Unit 9 Final Project

Unit 9 Final Project

Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?

In order for wellness professionals to make a positive, lasting impact on their clients, I believe they need to practice what they preach, psychologically, spiritually, and physically.  True wellness can only be achieved when an individual is happy and healthy in each aspect of their life.  I think that in order for a healer to constructively help clients, they need to have and understanding of life’s impact on healthiness, and experience the labors, struggles, and pleasures in life.  For healers to effectively care for clients they must first be able to effectively care for themselves.

In order to achieve my current goals, I know that I need to work on gaining a higher level of psychological and physical wellness.  I am very comfortable with where I am at with my spirituality, yet know I can always try to reach a higher level.  I understand that it takes constant, and never-ending work to truly flourish, and I do not think one can ever be completely healthy in all aspects of life, because there is always a higher level of wellness to try to attain.

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Assessment:  How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

I would rate my psychological wellness at 6, my physical wellness at 8, and my spiritual wellness at 9.5.

I really need to work on my psychological wellness; I grapple the most in this area.  I feel I can adequately handle stress and anxiety, and that I have strength and will, but I also feel that I need to take better care of my mind.  I acknowledge that I can get overwhelmed at times, and that I let small things bother me, continue to build up, and then get to a point that I resent that I did not do anything about my feelings sooner.  I also can take things too personally and I have a desire to always try to make things right with difficult people and relationships.  This area is definitely where I should be focusing my full energy.

My physical wellness is definitely satisfactory.  I walk 3~5 miles almost every day and I hike and do Yoga once a week.  I lost about twenty pounds a couple years ago, have maintained my loss, and I pretty happy with my physical appearance, though I could use some toning in my arm and abdomen.  I feel that I eat a healthy, balanced diet and I try to eat my fruits and veggies, and I drink plenty of water.

Spiritually, I feel very happy where I am in my life and rate myself at 9.5.  I try to live every day to the fullest and as if it could be my last.  I appreciate my Family and Friends, and am grateful for all I have.  I try not to have regrets and take also try to take time out to smell the roses whenever possible.  My family and I started going to a UCC Church about four years ago, and I get a lot of fulfillment from attending service.  It is a very affirming and accepting Church and I believe it has strengthened my morals and value.  I have always been accepting of all people, and worshiping with a group of people who feel the same is a great experience. 

Goal development:  List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

As far as my psychological wellness, I would like to use some of the techniques and mental exercises I have learned in this class and incorporate them into my life. I feel they could be very beneficial to my psychological wellness.  I would like to try to “not sweat the small stuff” as much, and work on the strained relationship I have with my middle Sister.  She really has a way of bringing me down and making me feel bad about myself, but I do try to use my reaffirming techniques and reassure myself that I am a good person.  I do want to have a relationship with my Sister, yet I realize that it is not healthy at this time, and therefore, I would like to find a way that we can be in each others lives without the hurt feelings that come with our relationship.

In regards to my physical wellness, I hope to stay healthy so I am able to continue my current exercise routine, and eventually incorporate some strength training.  I know I could reach a higher level of fitness if I tried a little harder.  I plan to continue eating well, and have seriously considered giving up red meat for the health benefits.

I am very happy with the Spiritual wellness that my Family and I are maintaining.  My Daughters and Husband have become as involved in the Church as I have and this makes me happy.  It was not a forced issue for any of us, we went to a couple different Churches, and are all happy with the choice we made.  My younger Daughter and I volunteer at monthly Bean Suppers and my older Daughter is the secretary for the State Youth Counsel, so I feel this has had a positive impact on my entire Family.

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

To foster my psychologically wellness I can utilize visualization and meditation practices.  For improving my physical wellness I need to increase my strength training and flexibility exercises.  Spiritually I would like to volunteer more and give back some of the positive energy I feel I receive from attending Church. 

I currently attend Yoga once a week and find the meditation portion very beneficial.  It helps me to let the stress and negativity melt away.  I have been contemplating seeing a counselor to deal with the feeling and emotions that come from my relationship with my Sister, and I think this could be a useful tool at this stage of my life.  Mentally, I hope to incorporate strength and training exercises into my exercise routine.  I always say I will start tomorrow, and have been doing that since I started taking classes again, but I realize there is not time like the present.  For my spiritual wellness, I have been looking into ways that I can volunteer my time and give back.

  

Commitment:  How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?

I have a plan of where I want to be in six months and I commit to try to achieve these goals. 

Writing down my goals is a good way to access my progress.  To have them written down on paper, and not just in my mind, is a good tool to keep me focused and on track.  My strategy is to keep a journal of my goals and refer to it often.

My whole Family is committed to living a healthy life and we are keeping each other honest and on track.

Creating a mantra that I say out loud every morning is a good tool for me to use to keep me focused as well, and appreciative of my life.  Some good vows that Dacher recommends are:

I commit myself to:

·       Enter a personal process of self-development.  I recognize that this requires an inward turn that is supported by the necessary changes in my outer life and is grounded in regular contemplative practice.

·       Study, understand, and integrate an integral vision and its principles and practices into my personal and professional life.

·       To hold a vision of health and healing whose final goal is health, happiness, and wholeness – a possibility that exists for every person regardless of individual circumstances.  I recognize that health and healing is this expansive sense can continue up to and through death.

·       Uphold the ethical principles of a spiritual life.  In general, this can be defined as those attitudes and behaviors that serve to eliminate suffering and promote peace, health, happiness, and wholeness for others and ourselves.

·       Meet every individual as a unique sacred being.  The individual’s circumstance, need, temperament, and capacities will define the personalized process of health and healing.  I recognize that deep, unconditional listening is necessary to achieve this goal.

·       Develop through personal contemplative practice a healing presence that is acknowledging, comforting, reassuring, safe, nonjudgmental, and infused with loving-kindness.

·       Acknowledge and support the innate healing capacities in each individual.  I recognize that the individual is the ultimate source of his or her health and healing and the author of his or her own life.

·       Hold all life as unique and precious.

By utilizing the practices and vows I hope to improve my overall mental health.

~ Cheryl

References:

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