Biopsychosocial Understanding of Self

Written by Valiant Living Recovery on Thursday, March 11th, 2021

The biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural model helps mental health professionals understand clients as they exist in their environments. So what does that mean for you as the client? How do you understand yourself in these different areas? How do they define you and how do you define them?

Biological

This component has everything to do with your physical health. Some questions to ask yourself to see how you are doing include:

• Do I have any physical illnesses?
• How am I coping with my physical health?
• What do I have in my family genetically?

Psychological

 This component has everything to do with your mental health. Some questions to ask yourself to see how you are doing include:

• Do I ever struggle with anxiety or depression?
• How have I learned to cope with those feelings?
• Do I take time to sit with my feelings or do I compartmentalize them?

Social

This component has everything to do with how you interact with your support network. This is where your personality shines through. Some questions to ask yourself to see how you are doing include:

• Who are my friends and family?
• How are my friends and family?
• How do I interact with my friends and family?
• Are there times when I’m more introverted or more extroverted than others?
• What components of my support network make me feel cared for?

Spiritual

This component has to do with your idea of how the world works and your possible belief in a higher power. Some questions to ask yourself to see how you are doing include:

• Am I a religious or spiritual person?
• How was religion or spirituality helped me in my life?
• What does belief in a higher power do to help me cope?

Cultural

This has to do with your upbringing and your ethnic or racial background as that influences how you show up in the world.

• How do I identify culturally?
• Are there aspects of my culture that I value and appreciate?
• Are there other aspects of my culture that I do not care for as much?
• Are some aspects of my culture not a choice?
• What culture did I grow up with and which culture do I choose now?
• How does my culture support me?

The biopsychosocial understanding of self along with the spiritual and cultural components can help us consider who we are and how that is based on our environment. This is a tool to revisit often because our understanding of ourselves is constantly changing. We are in flux as we navigate through life. At Valiant Living, our men’s-only residential treatment facility in Denver, Colorado, we help you navigate those changes. Our expert staff is trained in tools to help you better understand yourself and who you have become. We treat addiction and co-occurring mental illnesses in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Our team of clinicians will work with you to determine how you have developed different ways of being over the years. We will also focus on how to best assist you in the current moment We want you to feel understood. To learn more, you can reach out to us today at (303) 952-5035.