Unit 9 Project

1.      Introduction:

It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop in each of the main areas psychological, spiritual, and physical wellness. This allows them to practice what they preach; I feel it makes the professional more credible to the patients that they are helping. I found a study in the library that looked at how important a holistic approach to wellness in helping college students improve their health. One journal states “results indicate that a holistic model of health is useful for increasing activity and short-term adherence to a lifestyle approach to health” (Joseph Gieck et al, 2007). As you can see one of the best ways to really make a health change more than a fad diet or 8 week workout program is to make it a total lifestyle change; specifically a holistic approach. In my own life I need to continue to develop each aspect of wellness, physical, mental, and spiritual. By doing this I can not only improve my own wellness, but use my own life experiences as teaching points to my future clients.

2.      Assessment:

I found one really cool study that looked at this aspect specifically. They were trying to create a way to test the knowledge and improvement of the participants of the study in each aspect of holistic wellness. The study states “results of the psychometric testing indicate that the “OLP” is a reliable tool in assessing the six dimensions of the total person concept as defined by Canyon Ranch” (Harry McDermott et al, 2000). Professionally I would love to use one of these assessment tools or to be part of a study like this. However, right now I have been assessing how well I have improved in each aspect subjectively. I feel that by looking back to where each aspect was at the beginning of the class compared to now I have grown in each aspect amazingly well. I still feel that my physical aspect was one of the highest components for the simple fact that I have been working out and trying to keep my nutrition on point. However, at the beginning of this class I would say that I was severly lacking in my spiritual and psychological aspects. I can tell now though just with the positive changes that have been made in my life that my psychological and spiritual aspects of wellness has drastically improved. At the beginning of this class I would say that those two components would be around a 5, but now I can honestly say that out of a 10 point scale all aspects are rated right now at about an 8!

3.      Goal Development:

As you know setting goals is one of the most important things that you have to do to make sure you make a real lifestyle change. It also serves as a way to subjectively see how you are progressing in each aspect of your wellness. My physical goal is to continue working out and following an organic nutritious diet in hopes of decreasing my body fat percentage. My spiritual goal is to continue learning as much as possible to connect with the environment and the world around me on a deeper connection. Lastly, my goal for my psychological or mental wellness is to continue meditating, but also to incorporate more loving-kindness exercises.

4.      Practices for personal health:

The two strategies I will continue to incorporate in my physical wellness aspect is to not only continue working out and eating well, but also to make sure I’m eating based off my basal metabolic rate and continue doing the calculations to figure out my body fat percentage. The two exercises that I really want to continue practicing in my psychological wellness is meditation and the loving-kindness exercise that Elliott Dacher proposed. Dacher states “remember this is an inner practice whose primary goal is to create a heartfelt loving-kindness that diminishes your self-centeredness and quiets your mind” (Dacher, 2006). I will continue doing each for a total of 15-30 minutes each day; meditation in the morning and loving-kindness after work before I go to bed. Lastly, my spiritual exercises that I like to continue is the subtle mind exercise and to learn as much as I can through reading and research for my spiritual beliefs. I will do the subtle mind exercise each Sunday and also use that as a day to expand my spiritual wellness.

5.      Commitment

In my physical wellness I will not only do my measurements for my body fat percentages, but also once a month do a fitness test just like I used to do while in the Air Force to see how well I have developed physically. In my spiritual and psychological wellness I will try to gauge how much more positive things have happened in my life and to see if I have noticed a lot less stress in my life like I have already noticed. I will also use personal relationships in my life such as family and friends to use as a gauge to see if they have noticed positive changes I have made in my life. I feel that by doing this combination I can not only see changes and progress subjectively but also objectively through my family and friends!

References

 

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Harry McDermott, Richard Papenfuss, Phillip Eichling, Dan Baker, Kathleen Johnson, Michael Hewitt. (2000). Optimal Living Profile: An Inventory to Assess Health and Wellness. American Journal of Health Behavior, 403-412.

Joseph Gieck, Sara Olsen. (2007). Holistic Wellness as a Means to Developing a Lifestyle Approach to Health Behavior Among College Students. Journal of American College Health Vol. 56, 29-35.