From an integral perspective, there are four important domains of an individual that need to be taken into consideration when thinking about their wellbeing and the most effective way to work therapeutically. 

The first is the interior of the individual, which includes their subjective experience of things.  This includes things like how one feels, thinks and sees the world.  The second is the subjective space an individual shares with other people and the bigger culture they are a part of.  This includes things like the quality and characteristics of a person’s relationships with other people.  It also includes the influences of the culture they are a part of. 

The third domain is the physical exterior aspects of an individual such as the state of their physical health and the way their brain and body systems function.  This domain involves things like physiological stress levels, cardiovascular health, hormone regulation, physical fitness, nutritional needs, physical illness, chronic conditions, and brain chemistry. 

The fourth domain that is important in understanding an individual is the physical environment they live in and share with others.  This includes their home and work environments, the institutions that affect them, the topography of their surroundings, and environmental conditions like pollution and traffic. 

From an integral perspective, all four of these domains are important to consider when assessing an individual’s state of well-being and what they need therapeutically. 

For more on these four domains click here: Integral Theory. 

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