Self-Healing Techniques for a Happier and Healthier Mind

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding the Self-Healing ProcessTechniques and Strategies for Self-HealingSelf-Healing for Mental HealthCreating a Self-Healing RoutineResources and Support for Self-Healing

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Understanding the Self-Healing Process

Techniques and Strategies for Self-Healing

Self-Healing for Mental Health

Creating a Self-Healing Routine

Resources and Support for Self-Healing

Close

We hear the term “self-healing” thrown around a lot these days online and in the media. But what does it mean, exactly, and is it possible for those of us living with stress and mental health challenges to actually self-heal?

“I like to define self-healing as a process of intention around addressing and improving one’s own well-being,” says Amber Thornton, PsyD, clinical psychologist and author ofA Parent’s Guide to Self-Regulation. This might include recognizing emotional distress, actively engaging in practices to promote emotional healing, identifying negative thought patterns, and improving your overall health and well-being, Dr. Thornton says.

As for whether self-healing is possible, the experts we connected with emphasize that self-healing should be paired withprofessional mental health supportwhen needed, but that self-healing is absolutely a possibility, if you make it an intentional part of your life.

We have an understanding of how our bodies have the capacity to self-heal, such as when you have a cut on your hand and it heals in a few days, says Shari B. Kaplan, LCSW, clinical social worker atCannectd Wellness. The same is true of our psyche, she says.

“There is a natural intelligence in our body that will bring our body back to what is calledhomeostasis,” Kaplan describes. “In the context of mental health, it’s about aligning with our true self—the compassionate, courageous, curious, creative part of us that has many strengths to overcome challenges, process emotions, and foster psychological resilience.”

Here, we’ll take a closer look at the process of self-healing, including how to do it, how to incorporate it into your life, and when to seek help from a mental health professional on your journey.

Mental Health Professionals That Provide Psychotherapy

Self-healing is about identifying areas in your life where you have experienced pain, trauma, or daily stressors/challenges. Then, it’s about coming up with practices in your daily life to promote healing.

How long the self-healing takes will vary from one person to another, but it’s important to recognize that self-healing is a process—one that isn’t meant to happen overnight.

“Remember, self-healing is a journey, not a destination,” Kaplan emphasizes. She urges people to be patient and compassionate with themselves as they explore self-healing practices and find what resonates with them.

She also emphasizes that you should not undertake the self-healing process without help. “It’s a journey that you do not need to take alone; we are wired for connection,” Kaplan says. Reaching out to a trusted professional when needed can—and in many cases, should—be part of your process.

Dr. Thornton stresses that self-healing works best when you are consistent and actively involved in the process. “A good metaphor for self-healing is how our bodies grow stronger after a workout,” she says. We know that the more energy we put into our workout, the stronger we can become.

“Similarly, the more that you actively invest in your well-being, the stronger, healthier, and more resilient it becomes,” Dr. Thornton explains.

According to Kaplan, the benefits of self-healing are numerous, and can include:

Self-healing is all about implementing healthy and sustainable routines into your daily life that enhance and support wellness and healing. It usually involves a multi-faceted approach, where you incorporate more than one healing modality into your life. The important thing is that these are practices that you enjoy and that you can be consistent with.

Think of it like any other goal—if the steps are unattainable or you don’t like the changes you’re making, it’s not very likely you will stick to them.

Dr. Thornton shared her tips for activities to incorporate into your life for self-healing:

How to Ditch Poor Sleep Hygiene

“It’s very important to note that while self-healing techniques can be a powerful support system, they are not a replacement for professional treatment,” says Dr. Thornton. “If you’re experiencing severe stress, anxiety, trauma, or depression, consult a licensed therapist or mental health professional for a personalized treatment plan.”

Dr. Thornton shared ideas for the role that self-healing can play in addressing some common mental health conditions.

Self-Healing for Stress and Anxiety

Mindfulness techniques likeguided meditationand deep breathing can be especially useful for individuals with anxiety, as they help calm the nervous system and manage anxious thoughts, according to Dr. Thornton.

Incorporating some techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), such as practicing identifying and challenging negative thought patterns, can also be helpful.

Self-Healing for Depression and Mood Disorders

Depression and other mood disorders are usually primarily managed with therapy and/or medication. Still, adding in some adjunct therapies can be helpful as well. Dr. Thornton says that light therapy (phototherapy) can be helpful for people who experience seasonal depression, who would benefit from more regular sleep patterns, and who are looking to boost their mood.

