So I guess this is our culmination exercise how do we apply everything that we have learned and apply it to our own lives, after all how could we help anyone else if we are severely deficient?

  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?

It is so very important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically in order to help others to develop themselves. It would be near impossible to help develop something that you do not possess yourself. For example if one was to walk into a gym and want to hire a personal trainer would they not look for someone in good physical condition? Do you ask for advice from someone you feel has poor judgment? Personally I feel like I can work on all three aspects in my own life, no one is perfect and in each of the three categories there is always room for improvement.  I feel pretty comfortable in my skin, my pants size doesn’t bother me, but I have had times in my life when I was stronger or had more endurance so I could use a few miles on the road or hours with the weights. Spirit is something that always needs refreshing and development, in my life I get to a point of smooth sailing and slack off my development then BOOM something crazy (helloooo its just life) happens. Psychologically I feel pretty resilient, but that is through work so again I have to continue to work on it, (life and all the crazy things that just happen remember?).

                   II.                      Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

I assess my health in the domains by how I feel when I am being brutally honest with myself, which is not always easy. I hold to the idea that I can always improve, for example I feel like I have pretty strong spiritual convictions but could always take a boost in my faith (or when I get really mad my language). My physical body is well headed down the natural path, the one that Ben Franklin is quoted to have said is one of life’s two certainties. I look pretty good (ha ha that’s funny in print) on the outside, and try to eat right in order to prevent things like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, but know that I need a little more exercise and will power to be at my peak. Psychologically I am in a good place, I have seen death, destruction, and stupidity (the worst of these is stupidity); I have seen birth, progress, and wisdom. I have felt pain and real joy, but I have something that keeps me going- confidence and a support system so I can bounce back. (Turns out that rubber and glue thing had some precedence, who knew?)

                III.                      Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

Goals would be to complete and place highly (don’t have to win- I can leave that glory for the kids) in a Warrior Dash or Tough Mudder like event (BP is typically 100/60, RHR 58, Cholesterol 170ish but I would like to push myself a bit); get through a whole month without losing my cool (bwahahaha I have 3 kids, and 33 “not kids”), my spiritual goals include a full month remembering to pray AND have yoga sessions.

                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.

For physical growth I think I might switch gyms, my old one has taken a direction that I don’t like- something about the atmosphere has changed or maybe its me, I just don’t look forward to going anymore. I need to be challenged, but in a semi-wholesome environment, where going to the gym means getting sweaty not getting hit on. (Married, mommy, not interested.) Psychological growth will take lots of contemplating, deep thought and doing some of the resiliency training that the Army offers (global assessment tool and exercises). I plan to give a little more time to reading my Bible every day to foster spiritual growth- especially after this week! (I only have one class next term so I can use the time I have been spending reading the text for my second class on my spirituality instead).

                   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 can use this actual assessment to see in six months if I have accomplished or even made progress toward any of my goals. For physical checking my run times or how out of breath I am after a good sweat session would be good indicators. Spiritual and psychological growth would have to be assessed by my happiness level, I know when I am in a better or worse place mentally and spiritually- there is a pleasure in simple things and stress level that change when I get out of whack in either of these areas.

Meditating through internet issues.

Something is going crazy with my computer and I have read and tried to post to several of my classmates blogs. In addition to dropping the Prof a note here is the last two I tried to post to (once I got smart and saved stuff to a word doc. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the practices that my classmates best enjoy and how they plan to incorporate these into future lifestyle.

The following is a copy and paste from my word doc.:

1.       Becky Williams

http://healthyfootstepsoflife.blogspot.com/2014/02/beneficial-mental-exercises.html#comment-form

Becky

I had the same decision making issue this week. A daily meditative process can do so much for us mentally and physically. I too find that the Universal Loving kindness with its shorter time frame can be helpful, when I am most stressed is when I have the least time. (Imagine that -LOL)

I also use yoga in the evenings to bleed that stress relief over into my body, even just a 10-15 minute soft stretch and breathing session can help to clear my mind.

Best of luck in final week!

2.      Scott Cranfill

http://scottcranfill.blogspot.com/2014/02/beneficial-practices-unit-8.html#comment-form

Rachel

Scott

Incorporating practices into our lives is very beneficial, mind and body. I find that visualization helps me immensely, especially when I was overseas and planning for missions. Looking into myself and trying to go over scenarios and ways to accomplish the mission.

As always great posts and best of luck for final week.

