples of all ages and utilizes various therapeutic approaches such as solution focused therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness meditation and others to meet her client’s needs – solution focused therapy, CBT, mindfulness. Shawna’s counseling approach is founded upon empathy, warmth, understanding and empowerment for her clients to become the best versions of themselves.