The process of Holistic Counseling entails two steps; 1) ANALYSIS (or taking-apart the 'problem' to see what makes it 'tick;') and 2) SYNTHESIS (putting it back together, ticking better!)
Take ALL OF THE DATA you found in the Analysis of the problem,and LAY IT BEFORE THE INDIVIDUAL TO SEE. Nobody can 'put Humpty Dumpty back together again' except THEMSELF.
It is the principle of Holism that WE TRANSFORM FROM A FULL OVERVIEW OF OUR PROBLEM.. if we CAN transform at all; so the task of the Counselor is to carefully Analyze and then COMMUNICATE THE OVERVIEW to the individual.
And, NO; there is no guarantee that the individual DOES want to transform. Bluntly, that is not the Counselor's "business" but the individual's choice to make. Faced with sometimes lifestyle-wide transformation OR doing nothing, many people simply will not be willing to make the changes that are needed; and doing nothing will be their choice. But the Counselor can see to it that they make an INFORMED CHOICE rather than a blind one.
A man in his late Anima-Animus Phase of Individualization came to the author displaying Carcinoma (cancer) on the left side of his face.. a cancer that was resisting medical treatment. The following information was provided him, from the Analysis:-
ANALYSIS: Cancer= "un-natural self-image; considering oneself 'inhuman' or WRONG Left Side= relating to Females and/or the Anima (female) side of Self Face= the public 'facade'.. how we present ourself to others
Summary: Individual is dealing with massive self-loathing for something they are not doing 'right' in relating with women or femininity. The condition cannot be expected to heal until that is cleared-up and made "natural" and healthy again.
SYNTHESIS: The man, faced with this information, saw the 'point' immediately; he had been hiding a secret relationship with another woman from his wife.. whom he no longer liked at all, but was not telling the truth to, "for the children's sake." Faced with this falsity and 'un-natural' relating pattern as the root of his HOLISTIC IMBALANCE, the man told his wife the truth (which ended his un-natural marriage) and his cancer began to respond immediately to medical treatment. He was completely free of the cancerous cells within a month or so.
A housewife with two teenage children and a devoted husband came to the author with pain alternating with numbness and weakness in both arms; apparent nerve damage affecting the neck, shoulders, jaw and both arms was being treated by a wide range of specialists, but without much success.
ANALYSIS: Weakness, Numbness= "Avoidance Crisis; failing to deal with important issues in life" Both Arms= "the Social Embrace; how we reach-out to others" also= The Throat Chakra: "Personality and Self-Expression"
Summary: Individual is dealing with some crisis-level problem in relating with others whom she "should" be able to embrace but cannot, for she is avoiding it out of Personality-reaction. The condition cannot be expected to 'heal' itself until she finally DOES "embrace" whoever it is, and gets over her personality-reactions.
SYNTHESIS: The woman, faced with this information, immediately began relating (in a rather embarrassed fashion) that she had recently learned that her husband was a secret "cross-dresser" (Transvestite.) While he insisted that this was NOT an expression of homosexuality, she feared that it MUST be, and did not trust that it could ever really be 'ok.' Their relationship had devolved from warm intimacy into a rather tense social arrangement 'for the children's sake,' and she was in great emotional pain over the problem.. which she had not confided in anyone else as of yet, out of embarrassment. A long-term and family-wide program of Counseling was begun, helping both parents learn how to cope with "Dressing" as a rare but perfectly acceptable part of all human societies.. with emphasis on it's value in tribal societies, where it is seen as a sign of Shamanic and Spiritual Leadership skills. The wife was encouraged to share in this research, and she became more and more comfortable with the situation.. until finally she decided that she wanted to accompany her husband 'in drag' for occasional trips out in public, to support him as a person and share that part, too, of his life. Her arm, shoulder and neck conditions began to lessen and slowly ended while this Counseling program was underway.. though several additional therapies (Chiropractic, TMJ Jaw-realignment, etc.,) were pursued at the Counselor's referral. Client was dismissed symptom-free in less than one year of weekly counseling sessions.