The Challenges of Being an Integrative Provider in 2025
If you’re interested in integrative mental health, you’re aware that the field as whole is not aligned with this type of work. Rather than adopting a holistic model that addresses root causes, our society attempts to offer quick fixes to symptoms. This discordance is what drew me into integrative mental health care, and I think it’s probably something you resonate with as well if you’re here!
I wanted to take some time to reflect on the challenges that we face as mental health care providers with a passion for integrative approaches to care. As a Mental Health Therapist, I am well acquainted with these challenges.
Cultural Misalignment
Probably the biggest challenge is that our culture is not oriented toward holistic models of self. It is very challenging to go against the curve when everyone around you is not like-minded. For example, I believe that a whole-foods, minimally processed, low sugar diet is optimal to support mental health. However, our culture is not in alignment with this. That means that trying to support clients in their nutrition means they will have lack of access to resources and education for healthy eating. I can tell someone what’s healthy, but if there’s not access to healthy options in someone’s area, they will not be able to support themselves in this way.
This also plays into work cultures, where a workplace may not align with a holistic model, limiting client’s abilities to engage in the supportive processes that might be optimal for their care.
Collaboration and Communication
Another key challenge is collaboration and communication. In my experience, this often boils down to a time issue, which goes back to their larger cultural issues of institutional pressure and misalignment. Essentially, because our culture values monetary profit over the mental health of its workforce, we are put in situations where we have high caseloads and low pay. This leaves little room for the kinds of supportive conversations that aid in client care.
Adopting a culture of collaboration is essential to optimally supporting clients. Unfortunately, communication can be a challenge if time is not made for it and an institution does not bake it into its culture. That’s why we host weekly collaborative case consultation calls every week here at Integrative Care Collective.
Marketing Oneself
Another key challenge I’ve consistently observed is standing out and being able to ethically market oneself as an integrative mental health provider. This, too, touches on our larger cultural issues because if our community members (as potential clients) don’t value holistic and integrative mental health care, they will not go out of their way to get access to this kind of care.
Further, insurance companies not being on-board with these kinds of treatments means that providers must bill cash-pay for services that require extensive training. For example, I have training in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, but due to the lack of insurance coverage this very-effective treatment modality often is reserved only for those with the resources and means to pay for it out-of-pocket.
Join ICC to Get Support
Here at Integrative Care Collective, we do our best to provide resources and support for like-minded professionals that are passionate about integrative care. We recognize that these providers often must turn to private practice due to the lack of institutional support for integrative mental health care. If you’re not already a member, please consider checking out our membership page to join for free.
About the Author
Cole Butler, LPCC, ADDC, MACP
Cole Butler, LPCC, ADDC, MACP is a Mental Health Therapist and Writer. He co-founded Integrative Care Collective in 2023 to support mental health providers that are passionate about integrative care and to foster community amongst them. You can learn more about and connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-butler/
