Perspectives in Practice: Conversations with Health Psychology Professionals
Co-written by Yvette and Bernie, featuring insights from Jana Staby, with support from AI-generated content (ChatGPT)
Welcome to Perspectives in Practice, a series sharing real-world insights from professionals in health psychology. Bernie, a registered psychologist and health psychology registrar, sits down with peers to explore how health psychology principles shape their work.
In this conversation, Bernie talks with Jana, a private practice psychologist, about her evolving understanding of health psychology, how she integrates its holistic lens in her work with clients, and what the professional community means to her.
Seeing the Whole Person
For Jana, health psychology begins with a simple but powerful principle: the mind and body are inseparable. Understanding clients requires looking beyond symptoms or diagnoses to see the whole person. “You can’t separate them,” she explains. “It’s understanding the person from a biopsychosocial-spiritual model… and also looking at health behaviour—sleeping, eating, exercising, and chronic disease management.”
She emphasises that psychologists also need to consider the broader life context of clients. Basic needs, from safety and shelter to food and social support, are foundational. “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is gonna come before anything,” she says. “We have to understand the systems that people are living in… all of that is more important than therapy.” Supporting clients often involves connecting them with resources or advocating for access to other parts of the health system—ensuring that the whole person is cared for, not just their psychological symptoms.
Practicing Holistic Health Psychology
In her private practice, Jana applies this holistic approach by focusing on symptoms and lived experience rather than strict diagnostic labels. “I tend to work more with the symptoms my clients are experiencing,” she says. “For example, if someone presents with panic disorder, I look at whether they’re sleeping well, eating regularly, and consider how their physical state impacts their mental state.”
Blending psychological techniques with a somatic approach, she uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to guide clients toward awareness of their bodily sensations and emotions. “Where do you feel that in your body? Can we label what we’re feeling? Can we sit with what we’re feeling?” she asks, helping clients reframe anxiety as a protective mechanism rather than an adversary. “It’s just like an annoying person that’s constantly nagging,” she adds, making the concept tangible and relatable.
Grounding Anxiety in Daily Health
Jana often finds panic disorder a helpful example to illustrate the connection between mental and physical health. Small daily habits, she explains, can either escalate or reduce anxiety symptoms. “If they’re not eating regularly, then their blood sugar drops and they feel shaky. They tune into that feeling of shaking, and that could escalate into a panic attack. Or if they’re not sleeping properly, because they’re so anxious, they feel really dysregulated, and that can trigger panic,” she says.
Her approach begins with stabilizing foundational health behaviors—sleep routines, regular meals, mindful breathing, and attention to substance use. “A lot of the time, what we’re doing to get rid of [panic] is actually part of the problem,” Jana notes. “We’re not trying to change the way you’re thinking at first—we’re trying to change what health behaviors you’re doing. Once clients feel grounded, we can progress to more advanced therapeutic techniques, like exposure work, but always building on this solid foundation of wellbeing.”
The Value of Community
Beyond her direct client work, Jana highlights the supportive professional community in health psychology. She credits her peers as much as her supervisors for the guidance and knowledge that shape her practice. “I’ve learned as much from my peers as I have from supervisors,” she reflects. “Everyone is so supportive… we’re all in the same boat, trying to help each other out. Learning from peers is really important.”
Bringing It All Together
For Jana, health psychology is more than a set of techniques—it’s a lens for seeing the whole person. By connecting mental, physical, and social dimensions, she provides care that is both grounded and practical. Her holistic perspective, combined with peer support, ensures clients not only manage their symptoms but are equipped with strategies to thrive. In her practice, thoughtful, connected, and comprehensive care truly makes a difference in people’s lives.
