Rhoda Fuchs-Morton
The following two documents are for professionals who have an interest in affiliating with a holistic mental health group practice that specializes in integrating traditional therapy and holistic healing modalities. The first document is an overview of the philosophy and vision for the group. The second document is a more immediate pragmatic explanation of the needs for the group. If intersted in what you read please call me (267) 303-4189 for further discussion.
 

Philosophy and Vision for Holistic Mental Health Group Practice
The practice would offer the following professional specializations:
1. Psychotherapists grounded in a psychodynamic family systems orientation who identify with the holistic philosophy of the practice
2. Holistic Medicine
3. Hypnotherapy
4. Energy Psychology
5. Body-based Psychotherapy
6. Family Constellations/Systems Work
7. Holistic Nutrition
8. Oriental Medicine
9. Yoga Therapy
10. Medical Intuition

The following are the primary goals for the practice:
• Form a holistic mental health group practice that integrates traditional therapy and holistic healing modalities.
• Form a solid core of clinicians and holistic practitioners as a base to provide holistically based mental health “programming” and services (i.e. various levels of mental health care and community services).
• Provide a mental health group practice that integrates alternative/integrative medicine into the practice. Position practice to apply for insurance contracts providing both medical and mental health services within the same group practice.
• Form a holistic mental health group practice based in the following ethical practices and principles:
  • Giving back to the community and offering services and programming to socially and economically disadvantaged populations.
  • Practitioners working together with a spirit of trust, open dialogue, collaboration and commitment to each others personal and professional growth.
  • Practitioners who embrace a personal spiritual philosophy of life.
  • Practitioner practice guidelines formed from a basis of “ethical living” (to go beyond professional ethics into defining how practitioners work together and conceptualize their work).To be developed jointly by the practitioners joining the group (examples might be ethical mindfulness practices as articulated by Thich Nhat Hahn; “Quaker principles of service and organizational decision making; 12-step principles of personal growth etc.)

Mission Statement:
• To provide best therapeutic practices for clients from traditional individual and family systems theory and mind/body holistic healing modalities.
• To support and promote professional dialogue and development, and collaboration between mental health clinicians and mind/body practitioners in the service of maximizing therapeutic gain for clients.
• To provide a forum for dialogue and professional development that investigates and supports integration of secular psychology practice with alternative holistic mind/body/spiritual healing modalities.


The key words describing the practice are holistic, collaborative, trust-based and growth-oriented. The following briefly describes the philosophy, purpose and operating principles of the practice:

The word holistic describes both the therapeutic presuppositions and practices as applied to the therapeutic philosophy of the view of the client and practitioner, the therapeutic paradigm of human growth and development and the therapeutic process and goals. The idea of theoretical integration between secular psychology and alternative healing practices underlies the following ideas.

Holistic as applied to the view of the client and practitioner. All aspects of the client’s functioning and “being’ defined by both secular psychology and alternative mind/body/spirit based practices in the following categories of mind, body, emotions, spirit and interpersonal familial, social and cultural contexts. Holistic in this context as applied to the view of the practitioner paying close attention to all of the above stated categories in the clients case conceptualization and the practitioner tending to self-care, growth and development in all of those areas within their own lives.

Holistic as applied to the therapeutic paradigm of human growth and development and clinical conceptualizations of problems, needs and therapeutic process and direction. Holistic assumes that individuals grow and develop within the matrix of interaction between intrapsychic and interpersonal factors that move the individual to deeper levels of integration within themselves and a broadening of interpersonal connection. The underlying presupposition is that optimum mental health is served by addressing all aspects of the individual, facilitating integration between these aspects and assisting individuals to deepen within themselves and in their relationships with others. Balance in all aspects of the individual’s functioning is sought.

