project 9

I guess I don't have any more space unless I buy some. So I am just going to post in here my project. Sorry it doesn't look right.


Personal Application of the Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing - Project
Laurie Haynes, HW420 – 02
Kaplan University



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? Integral health can only be known and achieved through the development of our inner life and our inner healing capacities. If we want a more profound health and life, we must believe in its possibility and then learn how to develop our consciousness. The movement we start to seriously invest in growing our inner life and acquiring its natural healing resources, we simultaneously step out of our ordinary ideas about health and begin the climb toward the treasures at the summit of extraordinary health (Dacher, 2006). The number one thing that health and wellness professionals and patients need to understand is everything is connected and each part is used to help the other part function. Our body is connected to our mind and our mind is connected to our spirit. It is basically one functioning piece but a focus on each individual part also needs to be performed. Each individual has their own uniqueness about them. The mind/body approach to healing recognizes the role of anxiety, stress, and other mental factors in the development, perpetuation, and recurrence of illness. As these factors are explored, it becomes possible to tailor a series of mind/body approaches such as psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, yoga, and biofeedback (Dacher, 2006).
The area that I need to personally develop is physically. I am over weight and worry about the belly fat I carry around. I have been thinking about it for quite some time and I have developed a plan; thanks to this class.
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically? My physical well being is below average (3). I am over weight but I am taking steps to make that go away. The company I work for believes in a healthy employee and I am starting to really think about my health. I have been going to Curves at least 3 or 4 times a week and I am starting to eat right. I believe it is never too late!
My spiritual well being is intact and I would say I am average (5). I thank God every day for being alive and for all of the things I have. I have a wonderful family and a good job. I pray every day but I do not go to church. I am a Catholic, born and raised but I really don't believe in everything they had to say; I feel the same with the Baptist religion. I know who my maker is and where I am going and that is good enough for me.
My psychological well being; that is a tough one. I believe I am sane enough! (7) I do harbor some feelings about things that I could let go of and possibly even share. I do feel my scores will improve the more I continue with the studies I have learned within this class.
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
My goals:
physical: I plan on stepping up my exercise plan and eating plan. I started Curves and recently built myself up to four days a week for exercise and sometimes I go five days a week. I have now got two other ladies from work going with me. The buddy system really helps. Spiritual and psychological: I feel these will go together. I will sit for 2 times this week and try some meditation. This was a goal I had set for myself when we did this assignment for the first time. Unfortunately, I have not been able to commit to this goal. I have however been able to steal many times during the day to close my eyes and reflect. I have even been able to do this during my work outs and been able to focus on the part of my body the machine is supposed to work. My ultimate goal is to be able to have a class for myself once or twice a week. I did purchase my very first yoga DVD. It is Ann Smith, inhale, exhale, stretch, and move. I am very anxious to get started on it.
These goals can be achieved by me putting my mind to it and not setting myself up for failure. I have to push myself to make sure I do achieve the results I want. I have written my goals and placed them on mirrors and at my desk so I will not forget them. I am hoping to train my mind with the notes. I have been more aware of what I am putting in my mouth and I have been recording as well. However, I am so burned out on it and quite frankly, I am exhausted. I am working on other avenues. (Haynes, 2010).
I have really enjoyed the relaxation assignments throughout this class. The ones I have liked best are the ones the professor has done with us in seminar. I especially like the animal spirit one. That is the only one I can’t get out of my mind because I actually had an experience through that one. I thought it to be truly amazing! I am currently looking for a CD that will walk me through some of those. The CD we got with the class is a little messed up and although I like some of it, I would rather have more on the animal spirit and the person that I see as the most wise in my life.
I also have one more goal and it is a new one for me. One day ago, I went to visit a biofeedback therapist. It was very interesting listening to what she had to say. She addressed three major issues of me and what was weird is she wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know. Of course, she gave greater detail and I learned a lot. She gave me quite a bit of information for me to work on my problem areas and I am going to pursue changes to the fullest of my capabilities. I am anxious to get started.
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 believe integral health is something I can fit into my daily life. In order to do that I need to focus on each domain individually but also know that each will intertwine with each other. First and foremost, I think continuing on my physical domain will be best for me. It is almost the leader of the three domains. If I am thinner then I will be happier, for many reasons but mostly because I will not have health issues. The two examples of exercise will be continuing at Curves. The workout is fun and the other women bring companionship and friendship. Relationships like that should be in every person’s life. They help one to be on the path to integral health. The second exercise I will be focusing on for my physical domain is yoga. I will be starting the new DVD I mentioned above. I am striving for two classes a week. In order to implement these changes into my life I will go to Curves during lunch. This will help me to say “no” to going out to lunch with the girls and blowing my days worth of calories on some fatty food. As far as my yoga class goes, I want to have a gym bag ready with clothes for me to change into. That way when I get home, I will know it is time to get ready for class and I will plug the DVD in and do my class. I will need to write the class time in my planner so I will remember and know what I have to do that night and not plan anything else around it.
Since my physical domain will have some control over my psychological domain it will be crucial to work on this area next. I have already incorporated some strategy to this domain. I will continue to have my massage therapy twice a week. In order to really relax through my massage therapy, I will light my fountain and listen intently to the water running through the candles, I will have relaxing type music playing in the background, and I will close my eyes and think of either my animal spirit or just concentrate on my breathing throughout the stone massage that I will be receiving. All of my body will be relaxed and calm. The second practice I will put into effect is to find a CD that will help me to walk through relaxation exercises. I am looking for one that does the same the professor did for us in seminar. I will do this at least twice a week as well and maybe even incorporate it into the yoga class I will be setting up for myself.
The third domain is a harder one to foster growth in. I am not a church going person. I do however, believe in the Lord and know that what I have is because of him. I don’t really intend on implementing going to church for the sake of growing in this domain. However, I do pray every day. I talk to the Lord on a daily basis and not just to ask for help but to also just say thanks for all he does for me and my family. I believe that meditation is a way to foster growth in the spiritual domain and I will do this when working on my yoga and my relaxation exercises. I believe all of these domains go together and doing any of these practices or exercises is going to foster growth and help me to become one with me.
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?
One way that I will assess my progress, is to post my goals in places that I will see them. This will help me to remember what my goals were and it will be a constant reminder of my progress. Growth in the domains of physical, psychological, and spiritual is to start a journal of my daily activities. Just writing my thoughts will help me to see where I need to work and it will also show my progress over time. I want to continue to see the biofeedback therapist and try the suggestions she makes as well. I will implement the changes she says I need to do to make me a better and healthier person. Long term practices in health and wellness will be to stay involved with it. Find knowledge and information from others. Read books on it and try new things. The key is to be open-minded.
To sum it all up, integral health is an important part of everyone’s health and welfare. It takes all areas of the body to help make the mind and spirit work. It is about recognizing what I need as an individual and acting upon it. Knowing my mind, body, and spirit will help me to give loving-kindness when needed and to be more aware of what I need as well. I have listed a few items that I will be working on in the future and since the book was so interesting, I am sure I will read it again.











References:
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health. The path to human flourishing. Location: Basic Health
Publications, Inc.
Haynes, L. (2010). (http://smiles4u43.blogspot.com/).