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Monday, April 1, 2013

UNIT 9 - Final Project


Personal Application of the Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

I. Introduction:
            It is vital for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically. By doing so will help ensure that their practice is coming from not only acquired knowledge but experience as well. It now becomes a better foundation for help and guidance from both a healee and healer’s perspective. Our personal work becomes a sacred responsibility, a way that we can help others and create a better world (Dacher, 2006). A professional needs to find fulfillment by practicing what they preach and therefore will ultimately have the ability to reach out to others in a way that is most effective. We must change ourselves if we are to change the medicine we are practicing (Dacher, 2006). I think for any individual, our journey never ends. We are constantly exploring and experiencing new realms in life. With that being said, for myself, I would need to specifically develop further into the spiritual and psychological aspect in order to achieve my goals to reach integral health.


II. Assessment
          As an individual attempting to better myself, I can admit that I have a lot to work on in each domain. In the beginning of the course, I had scored myself in the areas of physical, psychological, and spiritual a little low. Since then, I can honestly say I have been working on each but I still have awhile to reach the full potential of integral health. Physically, I would score my wellness an 8.5. Psychologically, I would score my wellness an 8. I have truly been working towards finding a place of peace within myself and with others around me. Spiritually, I would score my wellness a 6. I have found this area personally one that I struggle with the most.


III. Goal Development:
          Every individual should work towards setting goals and developing them in a timely manner. Setting goals serves a person a purpose to fulfill. There are three areas I have considered placing goals for and those sectors include physical, psychological, and spiritual. Physically, I want to be able to run a marathon and better my overall health by the end of summer. Psychologically, I want to work on forgiveness, full self-acceptance, and becoming in tune with my own mind and body. Spiritually, I want to be able to release stress in an appropriate manner and restore my calm.


IV. Practices for Personal Health:
            With every goal follows the actual movement in reaching that goal. What good are words when there are no actions to follow? There are strategies I can implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Two examples to foster growth physically include staying fit and eating healthier. I can start by creating a fitness plan to follow. I can even consider taking up a personal trainer at my gym and eliminate all the junk food from my kitchen. Two examples to foster growth psychologically include reconciling with those who I have had issues with and start over by clearing the air. I will also work on taking up yoga and continuing to exercise and do Zumba classes. Exercising in general makes me feel good and helps with my health and clears my mind. Two examples to foster growth spiritually include taking meditation seriously and allowing time to reflect. More specifically, I might just continue to practice the Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind Exercises. Both have given me the realization of areas I need to work on. This includes working on my love for others and for myself. Not to mention the need to slow down and reflect on my life rather than let it slip on by.


V. Commitment:
           Thus, each day you engage in activities that nourish your body, mind, and spirit. Gradually, you begin to gain new understandings that blossom into important realizations (Dacher, 2006). Regardless of me not fulfilling these specific goals in a timely manner (6 months) or at all, there will still be other experiences and/or goals that I will fulfill in place of the ones I have set. To assess my progress or lack of in the next six months, I can continue to write on my blog, keep a diet journal, and track my workout improvements. I believe for any consistency in maintaining long-term practices includes having that motivation, having a support system, and having specific focuses to work towards.


Reference: Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Basic Health Publications, Inc. 

3 comments:

  1. I am true believer in setting goals. It gives you life and gives you purpose so that you have something that you are working towards and you keep trying without ever giving up. You can't succeed without ever trying. Good luck with your future goals!

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  2. One of your goal developments is forgiveness which is vital if you are going to move forward. What I have learned about forgiveness is that the benefit is for me and not the other person. Forgiveness is not that the person is getting away with the wrong they have done to you but it is letting go of that wrong and giving it and them to God. It does not mean you have to allow them back in your circle to continue to hurt but for you to guard yourself with true and honest people. Thank you for allowing me to read your post and grow in these areas. I know you are committed to develop in all these area to be more effective and efficient in the healthcare field. I hope this is not the end of our developing journey because we are just getting started LOL.Great Post

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  3. Setting goals is very important to me. Not only is a accomplishment, but it also encourages me to do more and set higher goals to achieve. Learning how to control your emotions when stress and anxiety sets in is very important, yet also can be challenging. I think if you continue with your commitment you will eventually achieve all of your goals.

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