Holistic and Integral Health and Wellness

During this semester I have been privileged to have the opportunity to learn the concepts regarding holistic and integral health and how it relates to my personal life and professional life.  I have also learned how to grow spiritually, physically, and psychologically (Dacher, 2006).  This has been an ongoing process of trial and error as I have learned about the different aspects of meditation and mindfulness practices (Dacher, 2006).  Additionally, this process taught me the wellness concepts of mind body connectedness and how important human flourishing is to our enjoyment of life and our overall health and that of our patients (Dacher, 2006).  This process has also taught me that this is indeed an ongoing lifestyle that needs constant attention and nurturing and will be used as an example for others to emulate (Dacher, 2006).  I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and the following is a recap of the processes and a plan for my future ongoing development.

I Introduction:

It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically in order to understand the methods and techniques that are available in holistic integral healing and then to further implement these into the care and nurturing of patients (Dacher, 2006).  The health and wellness professional also works to develop each aspect of life including the psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal and worldly aspects (Dacher, 2006).  They start by developing the outer most level, working to the inner level and finally developing the innermost level (Dacher, 2006).  The purpose of this ongoing development is to become a holistic integral healer (Dacher, 2006). 

A holistic integral healer is also a compassionate human being who has developed the skill of listening with empathy, asking non-threatening evocative questions and then working with the patient to involve them in their choices of treatment (Schlitz, M. & Amorok, T. 2005).  True health, all encompassing integral health, is a matter of making choices with positive intentions (Schlitz, M. & Amorok, T. 2005).

My own level of wellness; physically, psychologically, and spiritually are in need of work as you will read in the following assessment!

II Assessment:

I was doing well in the physical aspect of my health up until March of this past year when I started full time college along with full time work.  I would say I am currently at a level of 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.  I eat a large amount of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, eggs and dairy, nuts, flax seed and nutritional supplements.  The area I work on consciously is adding to the category of grains.  I am gluten intolerant so I cannot eat regular products like whole grain breads or pastas and I just got used to not including them in my diet.  I have made a conscious decision and have added whole grain rice products in the form of crackers, pastas and breads and this has worked well.  Additionally, I have added gluten free oatmeal to my morning meals.  When I started school I no longer had time to work out which I was doing five times per week.  I have decided a change was necessary as I have become winded when walking, weak when I lift certain items and I am not sleeping as soundly. 

I would like to say that the psychological and spiritual aspects of my health were as good as my physical health.  Spiritually, I spend time in the morning and my lunch hour listening to speakers that develop spiritual paths and principles in my life so I would rate my overall spiritual health as an 8.  However, as I age, I believe true peace and happiness come from spiritual principles and not from the trappings of possessions, as I did when I was younger.  I want to boost my spiritual health to 10 as that is how important I think it is in the scheme of life and overall integral health. 

I would say that the psychological and worldly aspects of my health have diminished to ratings of 5 as I have become somewhat of a hermit while I have been attending school.  I feel this especially as I am becoming shyer when I am around other people or in a crowd.  I am happiest when I have social interactions with others. 

III Goal development:

Physical Goals –

I have borrowed a treadmill from a friend and I now complete my numerous reading assignments while walking on the treadmill.  I have also set a goal to walk on the beach every Saturday morning.  This is not only a physical aspect of developing my health; it is also a psychospiritual aspect, as I feel free and close to my creator when I am walking beside the water.  I am also signing up for a course in tai chi which develops not only the physical body but also the mental and spiritual aspects of my health.

Specific – Gain physical exercise benefits by walking on a treadmill when I read coursework.

Measurable – Will be measured if all reading is done on the treadmill.

Attainable – The treadmill is my resource and it has been borrowed, delivered and set in place for use.

Realistic – This is a realistic goal as I have to read and I can walk and read at the same time.

Timely – This is a realistic time frame for walking as I would be sitting reading for the same period.

Psychological (mental health) Goals –

I will make a conscious effort to go out socially with friends by working a breakfast or lunch date or a nice walk with a friend into my schedule.  Additionally, interactions with other people are also important in developing and honing the necessary people skills that I will use on a daily basis as a health and wellness professional.

Specific – Making a weekly commitment to breakfast each Saturday with a friend after my morning beach walk.

Measurable – Will be measured weekly Saturday at 10 AM.

Attainable – The resources are in place as I have asked a few friends who will meet every Saturday at 10 AM at Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant.

Realistic – This is a realistic goal in my life as I will be taking this time to walk, and then eat with friends and then I will come home and study.  It is a good and reasonable way to start my day off from work.

Timely – This is a realistic time frame because it is before my other responsibilities start for the day.

Spiritual Goals -  

In the past I have dabbled at meditation and have never been good at it as I have a busy mind but this is where I am going to place my focus.  During this semester I have had an opportunity to change and grow using the meditative practices we have been taught.  I am committing to myself to spend 15 minutes per morning just being still and quiet meditating using the loving kindness practice to focus outwardly on treating others with loving actions and empathy.  I am also committing to myself to meditate in the evening before bed using a quieting technique or the human flourishing technique. 

Specific – Gaining meditative practice each day in the AM and then in the PM.

Measurable – Will be measured daily as they are completed.

Attainable – I have the resources for meditating in place, a comfortable chair that I sit straight in to promote proper breathing, a CD player and several meditation CD’s that promote loving kindness and human flourishing practices.

Realistic – This goal is realistic in my life because I rise early for spiritual work and I also complete spiritual work before bed so it is already a habit.

Timely – This is a realistic time frame as it encompasses 15 minutes scheduled in the AM before anything else occurs and 15 minutes scheduled in the evening before bed.

IV Practices for Personal Health:

The strategies I can foster to grow in the physical domain will be to add a weight lifting program to my schedule and I will arrange to return to Curves for a whole body work out.  I will also schedule a tai chi class for physical, mental and spiritual benefits.  Both of these strategies will require scheduling changes in my life.  I will develop the psychological domain by meeting with friends and socializing, going to a play once per month, completing self esteem exercises and volunteering to help others once per week teaching and using what I have learned about holistic integral health.  The strategy for spiritual growth has already been laid with mediation practices and a possible visit to a Shambhala for meditation training.  Additionally, my lunch hours are spent reading or listening to various CD’s on spiritual training or psychological training.

V Commitment:

I will assess my progress or lack of progress in the next six months by keeping a weekly journal of my goals for eating, exercising, and psychological and spiritual training and volunterring.  If I find I have been remiss in one area then I can make immediate plans to reintroduce them into my routine.  I will also include my friends and boyfriend in this process of accountability and use their encouragement and reminders to stay on track. 

The strategies that I will employ to assist me in maintaining my long-term practices for health and wellness are routine, routine, routine.  I have found that the daily repetitive action that brings the desired physical, mental and spiritual changes into affect is the best reason to stick to a positive health plan.  The feelings of human flourishing are beyond describable as they provide a sense of happiness and health that come from somewhere deep inside.  This sense of health and wellness is a form of human flourishing that is not swayed by outside circumstances such as other people, places or material items.

The processes we have learned during this course have instilled in me the knowledge that this is indeed an ongoing lifestyle that needs constant attention and nurturing (Dacher, 2006).  I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and look forward to my future ongoing development and its use when working with future patients.

Dacher, E., (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health

Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, M. & Amorok, T. (2005). Consciousness & Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body

                Medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.