The HEALTHY Group: A Mind-Body-Spirit Approach for Treating Anxiety and Depression in Youth

Anxiety and depression are complex mental health concerns affecting adolescents, and when experienced together the prognosis can be worsened. Current evidence based approaches used in social work interventions include cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical therapy, and counselling incorporating psychotherapy and psychoeducation, however they do not work for all individuals and they are not holistic. This paper argues that spirituality is a missing element of current social work interventions for treating anxiety and depression. Yoga has emerged as one type of mind body spirit intervention that is more holistic in nature, and it is deemed to be a positive approach that can be included in social work interventions. Furthermore, the explicit incorporation of spirituality is seen as a necessary component of treatment. Literature pertaining to spirituality as an important dimension of life, mental health, coping and wellbeing provides a rationale for its inclusion into comprehensive multi-modal approaches. The HEALTHY group is highlighted as a comprehensive multi-modal mind body spirit approach that addresses the gap of explicitly attending to spirituality. Implications for practice are put forth regarding the need for research on this kind of comprehensive integrative mind body and spirit social work intervention on the outcomes for adolescents experiencing anxiety and depression.