Other options Dr. Thornton recommends include positive self-talk and activity scheduling, which is where you plan activities to participate in that you previously enjoyed, and make a point of trying them even if you feel resistant.

Why You Should Keep a Stress Relief Journal

So, how do you go about adding these self-healing activities into your day to day life? Here are Kaplan’s tips to get you started:

When it comes to self-healing, you are not meant to do this alone. First of all, it can’t be emphasized enough that connecting with a trained mental health professional can be vital.  “Therapy can be an integral part of the self-healing process, especially for people who are struggling with severe mental health conditions,” Dr. Thornton says.

Besides therapy, gathering resources to help you on your journey is important. Kaplan suggests the following as a starting point as you begin integrating self-healing practices into your life:

What to Know About Mindfulness Meditation

The Bottom Line

Self-healing involves making intentional efforts to integrate healing activities and mindsets into your life. This may include meditation, journaling, exercising, challenging negative thoughts, setting boundaries, and improving sleep.

Each of us will find the practices that work best for us, but the idea is to make healing and growth a priority in your life. Keep in mind, too, that self-healing isn’t meant to be done alone: most of us find value in incorporating professional therapy and community support as part of our healing journeys.

5 Types of Self-Care for Every Area of Your Life

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kriakous SA, Elliott KA, Lamers C, et al.The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Psychological Functioning of Healthcare Professionals: a Systematic Review.Mindfulness (NY). 2021;12(1):1-28. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01500-9Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, et al.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Community Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi: 10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475Grajek M, Krupa-Kotara K, Białek-Dratwa A, et al.Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health.Front Nutr. 2022;9:943998. Published 2022 Aug 22. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.943998Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, Rowse G, Weich S.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Myerholtz L.Take a Deep Breath.Fam Med. 2023;55(4):284-285. doi:10.22454/FamMed.2023.731271Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045Tao L, Jiang R, Zhang K, et al.Light therapy in non-seasonal depression: An update meta-analysis.Psychiatry Res. 2020;291:113247. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113247

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kriakous SA, Elliott KA, Lamers C, et al.The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Psychological Functioning of Healthcare Professionals: a Systematic Review.Mindfulness (NY). 2021;12(1):1-28. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01500-9Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, et al.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Community Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi: 10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475Grajek M, Krupa-Kotara K, Białek-Dratwa A, et al.Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health.Front Nutr. 2022;9:943998. Published 2022 Aug 22. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.943998Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, Rowse G, Weich S.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Myerholtz L.Take a Deep Breath.Fam Med. 2023;55(4):284-285. doi:10.22454/FamMed.2023.731271Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045Tao L, Jiang R, Zhang K, et al.Light therapy in non-seasonal depression: An update meta-analysis.Psychiatry Res. 2020;291:113247. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113247

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Kriakous SA, Elliott KA, Lamers C, et al.The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Psychological Functioning of Healthcare Professionals: a Systematic Review.Mindfulness (NY). 2021;12(1):1-28. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01500-9Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, et al.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Community Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi: 10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475Grajek M, Krupa-Kotara K, Białek-Dratwa A, et al.Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health.Front Nutr. 2022;9:943998. Published 2022 Aug 22. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.943998Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, Rowse G, Weich S.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Myerholtz L.Take a Deep Breath.Fam Med. 2023;55(4):284-285. doi:10.22454/FamMed.2023.731271Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045Tao L, Jiang R, Zhang K, et al.Light therapy in non-seasonal depression: An update meta-analysis.Psychiatry Res. 2020;291:113247. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113247

Kriakous SA, Elliott KA, Lamers C, et al.The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Psychological Functioning of Healthcare Professionals: a Systematic Review.Mindfulness (NY). 2021;12(1):1-28. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01500-9

Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, et al.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Community Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154

Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi: 10.1136/fmch-2021-001154

Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V.Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review.Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33475. doi:10.7759/cureus.33475

Grajek M, Krupa-Kotara K, Białek-Dratwa A, et al.Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health.Front Nutr. 2022;9:943998. Published 2022 Aug 22. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.943998

Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, Rowse G, Weich S.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556

Myerholtz L.Take a Deep Breath.Fam Med. 2023;55(4):284-285. doi:10.22454/FamMed.2023.731271

Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045

Tao L, Jiang R, Zhang K, et al.Light therapy in non-seasonal depression: An update meta-analysis.Psychiatry Res. 2020;291:113247. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113247

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