Parable of Holistic Healing

Abstract

The understanding of the seemingly simple word, “health” has been largely misconstrued within society. Ideally health would be “holistic” and many health care professionals and patients desire to give and receive respectively holistic care, the fruition of those desires is largely lacking. The parable of the Good Samaritan provides a Scriptural demonstration of what holistic health should entail. I reflect on how physical therapy does an exceptional job of providing holistic care due to the establishment of a patient-therapist relationship from which aspects of wholeness are achieved. However, no health care field is flawless in providing holistic care, so practical improvements are suggested regarding how therapy and health-related fields can better provide for the needs of the people they are treating, not simply the physiological symptoms and problems with the patient.