Tentatively, she stepped into the waiting room. A young woman of medium height, delicate features, and large, green, anxious eyes, Sonia brushed the hair from her eyes and took in her surroundings.

Sonia had seen several specialists. They had established that she was allergic to the pollen of various flowering plants as well as to some grasses. But the antihistamines they prescribed provided only partial and temporary relief, and at the cost of side effects that she found unacceptable. Nor did she relish their alternative proposal: a never-ending series of injections.

The rest of the year it was not that bad, but now, in the spring, it was just too much: severe sinusitis, post-nasal drip, teary eyes, headaches, and fatigue. Sometimes she could not even get out of bed. She was depressed and anxious. But for the discomfort, she would have given up long ago.

We began with a thorough inventory of Sonia’s physical, mental, and spiritual functioning. On the physical level, she was sensitive to certain airborne substances; she could not eat certain foods, and she hated loud music and glaring lights. On the emotional level, she was vulnerable to negative environments, especially to others’ criticisms. On the spiritual level, she turned out to be very intuitive. She had had psychic and transcendental experiences.

Thus the theme of oversensitivity manifested on all levels of her being: physical, mental, and spiritual. When, in the course of the interview, Sonia herself realized this, a light clicked on. Suddenly she had a key to her problem: to understand it and, ultimately, to resolve it. We call this the "Holistic Diagnosis," as different from the medical diagnosis (allergies) and psychological diagnosis (anxiety, depression). It provides the key to understand and frame her situation, and determines the course of treatment.

Sonia had to be reassured that she was not wrong for being sensitive. In some way it could be quite beneficial: it could help her better understand her own needs and to tune in to others. The problem was in not being able to control her sensitivity, not being able to “close the door” to noxious stimuli and open it to positive ones.

Sonia understood that she was responsible for her health and her life. We would give her the tools she needed, and she would use them to get well and achieve a higher level of fulfillment in all spheres of her life. The healing journey would be a joint process.

As we progressed in our exploration, Sonia revealed that she had experienced some family trauma as a young girl. It soon became clear that these early experiences had much to do with her lack of boundaries, and the resulting sensitivity, vulnerability, and anxiety that she experienced in all aspects of her being.

We established a treatment plan to address the causes, not just the symptoms, using methods that were natural, non-toxic and non- invasive.

First and foremost, Sonia learned how to “close the door” to noxious influences in her life and to open it only to positive influences. Once she understood the origins of her sensitivity, she could more readily distinguish between things that were threatening and those that were not.

To help Sonia develop a healthy lifestyle, we provided consultations tailored to her specific characteristics and special needs: on stress management, nutrition, and exercise.

Eventually we also suggested a constitutional homeopathic remedy that addressed her unique theme at the energy level.

As our work progressed, Sonia increasingly began to take control of her life. Her depression lifted. Her anxiety and vulnerability decreased. And her allergic reactions diminished. As she gained confidence, she took on a new career challenge. She now makes use of her sensitivity to help small children with their problems.

           This vignette exemplifies the five primary principles of Holistic Psychology.

2. You are unique. Your uniqueness is the key to your health and to your life journey. The Holistic Diagnosis is derived from it.

3. You are in charge of your health and your life. You have the power to heal yourself.

4. You can discover the causes of illness and create causes of health in their stead.

5. You can use methods that are natural, non-toxic, and non-invasive, to regain health and to maintain wellness.