The Big Finale!

Final Project - HW420 Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

I. Introduction:
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?

            It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because our health does not only depend on the state of our physical body. Our text points out that "The condition of our body is a reflection of the condition of our mind" (Dacher, 2006, p.18). In order to achieve true health and wellness, we must develop ourselves in all of these areas-mind, body and spirit. Health and wellness professionals are not exempt from this idea. It is crucial that these professionals develop fully in all areas for a number of reasons. First, a person cannot teach something they have not found to be true for themselves, meaning a health care provider cannot teach a patient how to further develop in mind, body and spirit if they have never taken the time to do it personally. It is impossible to effectively teach unfamiliar concepts. Another reason health professionals must first develop themselves physically, psychologically and spiritually is because they can then be the actual resource that helps others heal and find wholeness. Dacher states that "The power of our mind can transcend physical space to affect the body, mind, and spirit of all those we touch" (2006, p. 23). Health and wellness professionals that have developed further physically, psychologically and spiritually can then become the healing force that helps others find true health. In order to be an effective and beneficial health professional myself, I must also work towards development in all three of these areas.

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

            In this course I have learned that health and wellness does not just pertain to our biological bodies. To be truly healthy we must tend to our physical, spiritual and psychological health. One way I have learned to accurately assess my overall health is to continuously ask myself specific and sometimes uncomfortable questions. The text gives two questions in particular to use as a starting point for assessment: "Which aspects of our life are the most significant sources of distress? Where is our greatest possibility for growth and development?" (Dacher, 2006, p. 105). By starting with these questions and answering them each honestly, I was able to then identify areas in my life that I need to further develop.

            When we first were asked to assess our health in the three areas of physically, spiritually and psychologically several weeks ago, I originally gave myself a 5 in physical, 6 in spiritual, and 8 in psychological (on a scale of 1 to 10). However, after continuing with this course, I feel that these numbers are no longer accurate. For my physical health I looked at a variety of factors, such as my nutrition, current exercise habits, energy levels, sleep habits, strength and endurance. In most of these areas I score pretty well, except the daily exercise. I am still slowly getting back to exercising regularly after pregnancy. While it has been hard to find time with family and school responsibilities, I have gradually added more workouts to each week. Because of this improvement, I would now give myself a 7 in this area. I think if I keep improving my exercise habits, I will continue to see the physical benefits increase.

            To assess my spiritual health, I mainly based my questions on whether or not I am currently participating in any daily activities that develop and increase my spirituality. I have always been religious, but when I actually stopped and assessed myself, I realized that I may have been religious my whole life, but have fluctuated in my levels of spirituality. Previously, I gave myself a score of 6 in spirituality, but I would now change that to a more realistic score of 4. After taking this class I have realized that just having a belief system is not enough, I need to actively and consistently work towards development and growth each day.

            In the last area, psychological, I had given myself a score of 8 out of 10. Once again, after taking this class I would have to adjust this number to a 6. While I do consider myself of sound mind and a sane person, I have realized that psychological health also encompasses our mental chatter. I often struggle with negative and unhealthy thinking, especially towards myself. I now know that our thoughts are extremely powerful and can affect all other areas of our health. In order to improve my psychological wellness, I must improve the quality of my thoughts.

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

            I have recently set several goals for myself in each of these three areas. In the physical category, I have committed to exercising for at least 30 minutes each day/5 days a week. In the psychological area, I have decided to work on decreasing negative thoughts and reducing mental chatter. In the spiritual category, I have made a goal to spend at least 30 minutes each day devoted to spiritual growth activities.

IV. 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.
            One of the best strategies I can implement to foster growth in all of these areas is to schedule these activities into my day. If there is a time spot for it on my daily calendar, or if it

is written on my "To Do" list, I know that I will complete it each day. By officially scheduling personal growth activities like exercise and meditation on my agenda, I will give them the same priority as doctor appointments, class, etc.

            In the physical domain, I can further my development with several activities. I plan to start running and practicing yoga on a daily basis again. By incorporating these two exercises into my daily life, I will improve my physical health while also receiving benefits in the spiritual and mental domains as well. To increase psychological wellness I plan to decrease negative thoughts and reduce mental chatter. The two best practices that will help work towards this goal are Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind/meditation. By practicing Loving-Kindness each day, I will develop the ability to feel more loving kindness towards myself as well as others. The Subtle Mind practice (which I consider similar to meditation) will help me quiet my mind, reduce mental chatter and maintain a state of mental peace. For spiritual development, I plan to integrate daily prayer as well as make attending church each week more of a priority. In time, both of these activities will help me further develop my spirituality.

V. 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?

            One of the best ways I can assess my progress in the next six months is to make sure I keep a detailed record of each of my assessments and periodically compare the results. By writing out my original assessment, the scores I give myself in each of the three categories, as well as my goals, it will be easier for me to reassess in six months and compare my results. Each time, I can re-ask the same questions and see if my answers have changed. I also like the idea of scoring myself in each area, every time. This will give me a general idea of whether or not I have made any progress in my growth and development in a specific area/goal. Another simple thing I know I can do to stay on track with my goals is to create a check-off calendar. By having a calendar that I can mark each time I complete my daily goal of exercising/meditating/praying, I can easily and quickly assess my progress thus far. If I consistently put in the work and stay conscious of my long-term goal, I know I will eventually see the results and reap the benefits from these activities.

Source:
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.