Hi everyone – we are so excited about the launch of our new business, Roots in Wellness!  We wanted to take some time to explain to you the rationale behind Roots in Wellness, our philosophy, and the way that the business works.

So, why Roots in Wellness?  What does that mean, and how do our values tie into it?  Strong roots are so important in order to have successful growth.  That’s what we do, after all – we promote growth in our clients and work to help them grow into whoever they want to be.  The other main aspect of our businesses that we really wanted to promote was this idea of overall health and wellness, not just therapy or mental health.  The idea of Roots in Wellness suggests that in order to move forward and grow, we have to go back to our roots- we need to go back to basics and remember our simple, basic human needs.  Similarly to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we need to go back to basics, and take care of ourselves.  While your mental health may be your main concern when you come to see us, we typically see that your physical health has suffered as well.  We believe that everything is interrelated, and in order to be mentally healthy, we have to be physically healthy, and vice versa.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests that we start off at the bottom rung, and we slowly move our way up.  We can’t get to the next level until we’ve fulfilled the one below it, and this fits in well with our model of therapy.  We start off with physiological needs: we need to eat, breathe, sleep, etc. to survive.  Without these things, we will die.  Second is safety, and not just from physical harm, but financial safety and security as well.  If we’re not taking care of ourselves physically, it’ll be pretty difficult to hold down a job or be able to buy a home.  Next we have love and belonging, which refers to having positive relationships, and the idea of feeling like you’re a part of a group.  Next we have esteem, which really comes from within.  How do you feel about yourself?  Well, if you don’t have the other things below, you’re likely not feeling great about yourself.  And then finally, the last step is self-actualization.  Some posit that very few reach this level, as it can be difficult to fulfill all of these.  But we believe that it is possible, and we make it our mission to help you get there.

Roots in Wellness therapists have the following shared beliefs:

• Each and every individual is capable of growth and movement towards their values and what they want out of life. It’s not that people are incapable, it’s that we are sometimes unequipped to handle what life throws at us.  We provide you with the tools to be able to handle what life throws at you, and move forward in a positive manner.
• The key to making improvements in our lives lies in a holistic approach to health. This doesn’t mean you have to take a bunch of supplements or vitamins and start meditating every day (although it doesn’t hurt!).  Holistic means: “characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.”  In other words, we advocate for the integration of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.  These things are going to be defined differently for each and every person, and that’s okay.  We take the time to get to know you and your unique needs, and help you begin building the life that you want.  We can work on your mental health as much as we want, giving you strategies to help you cope with stress or anxiety, but at the end of the day, if your physical health is suffering, you’re going to have difficulty moving forward.  This doesn’t mean we’re going to force everyone to go on a diet or start running marathons.  Rather, we work with individuals to ensure they’re living the way they want to live in every aspect of their lives.
• Every person is unique, and the same approach does not work for every individual. While we take a holistic approach in general, everyone has different needs, and as therapists, it’s extremely important that we understand this.  We want to get to know you, talk about your goals for therapy and for life, and come up with a plan with you to move forward.
• Everyone deserves to have a support system and a safe place to express themselves. We know that being yourself can be difficult, especially when you feel like no one else can relate to you.  While we don’t claim to have personal experience with every type of difficulty, we are able to provide you with a safe place to express yourself, talk about your struggles, and be open and honest with yourself.  We can offer active listening and support, empathy, and guidance that fits your unique needs.  We think of each client as an opportunity for us to learn and grow as well, and we do our best not to make assumptions; we understand that you are the expert in your life, and we are just here to help guide you.

At Roots in Wellness, we aim to help you move towards living the best life you can live, and the life that you want to live.  We put a focus on your values and moving forward from where you stand now.

We are officially accepting new clients, for both counselling and coaching.  We are looking forward to working with the individuals in Hamilton, and we welcome any feedback or suggestions for services, groups, or changes to our approach that you think may be helpful.

Give us a call today, and get on the path towards living your best life!