Holistic as applied to case conceptualizations and therapeutic modalities and practices utililized. The following continuum is a way to conceptualize both particular areas of clinical need and the continuum of deepening intrapsychic and interpersonal integration that moves people towards greater potential for optimum mental health.
• Addictive behaviors and patterns
• Emotional Intelligence- emotion identification, tolerance, management and expression
• Interpersonal Development- family of origin work, working with interpersonal conflict
• Body Awareness-body based therapies as tools for psychological and physical healing
• Mind (Mindfulness work) growth and expansion- changing patterns of thought, clearing and uncovering the conscious and unconscious mind
• Intrapsychic integration and Healing- Trauma work, “soul” work, integrating split off parts of self
• Physical Health- tending to body with holistic care
• Spiritual Growth- Cultivating universal spiritual principles such as forgiveness, grace, compassion, gratitude, spiritual cleansing and guidance, service
• Social and ethical engagement in the world- giving back

The therapeutic modalities and practices utilized are to be considered in the context of holding a holistic viewpoint of the client’s growth and development with a clear consideration of the most appropriate clinical application that will both address the immediate clinical presentation and the overall holistic development of the person.



Goals of the Practice
• A holistic mental health practice offers both best therapeutic practices from secular psychology and alternative holistic healing practices. It considers and prescribes the best therapeutic interventions from both “disciplines”.

• Clinical collaboration between practitioners is essential to support “the highest good” of the client.

• The quality of the clinical services is connected to and dependent upon the transparency and integrity of clinician’s and practitioner’s professional and personal growth and development, capacity for clinical consultation and integration of services.

• To study “paths” of psychological growth and healing and provide models of care which integrate both “disciplines”.

• Collaboration between practitioners to offer best therapeutic care and practices for clients.

• Provide resources for psycho education for clients to understand their problems from a holistic perspective and to access an array of healing practices.

• Provide a forum for professional training and dialogue for clinicians and alternative healers.

• Provide a place and clinical “culture” of trust, open-minded dialogue and support between practitioners.

• Provide trainings and professional development that support and further integration of secular psychology and alternative healing.

Potential Practice Foci and “Interests”:
As the practice evolves the following topics would provide a basis for professional dialogue and development:
  1. Assessment tools, techniques and processes
  2. Outcome studies- what works and how does it work
  3. Case Conceptualizations- examining models of care, clinical ways of working
  4. “Ways of Working”- delineating theory, technique and process
  5. Identifying most effective treatment modalities for particular problem areas
  6. Integration of secular psychology and alternative healing modalities
  7. “Faith/Spiritual” Development ( an inter-faith paradigm)- the interface between psychological growth and spiritual development




Immediate and Long-term Practice Goals
• Peer Supervision and Consultation Groups
• Secular mental health clinicians collaborating with practitioners from mind/bodypractices, energy psychology, body-based therapies, integrative medicine, holistic health and spiritual practices.
• Trainings and in-services for professionals (offering continuing education credits)
• Workshops and groups for clients
• An integrated holistic mental health clinic that could become a basis for more structured, specialized mental health “programs”
• Wellness consultations that assist individuals to translate traditional medical diagnosis and treatment into metaphysical treatment solutions.
• A holistic treatment curriculum that would allow individuals to chart a path of holistic psychological growth
• Specializations in providing a constellation of holistically based services for the following clinical presentations:
Depression
Anxiety
Eating Disorder Recovery
Addictions Recovery
Healing From Trauma
Family of Origin Work
Spiritual Development
Adolescence and Families
Couples Work

• Provide “programmatic services from a holistic perspective” for special populations from the base disciplines of the practice. For example varying levels of intensive mental health outpatient care.



Practitioner Philosophy and Goals
The following philosophy guides, supports and holds the practitioner’s professional practice providing the foundation for a holistic mental health practice.
• Clinical collaboration within the context of providing holistic care for clients informs clinical decision making.
• An atmosphere of on-going professional growth and development between practioners supports both personal and professional growth and provides holistic care fused with the integrity of practitioners own “self-care”.
• Practitioners consider their model of care as providing an array of healing modalities for clients to find their path of growth and healing within, recognizing that clients need a multiplicity of resources for optimum healing to occur.
• Practitioners practice and conceptualize their work within a holistic healing framework.
• A “safe” environment is provided for practitioners to integrate their own healing journey into their professional work.
• An environment of trust, respect, openness and non-judgmental inquiry pervades the mind-set of the practitioners, and avenues for professional development are provided that supports integration of personal healing with professional practice.



