Holism is derived from the Greek word meaning, (entire, total, all or whole) and in terms of health and well being is a concept that has existed since ancient times. Important historical figures who have advocated such an approach to health include Hippocrates and Galen.

Holistic health is a philosophy or approach to medical care which views the whole as more than the sum of the parts. The holistic approach also aims to look at the complex relationship between mind, body and soul and which in turn affects the end treatment. This type of approach to health has only really started being integrated and gaining major support in mainstream health in the last 30 years and is most probably a major factor in determining the outcome of what appears to be similar treatment of similar conditions in different patients, where one patient recovers very quickly whilst another takes much longer.

Another and more recently studied area which is gaining much interest and resulting in great deal of research is the biopsychosocial model, which is based on social cognitive theory. This looks at the how biological, psychological and social factors affect health and well being and thus the implications for treatment. In essence, a problem in one area can cause a problem in another. Hence, as with the holistic approach, it is better to look at the whole than the individual parts.