Orchard, we approach clinical mental health counseling from a
holistic perspective.
How We View Well-being at Orchard
How we view health is a vital part of the comprehensive support we provide to individuals with Autism, Neurodevelopmental, learning, and mental health challenges … our model even provides support for health challenges including diabetes, dementia, and chronic inflammation. Our Holistic Support Model includes such modalities as Mindfulness, Heart Rate Variability [HRV], Neurofeedback or Brain-Training, Ketogenics (Keto Lifestyle), and NLP [Neurolinguistic Programming] based interventions. Read on to learn more about our holistic approach to mental health, mood, and overall well-being.
Contact us to schedule a session or arrange a consultation to discuss a holistic approach to mental well-being at (770) 686-0894 or DrDarleen@orchardhumanservices.org
The Intersection of Mental Health, Mood, and Holistic Living in Healthcare
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, while mood refers to temporary states of feeling that can influence daily functioning. Holistic living and healthcare emphasize treating the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—rather than isolated symptoms. This intersection highlights how lifestyle choices and integrated care models can enhance mood regulation and prevent mental health disorders, addressing root causes like inflammation, stress, and social disconnection.
Holistic living promotes practices such as balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, nature exposure, social connections, and purposeful activities, which directly impact mood and mental health. For instance, poor sleep and nutrition can exacerbate anxiety and depression by increasing inflammation and disrupting emotional regulation (Ribeiro et al., 2024). Similarly, models like the Health Hexagon propose six pillars—healthy sleep, diet, exercise, nature closeness, supportive relationships, and a sense of purpose—to foster resilience in uncertain times, reducing reliance on medicalized interventions (Chan & Hazan, 2022). Urban environments further illustrate this link; green spaces and reduced pollution correlate with lower anxiety and better mood, mediated by brain regions involved in emotion processing (Xu et al., 2023).
In healthcare, integrating lifestyle medicine into behavioral health offers a proactive approach. This involves assessing lifestyle domains in therapy, using techniques like motivational interviewing to encourage changes in nutrition, activity, and stress management, which support neuroplasticity and overall well-being (Mauro et al., 2025). Practices such as yoga, meditation, and community-based support shift from disease-focused models to empowering individuals, potentially alleviating the mental health crisis by promoting autonomy and social determinants of health.
Embracing holistic strategies in living and healthcare can improve mood stability, reduce symptom severity, and enhance quality of life, urging a paradigm shift toward preventive, whole-person care.
Contact us to schedule a session or arrange a consultation to discuss a holistic approach to mental well-being at (770) 686-0894 or DrDarleen@orchardhumanservices.org
References
Chan, C. S., & Hazan, H. (2022). The Health Hexagon Model: Postulating a holistic lifestyle approach to mental health for times and places of uncertainty. SSM – Mental Health, 2, Article 100091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100091
Mauro, S., Eller, M., & Stout, R. (2025). Lifestyle medicine and behavioral health: A time for deeper integration. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276251381252
Ribeiro, S., Pimentel, A. P., Fernandes, V. R., Deslandes, A. C., & Amarante, P. (2024). It is time for more holistic practices in mental health. PLOS Mental Health, 1(1), Article e0000028. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000028
Xu, J., Liu, N., Polemiti, E., Garcia-Mondragon, L., Tang, J., Liu, X., Lett, T., Yu, L., Nöthen, M. M., Feng, J., Yu, C., Marquand, A., Schumann, G., & environMENTAL Consortium. (2023). Effects of urban living environments on mental health in adults. Nature Medicine, 29(6), 1456–1467. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02365-w
