About a decade and a half ago, I started trying to figure out who my best self was. I was a tangle of low confidence, low self-esteem, people-pleasing tendencies, but also immense ambition and a desire to feel alive with purpose. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in this tangle, but now I feel OK enough to help others through it. I’ve had many fantastic teachers, coaches and mentors, but ultimately what I discovered through experience, is that the integration of multiple approaches—specifically counseling, somatic psychotherapy, yoga, and massage—can create a transformative effect far beyond what any single approach could have accomplished.
A Synergistic Cycle
Here’s how it works (in theory):
Insights from my counseling sessions inform my pattern of attention, or lack thereof during my yoga practice. For example, I might notice that my inner critic seems to repeat the same messages whenever we get close to an arm balance or an inversion. She might remind me of my lack of upper body strength, and how this will mean that I will never get those amazing shots needed for my socials. But in noticing when she comes up, I notice new sensations (like a knot of tightness between my shoulder blades), which then become an entry point for further somatic psycho-exploration. Or, I could choose to release it during a massage, which could also incidentally create physical and emotional space for new patterns to emerge, which could then be processed through counseling. See the cycle?
Is a Multi-Modal Therapeutic Approach Right for You?
The commitment required for this multi-modal approach can be substantial—both in time and resources. To manage that, I’ve paced myself slowly, taking a years- or months-long approach rather than thinking about weekly or fortnightly sessions. I might book in for a massage this month, then a counseling session next month. I might miss a couple months and do a breathwork session, or a sound healing session to give myself space to feel. Then I might journal and return to counseling. Through slowing down, budgeting for these services becomes more manageable, and I provide time for myself to integrate and practice new insights, or take new parts of myself out for little excursions. Throughout this experience, I’ve realized that healing takes its own time, no matter what the anxious part of me wants. That’s probably been the most healing message of all.
For those considering a similar path, I can attest that the whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts. When these therapeutic modalities inform and enhance one another, they create a comprehensive framework for healing that honors the inseparable nature of mind and body—a truth increasingly supported by contemporary research and rediscovered through my own lived experience. This is the why behind Sava Therapies—imagine sharing this journey with a dedicated therapist, someone who can walk with you through all these different sessions and see all the parts of you, who can remind you of your greater Self instead of receiving refracted versions when you work with multiple therapists at the same time. And if you forget where you got up to? They’ve kept immaculate records of your progress and can remind you of your insights and wins. And imagine if you were able to bundle up all these services any way you like, when you like, as a discounted package. Multi-modal therapy does not have to be substantial if you’re able to work with the one provider.
Key Benefits of an Integrated Therapeutic Approach
- Comprehensive healing addressing both cognitive patterns and physical manifestations
- Enhanced nervous system regulation through complementary practices
- Improved emotional processing via multiple access points
- Sustainable self-management tools for ongoing wellness
- Greater resilience to stress and emotional challenges
- Deeper mind-body awareness that continues between formal sessions
If you’re struggling with anxiety, trauma, or chronic stress, consider how a thoughtfully integrated approach combining counseling, somatic work, yoga, and massage might create transformation beyond what any single modality could achieve alone.