Final Assessment and Summary

My personal assessment has not really changed very much in the past six weeks since unit three.  At that time, I rated myself a 5 in the area of physical health.  I have made small progress in my goal of continued weight loss, and my blood glucose continues to drop point by point, but I have yet to incorporate the goal of increasing my physical activity to include a walking program.  I am struggling to fit it in with the amount of overtime I am working and the other responsibilities I have.  I would say I have improved slightly to a 5.5.

Spiritually I have remained an 8.  I think it is difficult to see a significant amount of growth over such a short period of time.  However, I am more aware after reading the text and visiting the website in Dacher’s resource list of the practices of the Buddhist faith and traditions.  I have learned a lot about the philosophies of the Buddhist religion and its meditative practices that promote a universal consciousness and path to self-enlightenment.  If anything I am strengthened in my Christian faith that tells me I do not have to have it all figured out in all the other areas of my life before I can experience a rich, rewarding, and healing spiritual life.  I would give myself a bump by 0.5 for strengthening that belief to land at an 8.5.

Psychological health improves day by day as I work through what it means to be a divorcee and single mom.  I would say I have slightly improved from a 4 to a 5.  One thing that I do agree with that was highlighted in this class is the concept of negative self-talk and how damaging it can be to our overall health and wellbeing.  I do not think this idea is unique to the integral health concept though.  The science of psychology has many treatment techniques that promote positive self-talk, and the even more important, the Bible is full of verses that speak to our unique and special qualities as children of God.  These verses help us to break free of the bondage of what and who the world says we are.  They remind us that God does not look at the outward appearance but loves us just the way He created us.  They are the best positive self-talk you can hear.   

I have made progress toward my goals in each area.  Physically, I have lost weight in the last six weeks and my blood glucose continues to improve.  I have implemented improvements to my diet and am eating foods that better support my diabetes and weight loss goals.  Spiritually I have grown in that I am more educated about another religion, and have deepened my faith in why I believe what I believe.   I have not been able to join a small group Bible study yet as time just does not allow me to do so at this time.  I plan to implement that again once I am not working such a crazy schedule.  Psychologically I am replacing negative self talk with positive and am learning to slow down in order to connect daily with my thoughts.   I have implemented more quiet time for self reflection, mediation and prayer.

My experience throughout the term has been very disappointing.  The course title led me to believe that this would be more of a psychology-based course that would examine behavior and change-behavior techniques that would better able me to help my future clients change negative health habits from a psychological perspective.  I had hoped for a much broader scope of spiritual examination and instead got what I felt was a very one-sided review based primarily on the teachings of Elliott Dacher and those who agree with his philosophy and traditions.  To that end, I am not a convert to Dacher’s way of thinking, nor do I think he is even a very good writer.  There was no real examination of anything other than Buddhist philosophy.  The course was difficult for me because when it comes to my degree program, there is very little I will use based on my personal religion and world view.  I don’t see myself ever promoting the Buddhist religion and philosophy.  Has it improved my well-being?  Not really.  Has it been rewarding?  No.   Will it allow me to assist others?  I did not really learn anything that I would implement with my clients from the same perspective that it was taught.  The best thing for me is that it is over.

Integral Health Plan

Integral Health Plan

Integral Health is a concept that embraces developing and fostering all aspects of human health including physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  Its philosophy promotes reaching the highest level of health, human flourishing, by working through a series of steps that address emotional and spiritual issues so that the human reaches a level of peace and harmony wherein the body is able to heal itself.  By achieving human flourishing, the body is not only able to heal itself, but the many diseases brought on by chronic stress such as heart disease, digestive disorders, sleep disturbances, and even some kinds of cancers, can be prevented altogether (Dacher, 2006).

It is important for the health and wellness professional to realize that the mind/body connection is real.  When an individual is suffering from poor physical health, it is important to prescribe activities that will foster better nutrition and physical activity.  When we are physically sluggish, it is difficult to deal with the others areas of wellness; emotional and spiritual.  Our thought patterns, how we deal with stress and stressful situations, and our overall attitudes, all have a profound effect on the body and its ability to ward off illness and disease.  By addressing emotional health issues and learning more effective coping mechanisms individuals promote a more balanced mind/body harmony.  Spiritual development is also an important factor as it allows one to feel connected to God, have fellowship with a community of believers, and make sense of their purpose in life (Dacher, 2006).

I personally struggle in the areas of physical and emotional health, with spiritual health being my most developed and satisfying area of development.  This goes completely against Dacher’s philosophy that in order to have spiritual development you have to be “whole” physically and emotionally.

My physical health is a work in progress.  I have lost a significant amount of weight in the last five years, but hit a wall and have not concentrated on weight loss for over two years now, to my detriment.  I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, so I have refocused my efforts on losing the last 70 pounds I need to lose and am so excited to state that I hit a short-term weight loss goal this week!  In addition to my long-term weight loss goal, I have also set a goal to begin my walking program again.  I have the program mapped out and am figuring out the timing in order to fit it in to my busy day.  I also have a goal to continue to watch my carbohydrate intake to promote a healthier diet to support my diabetes diagnoses.  My emotional health has taken a beating over the last several years as I went through a separation and eventual divorce.  My self-esteem was pretty much shattered.  I have had extensive counseling and can say that I have come a long way in five years but still struggle with feelings of self-worth often.  My goal is to rid myself of these negative thought patterns.  This is where my wonderful spiritual life comes in to play, because God’s word tells me I am uniquely created and loved and this is a great sense of comfort and truth for me.  I have grown so much in my spiritual walk through this time, I plan to continue to study the Bible and a goal I have is to join a small group Bible study that is starting at my church in a few weeks.

