Unit 9

Introduction
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically?

There are several reasons for health and wellness professionals to emphasize their own psychological, spiritual, and physical development, both for their benefit and their clients or patients benefit. If a professional is perceived as not following their own advice, a client or patient is not as likely to follow the advice either. As a health and wellness professional, we should be models of the pursuit of ideal health in all of its aspects. Also, if we do not take care of ourselves psychologically, spiritually and physically we will not be able to care for others as we should. By continuing our own development we better equip ourselves to help guide others. Furthermore, as people who have studied health and wellness we know, or should know, enough that to disregard these aspects of our own lives is either irresponsible or lazy.

The development of an inner life is the most unique and precious opportunity given to humans. Although there are other intelligent species on the planet, only humans possess what we refer to as a ‘mind’ or a ‘spirit/soul’. To neglect the development of this inner life is, as Dacher says, “to ignore the final aim of human life – the opportunity to alleviate needless suffering and to gain health, happiness, and wholeness” (2006).

What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?

I think one of the biggest areas that I need to work on developing currently is interpersonal. I need to get out of the house and get involved in something in my community. I have been thinking of looking for volunteer opportunities on-line. I need to find something that both gets me out of the house and pulls me out of my comfort zone a little bit which should not be hard because my comfort zone is pretty small. I have been thinking volunteer because I believe it would give me a sense of being useful and contributing to the world outside of my immediate family.

Assessment
How have you assessed your health in each domain?

I have a workbook, The Art of Peace and Relaxation Workbook by B. Seaward, that has numerous questionnaires, quizzes etc that are meant to help determine an individual’s physical, spiritual and psychological health and identify problem areas. Without going into detail on the workbook I would give myself the following ratings on a scale of one to ten with ten being ideal:

Physical wellbeing would probably be around a 6 or a 7; in other words, a little better than average but still with room for improvement.

Spiritual wellbeing is probably about the same as physical.

Psychological wellbeing - I do not know what I would rate mine at. Some days would get a higher rating than other days and I am unsure what the average rating would be. There is a quote that I like which sums it up pretty well, “damaged people are dangerous – they know that they can survive.” I tend to see myself as being somewhat damaged, due to depression, anxiety, and a few other things but overall I have survived and will continue to do so.

Goal development
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area:

Physical: My physical goals are more centered on maintenance than on anything else; I am in decent condition and mainly just do not want to lose what I currently have. For physical activity I am somewhat limited in what I can do by bad knees so I recently began working on endurance and core strength (bicycling, walking and yoga/pilates). I also recently discovered a small fitness center near my home that offers yoga etc that I would like to look into but have not yet found the time to do so.

Psychological (mental health): I would like to start seeing a psychologist again. I am not dealing with any specific issues right now but I know from past experience that I am better off when I meet with someone on a regular basis. Also, I intend to continue doing the Subtle Mind and Loving Kindness exercises that were taught in this course.   

Spiritual: I would like to be more involved in my church than I currently am. I have taught Sunday School and helped out with Wednesday night activities for kids in the past but I would like to be more involved in one of the small groups. There is one study group that I am interested in joining, after they have finished their current topic.

Practices for personal health
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains (Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example):

Physical: An activity to enhance one’s physical wellness can be as simple as going for a walk every day. Any physical activity (when it is enjoyed) can be beneficial in strengthening the body and flushing the body of the chemicals/hormones produced by stress. With this in mind, two exercises or practices that I can do on a regular basis include bicycling and yoga. With winter coming soon, the bicycling will have to be done indoors on a stationary bike but I have access to one so that is not a problem. Yoga I occasionally do but based on books rather than personal instruction. As I mentioned previously, I found a small center that seems to offer this but I still need to look into it more fully.   

Psychological: Meditation is a good way to clear the mind, relax the body and gain greater understanding. Studies have shown physical benefits, in addition to the psychological benefits, of meditation. With these considerations in mind, two exercises or practices I can do on a regular basis include the Subtle Mind and Loving Kindness exercises. I have found that doing anything of this nature in the mornings just puts me to sleep, so afternoon or evening is a better time for me. To keep myself accountable I will be adding them to my progress chart.

Spiritual: Prayer, at its most basic level, is thought(s) directed toward a power or energy beyond that of humans/the five senses. Most people seek a sense of peace, acceptance or a sense of the connectedness of all things from prayer. Prayer can have psychological benefits which lead to or enhance physical well-being. With this in mind, I have decided to work on my prayer life. I have let this area of my life slip over the last two years or so and now feel it necessary to work on strengthening it again. In the past this has been a part of my evening routine so that is when I will take time to pray each day. I am hesitant to add this to my chart because I do not want to do it just for the sake of getting another sticker for the day. So perhaps I will just make a conscious effort to spend time in prayer each evening before I pick up my book.

Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months?

I can monitor my progress, or lack thereof, through periodically filling out a few of the quizzes in the workbook I mentioned in a previous section and keeping track of the changes.

What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?

I have found that for me personally, keeping a progress chart is one of the best ways to keep myself focused and motivated. I also like to keep Excel spreadsheets that are similar to my progress charts, but as this is digital and not something I can hang on a wall it is less effective as a motivator and mostly just for future reference. In addition to the progress chart, having someone keep me accountable either by periodically checking on my progress or by doing some of the activities with me is another method which I have found to work well for me.