Goals supporting Practitioner Practice and Professional Development:
• On-going weekly peer consultation groups to provide the best holistic care options for clients.
• Monthly professional trainings providing continuing education credits that support and further integration of secular psychology and holistic healing modalities.
• Forums for practitioners to present “ways of working” that encourages cross referrals between practioners.
• Research groups that encourage and support studies investigating the integration of secular psychology and holistic healing practices.
• An annual or biannual conference exploring integration of secular psychology and holistic healing


Client Philosophy
A client seeking services from a holistic mental health practice is provided the option and potential benefit of conceptualizing their problems within a holistic framework and affording themselves multiple healing treatments. The following philosophy guides the client services:
• Treatment options are provided from both individual and family systems psychology and from holistic healing practices.
• Clients “problems/needs” are conceptualized from a holistic healing perspective.
• Courses of treatment recommended consider all aspects of a client’s functioning.
• Clients are exposed to a multiplicity of resources for psychological growth and healing.



Goals (Services) offered for Clients:
• Groups and Workshops offering methods of healing from secular psychology and alternative holistic healing modalities.
• Holistic wellness consultations- assisting individuals to map out resources for integrative paths of psychological growth and healing.
• Individual treatments for both psychological problems and health problems that assists clients to understand the interrelationship between the two.
• Mental health programming tracks built upon the interdisciplinary collaboration between practitioners, such as intensive outpatient treatment and day treatment programs for a variety of mental health issues.





The second document:
Dear Prospective Colleague,


I am in the process of forming a holistic mental health group practice. This letter describes my immediate goals and intentions I have secured a set of offices and am in the process of inviting people to join in the practice at varying levels of affiliation.
My practice is built on insurance referrals. I am looking for licensed mental health clinicians as well as holistic practitioners with certain specializations to join as contracted insurance providers. I am also looking to rent space to practitioners who have an interest in working within a group practice environment, especially practitioners who have similar interests.

Most immediately I’m preferential to renting space to practitioners who have skills and expertise in the following areas:
• Energy practitioners knowledgeable in treating depression and anxiety
• Energy and body practitioners able to work with eating disorder clients
• Mindfulness Work for depression, anxiety and eating disorders
• EMDR
• Hypnotherapy
• Yoga for depression and anxiety
• Holistic Nutritionist
• Acupuncturist treating depression and anxiety
• Practitioners who treat menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia from a holistic perspective
• Contextual Family Therapists
• Family Constellations Practitioners
• Holistic Nutritionist
• Contextual Family Play Therapists

I am planning to start psychoeducational groups for depression, anxiety and eating disorders (see www.fuchsmortonholistic.com for detailed information about groups). I am looking to provide adjunctive holistic workshops and groups that people can utilize after they go through a 12-week group to assist them in managing these problems.

I am also in the process of expanding my individual contract with Magellan to a group practice contract which means I am looking for licensed practitioners who have skills, training and expertise which would allow me to refer my clients for more specialized work. To be eligible you have to be a licensed Masters or Ph.D. level therapist.

Currently I’m looking for clinicians and practitioners who have a combination of the following expertise/skill sets that can provide adjunctive services for clients with depression, anxiety and eating disorders and longer-term intrapsychic and interpersonal individual therapy work:


Mindfulness Work
Energy Work
Yoga
EMDR
Hypnotherapy/Visualization
Stress Reduction and Relaxation
Somatic Experiencing/Trauma based healing modalities
Family Constellations Work
Body-based Psychotherapy

My immediate Goals for the first three years are to put in place the following:

1. Holistically based psychoeducational groups for the following:
Depression
Anxiety
Eating Disorders
Women in Recovery from an Addiction
Family of origin work/Family Constellations Work for individuals in individual therapy

