When it comes to one’s mental health, people tend to seek help from behavioral health therapists and clinical psychologists. As they should. However, mental health care doesn’t stop outside of the office doors of these specialists. A devotion to better emotional wellbeing can extend to all other areas of your life, from nutrition through to fitness. On that note, one discipline that is often overlooked as an important component to psychological balance is physiotherapy. Should you seek out physiotherapy for mental health care on top of the work you may be doing with a behavioral health specialist? Here’s why it’s a great idea.
*Disclaimer: If you are struggling with a mental health concern, physiotherapy on its own is not the cure. Please seek the help of a professional counsellor for dedicated treatment and therapy.
Why Seeing a Physiotherapist Can Also Help You Achieve Greater Emotional and Mental Wellness
We Treat Conditions That Cause (or are compounded by) Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety and stress are detrimental to mental health. While there are certainly events (financial, social, familial, etc.) that lead to anxiety and stress, musculoskeletal imbalances and impairments (and corresponding chronic pain / malfunction) significantly contribute to and compound anxiety and stress. This is why during periods of anxiety and stress, you probably experience lower back and/or neck pain in addition to headaches and other physical manifestations. Physiotherapy will correct these musculoskeletal impairments, whether they are a causation or symptom of anxiety and stress, and as a result can lead to improved mental health. This spans beyond back and neck pain (etc.) as physiotherapy is also employed to treat conditions that weigh heavy upon emotional wellness, ranging as far as postpartum depression (for males too) through to seasonal affective disorder and sexual issues that impact relationships. Learn more about the benefits of physiotherapy for treating anxiety and stress.
People are pleasantly surprised to learn about how far reaching physiotherapy can be when it comes to mental and emotional wellness. Call us at 604.558.2273 to find out what we will do to elevate your own state of mind.
Access to Clinical Counselors Too
When you choose a truly full-service physiotherapy clinic, you gain access to on-site clinical counselors too. Why would a physiotherapy clinic have a counselor on staff? Full-service clinics treat conditions related to injuries sustained in a motor-vehicle-accident (MVA) or other events. Beyond physical impairments, injuries also come in the form of post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) or other emotional stressors. Instead of sending you to yet another clinic for MVA (or other physical trauma) PTSD (or other emotional stressor) a patient is better served by remaining in a safe and welcoming environment that they are already familiar with. Learn more about how an on-staff clinical counselor can help you leverage physiotherapy for mental health. Furthermore, patients appreciate the lack of stigma in visiting a physiotherapy clinic (to see a clinical counselor) compared to the one that is unfortunately appended to dedicated mental health offices.
Are you ready to achieve greater emotional wellness through regular physiotherapy? If located in the Greater Vancouver BC area, schedule a consultation at our Burnaby clinic today.
*Disclaimer: To reiterate, if you are struggling with a mental health concern, physiotherapy on its own is not the cure. Please seek the help of a professional counsellor for dedicated treatment and therapy.