Rachel

Unit 7
The Aesculapius mp3 meditation exercise, like all other guided exercises is a struggle for me. I am very much a relax at my own pace type of person, but because I know that everyone has different needs (not just in relaxing but nutrition, education, exercise ...) I try to keep an open mind. I actually visualized the great grandmother who raised my mom and her 3 sisters, by the time I was old enough to form solid memories she had begun to lose a battle with dementia but in her younger days had raised her children, siblings children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and was well versed in Appalachian medical remedies and knowledge. It was nice to see her face again, and think about the peace and love I always felt around her. 

This particular mediation practice is great for every now and then, especially when I feel like I need a change (sometimes doing the exact same thing day in and day out becomes too routine- just going through the motions because I know what should come next). It may be fantastic for someone who enjoys the led meditation, I did feel more refreshed after.

• Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (p.477). How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?

I had never been to the Middle East, but took seven young medics there and it was my duty to keep them safe/ teach them to be better medics/ develop them into better soldiers and provide the best care for the most people possible. I had not gone there before my soldiers, we experienced this together, and yet I lead. Everyone came home, five were promoted (and deserved it 10 times over), all had a higher skill and confidence level- we lost no soldiers either.

I have never experienced the pain of congestive heart failure, sexual assault or the passing of a child, but am often called on to relieve, advocate, and comfort any given situation.

What I have not personally experienced, I have to study. I can use my personal knowledge of emotion and compassion combined with knowledge from others- books, case studies, intelligence gathered and briefed, drills, and training to help my patients. A map may not be the same as the actual place, but if you can read the map and understand what a hill or a stream looks like you might be able to infer the rest. I believe that just because we have not experienced every possible situation does not mean that we cannot combine genuine caring with external information to better help our patients. Of course that education is and should be a part of psychological and spiritual growth. After every class one takes do we not change our thinking habits or opinions once we have been exposed to factual information? Isn't that growth.

I think that the spirit of the text may have been something all medics learn in W school- treat the patient not the machine, which simply means each of us is unique, special, and wonderful so all will have different reasons behind why that monitor is screaming. (Oh and machines break.)

Universal Loving Kindness Exercise

Beginning with closing my eyes and resting into the natural ease of my mind and body was super easy and something I usually do daily anyway- for several reasons mostly because I want to leave work at work, school at school, and give my best self to my family.

Now dedicating an entire 10 minutes to repeating anything is a different story. I had to start this exercise about 4 times before getting a whole ten minutes in. Like most parents I have a stressful life- but good stress so I have picked up several centering and calming things to do that take a lot less time, and have equally easing results.
When I did get 10 minutes in I found myself refreshed, again no more than from a 2-3 minute grounding exercise, but calmer none the less for all of 3 seconds. I had to pop 3 Monster High heads back on, super glue a dolphin-bank, and figure out where the 2 year old found a box of nitrile gloves (not even going into why she was filling them with water). 10 minutes is just too long, even with the other parent in the house (he is the one who accidentally broke the heads trying to get the dolls re-dressed) so I don't think I will be using this particular exercise in my future routine.

The Integral Assessment was a little different, looking internally to find the source of difficulty or suffering in my own life was good, because it only took a little time over a few days. Once I decided exactly what I needed (or think I need) to focus on focusing on healing that area was really uplifting. Focusing on promoting promoting development for the area(s) that could use help was also helpful, and I think that in even as short time period I have seen some improvement. I am sure that other exercise will be beneficial, and although I have some staples I am open to new suggestions.

Today my Wellness was def in need of a recharge! I worked really late (midnightish) then had to be in at 0700. Stealing five minutes to sit quietly and center helps tons, but by 2 pm I realized I hadn't had anything but coffee all day, sure it is American grown Kona but I was acting like Robin Williams on a Snickers commerical. My normal go to when I am stuck away from a grocery store/ farmers market/ my kitchen is an Odwalla bar but was out so I had to bum a Cliff- anyone have any decent and minimally processed options that store semi well in a purse or desk drawer?

The relaxation exercise at:
http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW420/JourneyOn.mp3

with the soothing music, low toned narrative, and direction for relaxation did help me to feel me relaxed and reminded me of a technique called grounding that I picked up from a friend. I am not a big fan of the music preferring a cool quiet room to practice breathing techniques, yoga, or meditation and prayer, but to each his own. Guided relaxation is great beginners or when someone is so stressed and caught up in that moment of crazy that even getting started on the wind down process.

Reflections

I look back at what I know about taking care of myself, my family,and patients. I have found that often a person's inner health and strength can affect the outcome of a situation whether that be ailment, injury, or experience. I have been an EMT, MA, medical NCOIC and perpetually a student, but hope to be a board certified physician assistant eventually and when I am an actual NPI #ed provider I want to give the best possible care to my patients and hope that I can not only help them heal physically but turn them on to a path of inner strength and health that can give them a better prognosis for future issues.