3 Units
This course aims to equip students with essential knowledge and practical skills for delivering holistic-oriented mental health care. It explores the interconnectedness between body and mind and examines the relationship between mental health and its biopsychosocial determinants. The course emphasizes client empowerment by introducing methods that combine professional interventions with evidence-supported wellness practices (e.g., Chinese traditional exercise, mindfulness-based stress reduction, breathing and relaxation techniques) and lifestyle options (e.g., exercise, dietary management, sleep hygiene) that promote healing, client engagement, and self-efficacy.
The course will also disseminate practice knowledge for delivering wellness-based “family psychoeducation” and supporting chronic mental health clients using a “recovery paradigm.” It will teach methods for integrating wellness and lifestyle approaches with conventional mental health care through therapist-client co-design, enhancing treatment compliance, early intervention, and relapse prevention. Students are expected to develop an understanding and competency in delivering mind-body wellness and lifestyle options integral to holistic-based mental health care through experiential learning in class, role-plays, and course assignments.