Individualized Balance Awareness

Individualized Balance Awareness (IBA) is based upon the belief that an overall life balance will increase overall Life Satisfaction. Life Satisfaction is believed to influence mental health symptoms. Higher levels of life satisfaction are typically related to lower levels of mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Higher levels of Life Satisfaction are also believed to be related to fewer relationship problems, lowered stress, and decreased physical illness.

IBA was derived from a combination of CBT and REBT theory that all human behaviors are implemented to fulfill a human need. Human needs provoke cognitions which provoke mindset. When needs are not fulfilled, mental health symptoms found with depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and/or addiction can develop. Mindset can also provoke or reduce symptoms. The IBA method recognizes that cognitive processes provoke emotional reactions, which then will provoke behaviors and actions. Behaviors influence physical and mental health. The IBA method also recognizes that this is cyclic and not linear. In other words, regardless of which comes first, the others will be provoked. For example, if a person becomes aware of emotions before cognitions, the emotions provoke behaviors and reactions and this will provoke cognitions. Behaviors will provoke cognitions and then emotions will be provoked. The whole person is constantly evolving, learning, and changing physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually in life.

It is believed that a person who is experiencing a lack of balance along with increased relationship problems, stress, and/or mental health symptoms, can regain balance by going through this treatment method designed to implement acceptance and balance and therefore increase life satisfaction. Life satisfaction has been shown to create resiliency against developing or increasing mental health symptoms.