Unit 9 Blog

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 health and wellness professionals to be able to convey a program with a sense of truth to it we must understand the concept of psychological, spiritual and physical growth. The only way to truly be able to understand that is by fully developing these aspects of our own health. We have to be able to teach from experience. If we approach a client preaching about something that we personally have no development or experience with then they will have a hard time taking us seriously. I, personally, need to work on all three aspects. However, I have spent years working on the physical and psychological aspects of my wellness; however, my spiritual wellness still needs work. Yoga has helped me begin to develop my spiritual side. It is a long process and I can subsequently relate better to my clients because of this journey.
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically? I have used the tools given in this course to assess my health in all of the domains mentioned above. I have found that physically I am very strong. From a psychological standpoint I am strong but could still use some work. However, from a spiritual standpoint I need quite a bit of work. I always thought myself to be a spiritual human being; however, I have not cultivated this side. The meditations and visualizations used in this course have helped me considerably.
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual. My goal development has evolved dramatically over the course of this quarter. I have come to realize that certain things are more important than other things. First and foremost, I intend to continue to meditate on a daily basis, even if it is just for 10 minutes a day. This has a dual benefit as it helps my psychological and spiritual development. I will also participate in a guided visualization daily, doing my meditation in the morning and the guided visualization in the evening. On a physical level, I intend to watch the food that I eat more closely and also will exercise at least one hour a day.
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. From a physical standpoint I can use strategies to help free up my time more so that I am able to exercise more. I will also watch my calorie intake and keep it at 1500 calories or less daily. From a psychological standpoint, I will meditate at least 10 minutes a day with working up to 20 minutes per day to help my parasympathetic nervous system and enable me to be calmer and feel better mentally. From a spiritual standpoint, I will use the guided visualization practice that we used on the CD daily as well as taking time to nurture my spiritual side by increasing my yoga as well.
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 intend on keeping a journal of my progress. I have found over the years that I am much more accountable when I write down my progress. I feel that setting small goals for me will yield the best results. When I try to set very lofty goals I generally find that I am unable to keep them. However, by taking small steps and keeping up with the goals I set daily through a journal I should see the affects and be able to assess where I am on a weekly basis in order to determine if I am moving forward or beginning to fall back into my old habits.