What is Health Realization? It is a term used in behavioral healthcare to describe a specific approach to treatment. Health Realization focuses on the nature of thought and how it creates our worldview and shapes our experiences. The Health Realization definition does not adequately capture how it works, however. It may seem obvious that our thoughts shape our perceptions of reality, but Health Realization promotes awareness and understanding of that linkage. Patients learn to change how they react to their circumstances by realizing they are creating their own experiences as they respond to their thoughts and then connecting to their innate health and inner wisdom.
This approach has been proven effective for behavioral health treatment, including substance use disorder treatment. Clear Steps Recovery offers a Health Realization program in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Call 603.769.8981 today to learn more.
What Is Health Realization?
Health Realization was first developed in the 1980s by Dr. Roger C. Mills and Dr. George Pransky. It is based on three universal principles of Mind, Thought, and Consciousness developed by Sydney Banks in the 1970s.1 It can be described as an empowerment and resiliency approach to treatment because it teaches the patient to tap into their innate sense of health, wisdom, and well-being.
In a 2001 paper for the Alliance for Community Care, Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, Fidler and McMahan describe the Health Realization model:
Health Realization, as a model for prevention and treatment, is based on the understanding that (a) every human being has the innate capacity for healthy thinking, (b) the capacity is accessible by the individual moment to moment, and (c) deeper in the psychological make-up as human beings, there is a strong, innate drive toward psychological health (Mills, 1998).1
The Health Realization model is based on three principles—Mind, Thought, and Conscious—that are the totality of human psychological experience.
The Three Principles of Health Realization
The Principle of Mind
Mind is the pure life force and the power source behind life itself. It is the universal energy behind all things. Mind is the source of consciousness (Banks, 1989).1
Principle of Thought
Thought is the creative tool one uses to direct them through life. The power of thought is not self-created but comes from Mind. Thought can be used in an infinite number of ways. Thought produces such things as one’s feelings, mood, and overall perception of life. Thought creates a personal picture of the reality one lives in (Banks, 1998). The flow of the thought process is the source of our change experience of life from moment to moment (Pransky & Mills, 1994).1
The Principle of Consciousness
Consciousness is the gift of awareness that allows the recognition of form, form being the expression of Thought (Banks, 1998).1
Understanding these three principles leads to an increased ability to realize the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and subsequently change our behavior and experiences.
Discover Health Realization Benefits in New Hampshire
Clear Steps Recovery, located in scenic Londonderry, New Hampshire, employs the Health Realization model in the treatment of substance use disorder. If you or a loved one are caught in the cycle of addiction, our experienced, professional team can help. Through our treatment program, you will learn to tap into your innate health by understanding the relationship between mind, thought, and consciousness and how this shapes your experiences and behavioral responses.
Call 603.769.8981 or contact us online to learn how a New Hampshire Health Realization program can put you on the road to recovery.
Footnotes
1Fidler, Penny and Celestine McMahan – “The Impact of Health Realization Training on Feelings of Self-Esteem and Psychological Distress in Mentally Ill Clients”
