Abstract
This article explores the concept of integrative health, which emerged approximately 30 years ago. It aims to combine conventional medicine with complementary approaches to improve population health. Research conducted with healthcare professionals using a complementary approach prompts us to re-examine the nature of integration and the positive effects of this type of practice on the quality of integration. This qualitative research examines the impact of Awakening the Sensible Being (somato-psychopedagogy [SPP] and fasciatherapy DBM®), a mind-body approach on the practice of healthcare professionals. The study is divided into two distinct phases.
The first phase follows three French nurses at different stages of a four-year SPP program. By reconnecting with their bodies, the participants develop increased awareness and greater authenticity towards themselves. On a relational level, this transformation improves their capacity for empathetic listening and facilitates communication within care teams. Furthermore, the nurses learn to assert themselves and respectfully express their opinions, which fosters a more egalitarian collaboration with physicians. The longitudinal analysis of the younger participant shows a clear progression: the first year focuses on taming her body and emotions, not through control, but through the patient, gentle work of building a relationship with oneself, realizing that she is reactive in relationships, while the second-year concentrates on managing emotions and relationships.
The second phase validates these observations with six physicians and models a grounded theory. It identifies the emergence of eight essential behavioral skills, equally distributed between the intrapersonal and interpersonal spheres.
In conclusion, this article uses the concept of salutogenesis to critique the current medical system often disconnected from the body and focused solely on disease management at an emergency level. The authors argue that integrating complementary approaches makes it possible to build a preventive and effective healthcare model. This deepens the integration of individuals with their own health and facilitates a broader integration of complementary approaches with conventional medicine through enhanced collaboration among different healthcare providers. This paradigm shift puts the human being back at the center of care, reduces the risk of burnout among healthcare professionals, and lowers overall economic costs for health.