2. Adjunctive services ( workshops, groups, individual consultation sessions providing individualized treatment plans for people to address their problems from an holistic perspective) to support and augment the therapeutic process for individuals addressing the above mentioned concerns such as:
Mindfulness work
Yoga
Energy work
Body-based therapeutic modalities

3. Possibly start an Intensive Outpatient Program running three nights per week treating eating disorders from a holistic perspective (such as a dinner meal with 2-3 group options supporting recovery utilizing the above mentioned practices)

4. Study Groups for the following that provide CEUs for professionals:
1. Integrating holistic practices into traditional psychotherapy-what works for what, when and how?
2. Integration of psychological and spiritual development
3. Providing therapy from a Contextual Family Therapy framework

My Intentions and current needs:
In inviting others to join in a group practice setting I feel it is important to clarify my intentions in order to find a group of practitioners that can work together in a supportive way and find people who are of kindred spirit. As my practice has been growing particular needs have started to arise for me in wanting to refer clients for other therapeutic modalities that I am familiar with but do not have specialized training in.
The following are the main reasons I want to expand my practice into a group practice:
1. Personally I wish to grow and learn from other mental health and holistic practitioners.
2. Provide a broader range of therapeutic services to clients.
3. Interest in the integration of holistic modalities with psychological mental health practices.
4. Not work in isolation, rather be able to benefit from the support of like-minded colleagues.

The following areas are of professional interest to me. I list them as a way to bring people who have the same interests into a space together.
• Holistic/alternative healing modalities for people with depression and anxiety.
• Mental health treatment that addresses the metaphysical genesis of psychosomatic illnesses
• The integration of psychological and spiritual development
• Family systems work (specifically Contextual Family Therapy)
• Adjunctive therapies and services for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions recovery
• Integration of psychotherapy and mindfulness work
• Conceptualizing mental health treatment from a holistic perspective
• Body based psychotherapy
• Assisting people who come for mental health treatment to begin to think about addressing their medical problems from an integrative holistic medicine perspective
• Healing practices for physical, psychological and spiritual ailments
• Energy work to assist people in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Couples work
• Adolescence and families




The following are longer term goals for the practice:
• Provide weekly clinical supervision as part of the monthly rental fee.
• Offer adjunctive groups and workshops for clients that support and enhance their individual therapy.
• Provide a mental health group practice for clients with mental health insurance that has a holistic/family systems treatment profile.
• Create a clinical group that can offer holistically based mental health programming for higher levels of mental health outpatient care, i.e. intensive outpatient treatment, day treatment, wrap-around services.
• Offer workshops and conferences for professionals
• Offer study groups and trainings that provide CEUs for professionals.



The following are options for space rental and level of affiliation with the group:

Space Rental Agreement:
Rental of space includes internet access, cleaning and use of waiting room.

• Rent furnished office space $10.00 per hour
• Rent own full-time office (either furnished or provide own furnishings) $500.00-$600.00 depending upon room size

Level of group practice affiliation
Informal Affiliation:

Solely rent space. Not part of group practice profile. Operate own private practice under the umbrella of the philosophy and vision of the group.

Formal Affiliation:
Part of group practice marketing profile (on web site and literature; benefit from Director’s marketing efforts speaking to potential referral sources such as churches, hospitals and public events and advertising.)

Either one of the following formal affiliations:
1. Operate own private practice generating own referrals, benefiting from formal affiliation with group from marketing efforts ( slightly higher rental fee )

2. Part of Magellan group mental health contract taking insurance referrals. I am seeking the following specializations to be part of the Magellan mental health group contract: (must be a licensed clinician to apply)
Hypnotherapist
Energy Psychologist
Family Constellations Practitioner
Body Psychotherapist
Play Therapist
Holistic Nutritionist
Family Systems Oriented Psychotherapist with holistic orientation
Acupuncturist
Holistic MD

I am seeking practitioners who have expertise in the following areas:
ADD and ADHD
Play Therapy
EMDR
Contextual Family Therapy
Yoga Therapy

All of the therapists and practitioners working as part of the group would need to carry their own liability insurance. The group will be a limited liability corporation.