My practices for personal health include physical exercise and a nutritional diet.  My physical exercise will include a walking program, and I am hoping to re-join the gym soon to start aquatic exercise again.  My habits for good nutrition include planning ahead and cooking at home as much as possible so that I have control over the way my food is cooked and portion sizes.  I can eat more whole foods and have healthy leftovers for lunch.  The practices for my emotional health include continued counseling, and eliminating the negative self-talk and replacing that with positive self-talk.  Spiritual health practices include reading my Bible, spending quiet time meditating on what God’s word has to say to me, and continuing to go to church every week.

The areas in which I need the most growth will be easy to measure by getting on the scale and testing my blood glucose levels, which I do daily.  As I work toward being more physically active and eating better, it should show on the scales with consistent weight loss.  These steps should also help me control my blood glucose which is also easily measured.  Since I have a chronic disease in which diet and exercise play a major role, I will have to maintain these goals for a lifetime in order to manage my disease.  The complications that can come from not managing my diabetes are a motivator for me to continue on this path to wellness.  Emotionally, I cannot imagine incorporating many of the techniques learned in this class on a routine basis.  I enjoy the meditative techniques such as visualization and find them relaxing, but as far as the mental exercises we practiced in this course, I did not get anything out of them other that a sense that practicing breathing techniques is a successful way to reduce stress.  I will incorporate that technique often.  As for my spiritual health, I cannot ever imagine I will not trust and follow the God of the universe that created me and loves me and has a purpose for my life.  Continuing my Bible study and prayer will help me in my spiritual growth.

Reference

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: the Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Mental Fitness: My Picks

Of the exercises we have practiced this term, I prefer the Subtle Mind and Visualization techniques.  To review, the Subtle Mind technique focuses on breathing while allowing thoughts to come and go, but always focusing on breathing.  I like this technique because it can be done by anyone and is not difficult to master with a little practice.  You also don’t need any special props, although calming music or nature sounds can be used if you prefer.  Breathing techniques are proven stress reducers by altering the physiology through decreasing blood pressure, pulse, and respirations.  By focusing on breathing, you also stay centered on one thought or action, which quiets your mind from all the chatter.  When thoughts enter in, you simply return your focus to your breath.  I have started practicing this technique during my breaks while at work.  My job can be stressful so this is a way to have a little peace in the midst of my day.  I have also tried this following my daily devotional which is usually just before I go to bed.  I have found that most times it is very effective at coaxing me right to sleep because instead of going through the laundry list of everything that happened that day, or what the next holds in store, I simply concentrate on my breathing and fall right to sleep.  Most recently, I tried this breathing technique in the midst of a stressful situation with a family member, where I simply concentrated on my breath, and it was enough of a time-out to focus my thoughts so that I could choose what to react to and what to let go.

I did not really care for the visualization exercises we completed in this class, but rather prefer the guided imagery visualizations in my Stress Management class.  In those visualizations, we were prompted to imagine a peaceful place; my favorite was a cabin in the mountains during a gentle snowfall, and focus on everything our senses would take in; the sights, the aromas, the sounds, the textures.  Because I was focusing on every detail of my “dream cabin” vacation spot, it was easy for me to push away all the other thoughts that crowded my mind and made me stress out.  I really enjoy this kind of mental exercise.  Again, it can be done anywhere, and there are no special props needed, although a quiet place does help.  The benefit is that you can keep going back to that same cabin, revisiting it like a favorite vacation spot, or go somewhere completely different the next time.  I have not practiced this very often because I find that for me it is time consuming because I can get lost in the imagery for quite some time.  I could write a novel in my head about all my experiences in my cabin!  This would be good if I were drifting off to sleep, but not so good in the middle of the day when time might be limited.  You would have to pick a spot where you were okay just popping in for a brief visit.  I have tried this many times when I just need a break from life.  In the evening when I get home is the best time for me to just sit and relax using this technique.  It lets me let go of the day and be more relaxed for an evening with my family.      

Meeting Aesclepius

Once again, I failed to connect with this meditation practice.  The whole concept of the beams of light emitting from holes in the body is just weird to me, especially when prompted to suck my wise person in through my forehead as their light explodes into nothingness.  I don’t get anything from these types of exercises and they are more frustrating to me than healing.  I find them a waste of time and knowing that I have to blog about them is stressful when I get nothing out of them.  My spiritual wellness has not improved so far. 

The only thing I get out of these exercises is that I get to close my eyes and listen to waves for 20 minute intervals and I guess that is relaxing.  If I were to apply these practices on a more frequent basis perhaps I would get more out of them, but my spiritual practices just differ greatly than those of Buddhist meditation, which is what this is.  I prefer to concentrate on other kinds of meditative practices that align with my faith tradition and the Creator God of the universe instead of a collective consciousness that is full of mysticism and ambiguity.

The saying “one cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” means that in order to help someone you must have experienced the same thing that you are leading them through.   I agree with this to a point.  If you believe this literally, then you would have to assume that a personal trainer could not lead an obese person to health, because in order to do so, the trainer would have had to journey from obesity to health himself.  That is an absurd concept.  Most personal fitness trainers I have met have never been fat a day in their lives.  How would they know how to journey through something they had not experienced?  So I believe that it is possible for someone to impart knowledge to someone else without having had the exact same experience. 

When it pertains to health, I do believe that in order to have credibility, you have to be walking the walk.  That does not mean that you have to have it all together, but you should at least be heading down the same path and practicing and modeling the behavior you are teaching.  In order to do so, you must have in place your own personal plan for physical fitness, emotional health, and spiritual growth.  You must commit to growth in these areas so that you can encourage others to move along a similar path to integrated wellness.