HW 420: Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

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Rachel Grenon






Unit 9 Project

Kaplan University
Rachel Grenon
2013







HW 420: Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing
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Rachel Grenon
I. Introduction:
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and
physically because optimal wellness and flourishing is self cultivated which means that exceptional
health and wellbeing must be achieved within, focusing on the inner mind, body and spirit rather than
the physical being. This is exactly what we would want to pursue and influence in our patients/clients.
Treating ourselves helps us treat our patients/clients because we have learned from experience how
difficult and time consuming it may be to accomplish such a task, yet how worthwhile it is to spend the
time and effort. A health and wellness professional who does not practice optimal wellness is not whole
heartedly treating their patients; it is more as if they are doing it for a job and not a passion. This type of
career should come from passion in wanting to help ourselves and others find integral health.
The areas I need to develop to achieve my personal goals I have for myself are all of them,
psychological, spiritual, and physical. My spiritual and physical lack more than my psychological but like
Dacher explains, they are all connected, therefore I need to develop them all in order to reach optimal
wellness and integral health. My personal goals are to feel as healthy mentally, physically, and spiritually
as my inner being will allow me. Specifically, I do not have goals for each area of integral health as far as
what form of development I want to reach but I do have goals or theories on how to assist myself in
reaching the feeling I wish to result in. For mental health, I wish to relieve stress lingering in the mind by
meditating and learning how to isolate thoughts and diminish them. Mental exercises as far as memory,
cognitive functioning and knowledge will keep my mind young and motivated to keep integral health for
myself and influence it to others. For physical health, I wish to exercise more often so that my body is
less prone to stress and more prepared for life adversities. Physical exercise also assists muscle reaction
to stressors and progressive muscle relaxation exercises reduces chance of stress tension and when a
muscle is used or tense it will be prepared to do so without causing pain or discomfort. For spiritual
health, I wish to attend religious ceremonies more often for the peace of mind and relaxation and social
HW 420: Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing
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comfort. Meditation will also increase spiritual health. Belief is a higher spirit and inner spirit is a great
motivator for all other areas of integral health.
II. Assessment:
Integral Health leads to a comprehensive, holistic, and far-reaching healing of the body, mind
and spirit that is immune to lifes adversities (Dacher, 2006). I assess myself based on Dachers six
principles that characterize the integral assessment: alleviate needless suffering, recognize the
distinction between short-term relief and permanent relief, recognize the difference between
immediate pleasure and long-term flourishing, seek psychospiritual development, rely on deep listening
and guidance, and address the aspects of development that are relevant to current circumstances. I
assess myself spiritually by asking myself how connected I feel with my inner self and how connected I
feel with the world around me and the beliefs above. Assessment of the physical aspect is based on how
I feel internally and externally as far as cardiovascular health, physical fitness, immunity strength,
appearance, physique, etc: am I comfortable with the body I am living in. To assess the psychological
aspect I ask myself if I am happy with my ability to cope with ideas and stressors, how efficient I am with
daily cognitive functions, and whether or not I feel as though my mind is free of burdens and obligations
but filled with intention.
For spiritual well-being, I rate myself a 6 maybe. I try to relax and take time to myself, but I do
find it hard to actually relax. I need to meditate or do yoga. I do feel more within myself and connected
to myself than I did prior to beginning this class. For physical well-being, I rate myself a 5 or 6. I eat
healthy, I take care of myself, but I do not exercise as much as I would like or should. I go to the gym
maybe twice a week if that, when I can find the time. For psychological well-being, I rate myself about
an 8 or 9 I suppose. I think I cope well with life, I may get stressed out here and there, but I believe I
overcome it reasonably well and within a timely fashion that it is not detrimental to my health.
HW 420: Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing
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III. Goal development:
A goal I set for myself in spiritual wellness is to begin yoga or meditate at least three to four
nights a week to relax myself and feel one with myself and not like I'm in a million places at one time.
Goals I have been trying to keep for myself in physical wellness are to at least go to the gym for an hour
a day, for three days a week, for at least one month straight and then continue without stopping from
months following. I have been meeting these goals for psychological wellness actually, I use to stress
and stress, ponder about the stress, etc. Now, I cope well with stress, use it as motivation, complete the
task and then forget about it. I believe my mind is open and better now than it was even a year ago.
IV. Practices for personal health:
Strategies to foster growth in spiritual wellness include implementing faith; the motivator to
pursue healthy living. To succeed in anything, we must want it, believe in it, and take action towards it.
Two examples we can practice towards faith are: believing in ourselves and taking a step back to see
what we have accomplished in life. We can do this by seeking a higher source and considering the spirits
of those around us, as well as recognizing the opportunities we have been handed and those that will
come. Strategies to foster growth in physical wellness include skillful action; the ability to put intention
towards action. To find physical wellness we must first take action towards it. Two examples of exercises
we can do to implement skillful action in our lives is to first take action towards becoming physically
healthy by exercising daily and also by eating nutritious foods that assist our health. We can do this by
joining a gym and making the time to go and by not purchasing junk food or food that has been
processed or preserved. Strategies to foster growth in psychological wellness including implementing
loving kindness, the ability to first love ourselves then reflect our love among others. This helps stabilize
the mind and reduce self-centeredness. Two examples to implement loving kindness are: learning to
love yourself for who you are and your abilities as well as maybe going to visit those who are less
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fortunate and just share positive energy with them and show them that there are still things to love in
this world.
V. Commitment:
In the next six months, I will assess my progress by determining again how I feel about myself in
each domain and see how I feel then compared to now. I should be able to reach my goals within six
months if I dedicate myself to them, which is my intention. Strategies I can use to assist in maintaining
my long-term practices for health and wellness can be to continually remind myself of the life I want to
live, and the way I prefer to feel as well as reflecting on the way I felt prior to reaching integral health
and influence it on others. Influencing others to reach the same satisfaction will motivate me to keep up
with my long-term goals for health and wellness as well. Also, I write in a journal so I will be able to read
back and see how I felt now compared to then or vice versa.













HW 420: Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing
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Rachel Grenon
References:

Dacher, E. (2006). Preparing the ground. Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach,
CA: Basic Health Publications.
Schiltz, M., Amorok, T., Micozzi, M. (2005). Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine. Consciousness
& healing. St. Louis, MI: Elsevier Inc.