Unit 9 Final Project

xxxxxxxxxx Kaplan University HW420 Creating Wellness Prof: Dorette Nysewander

Final Project

Unit nine project gives an opportunity to create a plan that applies all concepts that have been taught regarding integral health and holistic concepts. This plan will foster individual growth toward integral health and will outline steps for growth in the following individual fields: spiritually, physically, and psychologically.

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? This is our final project for our course in Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing.

As a para-professional health practitioner it is important to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically; this gives personal of goals for the betterment of themselves. It is important for personal growth and wellness as well as developing integral health and gaining life skills and abilities. Growing these aspects of ones humanity can only bring them closer to the final goal of integral health; health, happiness and wholeness.

As for me if I know I have a lot of personal growth to do. Mostly I have only taken care of my physical body and became frustrated when I saw little improvement (insomnia, weight fluctuation, depression and anxiety). Now, I have decided to develop myself as a whole not ignoring other aspects of myself. Of the three I need to focus on my psychological and spiritual health.

II.Assessment: How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically? During this course I have had several opportunities to assess myself and my overall health in each category of development. I have done several things in order to assess myself. Of these I have done the following; meditated, contemplated by myself, I have even talked with others (mentors, counselors or close friends) all to find where I fall within the spectrum of integral health and development.

What I have found is physically I am in fairly good shape. Recently I have taken steps to care for my psychological health in hopes of stabilizing my mental and emotional health. Also, it had come to my attention that developing spiritually may help as well. This was before we started class. Now I have more resources and a better idea of how to develop and take care of myself holistically. Realizing that my goals for my own development were a natural progression and longing towards integral health reassures me that I am the correct path.

III.Goal development: List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual. When one is asked to set goals for themselves it can become tedious or overwhelming. Normally I am not a goal setter. I get ideas of what I want to do with my life and never write them down, for this I made an exception. I want to become better and help others without sacrificing myself. Goals I have set for myself include:

Spiritual: Research religions, find a few to study. Ultimately decide on what religion best resonates with me. Psychological: Find what makes me happy. Be OK with being alone. Heal past emotional traumas. To stay physically fit by exercising regularly and adding mindful meditation to my regular workouts. Exercise outside more. Physical: Continue to stay physically active. Stabilize diet. Stabilize weight. Sleep better by being able to sleep through the night and finding sleep more easily 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. Goals are one thing, a plan to carry them out as a whole other monster. Though the path for integral health is unique to

the individual that does not mean one must walk the path alone. In order to give the best chances of reaching integral health one must develop a support network of practitioners and like minded friends.

The plans of action I have developed for myself have consisted of finding professionals within the psychological and spiritual practices (seeing as these are the two aspects I need most help in). I have already accomplished this. After finding these individuals, I feel, that have my best intentions and my goals in mind we set to work. W ith my health team we have come up with a series practices help move me forward in life and health.

Spiritual:

As this class comes to a conclusion and I begin my break I will be researching religions. A friend whom has already taken this religious study in the past has offered the titles of several books she found to the relevant and helpful. I have much to reading to do before finding individuals that practice these religions in order for me to ask questions and get a better understanding of.

I have been meditating via guiding meditation practices; truly contemplating what is inside and attempting to not focus on exterior problems. I have also been spending more time outside/ not plugged in and find and truly enjoy not constantly being surrounded by technology.

Psychological:

I have recently started seeing it in energy worker. She believes with her help and knowledge she can help me to stabilize my inner energy and start to heal from childhood traumas. We will be trying chakra alignments along with acoustic therapy and energy eating. To help with my insomnia she has asked me to keep a healing and journal. I am to write every night of my thoughts and feelings. I am also to write to my spirit guide asking questions of things I would like to know or seek guidance for.

Physical:

I have begun practicing yoga along with normal exercise. I also had an encounter with another personal trainer who gave me tips and ideas for exercises I have not considered since my accident1. Now I employ these techniques within my workout. I have added a visualization exercise as well. As I concentrate on working my physical self I see in my mind, excess weight, stress, and negativity sloughing off my skin; off and away from my body.

I do not see my actions and plan of late automatically bringing me to a higher level of integral health. It will take time, support and possibly more practitioners to assist me in my goals. This is only the beginning of my journey and I intend to work on it as a

Such as more free weights paired with resistance exercises vs. machine lifts. When exercises are performed on a weight machine to enhance resistance they are typically a poor substitute for completing the exercise with free weights (the machines isolate specific muscles for the movement but take out normal positioning and remove assistance from other muscle groups).

lifetime practice in order to better myself and to give opportunity to those around me.

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? I feel it may be fairly easy to assess my progress over the next several weeks with the assistance of my health team. I have already come so far within the past few weeks and really year that Ive been out here. As for reassessing in six months I believe I shall do a similar assessment from my original. This will consist of meditating, self contemplation and verification via friends and wellness practitioners.

Strategies I can use to assist my long-term practices for integral health will consist of:

Spiritual: Finding and practicing a religion(s) that best suit my current beliefs; leaving room for personal development. This, in hopes, will lead to a support network of like minded individuals when it comes to this walk of life; then sharing my ideas and path with those who ask.

Psychological:

One can relieve emotional and mental stress by becoming more settled in the here now instead of worrying about the past or future. In order to do so I shall continue on with mindful meditation and possibly add animal therapy. As of this week I am a foster mother for a friends cat. I am not sure how long I will be able to keep her but I am already feeling love and tenderness for this animal and it is lowering my stress levels.

Physical: I will continue to exercise on a fairly frequent basis (approximately every other day) and engage in outdoor activities either by myself or with a group as frequently as possible. If I become frustrated with lack of results I can consult other personal trainers or physical therapists on ideas for exercises.

In conclusion this class has been enlightening. I had already naturally been drawn to starting forward into integral health before knowing what it truly was. I have several weeks now to focus on my own development. I have a better idea of what to work on and what will be most beneficial for myself. I also have the start of my own health team that I can draw on for support and knowledge. Using the resources from within our books and class materials I should not find myself stuck/no longer progressing towards health and wellness.

Bibliography
Dacher, E. M. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, A. M. (2005). Consciousness & Healing : Integral Approches to Mind- Body Medicine. St. Louis: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.