Final Project Posted

Jill Shafer


HW420


Creating Wellness - Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing


Unit 9 Final Project

April 6, 2010



I Introduction:

Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically?
Our personal development is essential because we are viewed as professionals who are teaching others to develop in the same way. If we are not practicing physical fitness and look as if we are out of shape, we are not going to be respected as fitness professionals. One great example of this was during a health screening at my previous employer, the nurse was "lecturing" one of my coworkers on her BMI and how she needed to "bring that down" and she looked at him and thought "practice what you preach". She mentioned to me that she did not appreciate someone with a "big gut" telling her to watch her weight. Another example would be a nurse who specializes in respiratory therapy telling a patient they need to quit smoking after he/she returns from a smoking break. Our spiritual and psychological development is also viewed this way. During this term we practiced some of the exercises in Dacher's book so we could see how they worked for us. Some of us gained benefits and some of us did not. With practice, many of us would have been able to enjoy more of the positive results but we were pre-occupied with other tasks such as, family, school, work, etc. If our profession was teaching others to flourish in the world by practicing this in our life, we would not be taken seriously unless we participated in these daily exercises ourselves.
What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
I need to develop in all areas to achieve the goals I have for myself. To be blunt, I don't practice personal development each day of my life. I can say that my physical fitness level is very good but, needs improvement such as heavier workouts to achieve a weight loss goal of four pounds. I seem to be in a losing battle at the moment. I am currently assessing this area of my life to find ways to eat more nutritious food more consistently. My psychospiritual development will continue to need work and this is ongoing and will be as long as I live.

II Assessment:

How have you assessed your health in each domain?
My psychological assessment: From a psychological standpoint, I have come a long way since my youth in understanding my own mind and how it works. I have learned to control my temper more than I used to but, still have bouts of anger which occasionally set my temper flaring and I will slam doors or yell. I don't like this part of myself but, I try not to put my self down for it. I am now at the point in my life where I can look into my mind (witness) and see a reaction before it happens and step away more often than I used to. I have a good outlook on life, rarely seeing the glass half empty. I do have my days, but, more often than not, I am a positive, caring person who loves life.
My spiritual assessment: I could become more of a spiritual person if I practiced meditation and prayer more often. I would not say I am lacking, but, I would say I could improve this part of my life. Taking more time to devote to spiritual practices would benefit me greatly.
Physically, I am active and would love to be much more active. I am somewhat addicted to exercise because I feel slightly down when I go a full day with no activity. There is always a time factor and I am looking forward to the day when I am not in my office doing homework. Although learning is absolutely fun for me, it can often cause me to neglect other things such as longer workouts.
How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
Rating my wellness on a scale:
Spiritually: 6
Physical: 7
Psychological: 7

III Goal development:

List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
My goal is to reach a state of "sustainable health, happiness and wholeness" (Dacher, 2006, p. 35). It must be a choice I make and keep making each day, not something I say I am going to do and do not follow through with. I know I can make an impact on those around me and eventually, clients of my own. I already see how my studies in health and wellness spark interest in others because of how people react when I talk to them about my personal goals, and what I have learned in this class. By biggest goal is to help people find ways to get some of the negative stressors out of their life. One major personal goal is to get my self much healthier and I am following through with that by doing chiropractic care, walking, strength training, stretching and therapy. A goal which accompanies that one is continuing to eat healthier. I find it difficult at times when the weekends come along and my step-sons are here but, it is something I will continue to work on.

My Psychological goals include practicing stress reduction techniques by incorporating two of the practices in Dacher's book, The Subtle Mind and Loving Kindness exercises. These are simple to do and you can make them fit your lifestyle. They create a loving, caring, calm attitude for me and this is important. They also help me isolate feelings I may be having which negatively affect my attitude and my relationships toward other people. Part of my stress reduction includes walking and exercise. When I walk, I think and decipher the good thoughts from the bad and try to focus on the positive aspects of my life.

My spiritual goals include helping others more often such as volunteering for activities through work or in the community. I have always felt a calling to help others and know this goal will be attained more fully after my life is not so busy with school and work. I already pray and thank God as much as I can for all that my life is and has to offer. Giving thanks each day and showing others that I am grateful, are always included in my goals.

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.
I plan on using more intention and focusing on my responses or reactions to situations that arise. If I can focus on my mind as it begins to react to a stressor and isolate the feelings that are created, I will be better able to identify the root cause of my reaction and respond accordingly. I also plan on adhering to the idea that life is not static but, is very dynamic and is constantly changing and will continue to be open minded.

Two examples of how I will foster growth for my physical health:

A. I will continue to exercise daily and am committed to walking more than I currently do. We also bought an exercise bike which we (my husband and I) will use in addition to our treadmill and elliptical.
B. I will continue to work hard at being more conscious of the food I put in my body. I have been eating more green leafy vegetables and cutting out more fat from my diet in the last year.

Two examples of how I will foster growth for my Psychological health:

V Commitment:

How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months?
I will do an Integral Assessment using the six principles. I will use criteria from Dacher's book:
1. To end needless suffering and promote wellness by flourishing as a human being, I will:
A. Identify events or areas in my life which create stress.
B. Identify what areas am I able to develop so that I may grow as a person.
2. To distinguish between long term and short term relief of unnecessary suffering, I will:
A. Identify problems in my relationships and assess them from a long or short term perspective. If stress is creating issues in relationships, I will address where and how to reduce those stressors.
B. Identify which physical or psychological problems can be treated or resolved in a short period of time or those which may need more time to resolve.
3. Identify pleasures which are self created and give a sense of accomplishment or those which give immediate gratification.
A. I will assess how much I am learning to become more spiritually fulfilled.
B. I will assess how many outside influences are playing a part of my happiness and well being and try to identify ways to find wellness from within using more of the practices and exercises in Dacher's book.
4. Assess my psychospiritual development by identifying aspects of my consciousness which are still in need of strengthening such as:
A. My spiritual life and my focus on inner development.
B. My psychological life and how I am coping with outside stressors.
5. Assess my skills related to being open minded, calm, listening, non-judgmental as well as my ability to relax my mind and:
A. Free it of clutter, negative self-talk or images.
B. Clear the loudness of outside noise.
6. Assess my current situation and focus on staying open minded and accommodate change.
What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?
The main strategy that I will use is teaching what I have learned and while teaching, I will also be incorporating many of the practices in my life so that I may stay committed. Since maintaining a long term goal of health and wellness is an ongoing effort, I believe I will be better able to do it, if I am teaching it. Knowing you are the one setting the example holds you accountable for your actions.
Reference:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health-The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications.