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Unit 9 Project
Jonathan Snyder
HW420
November 18, 2014
Professor Maule

UNIT 9 PROJECT

1. Introduction:
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop in each of the
main areas psychological, spiritual, and physical wellness. This allows them to
practice what they preach; I feel it makes the professional more credible to the
patients that they are helping. I found a study in the library that looked at how
important a holistic approach to wellness in helping college students improve
their health. One journal states results indicate that a holistic model of health is
useful for increasing activity and short-term adherence to a lifestyle approach to
health (Joseph Gieck et al, 2007). As you can see one of the best ways to really
make a health change more than a fad diet or 8 week workout program is to make
it a total lifestyle change; specifically a holistic approach. In my own life I need to
continue to develop each aspect of wellness, physical, mental, and spiritual. By
doing this I can not only improve my own wellness, but use my own life
experiences as teaching points to my future clients.
2. Assessment:
I found one really cool study that looked at this aspect specifically. They were
trying to create a way to test the knowledge and improvement of the participants
of the study in each aspect of holistic wellness. The study states results of the
psychometric testing indicate that the OLP is a reliable tool in assessing the six
dimensions of the total person concept as defined by Canyon Ranch (Harry
McDermott et al, 2000). Professionally I would love to use one of these
assessment tools or to be part of a study like this. However, right now I have been
assessing how well I have improved in each aspect subjectively. I feel that by
looking back to where each aspect was at the beginning of the class compared to
now I have grown in each aspect amazingly well. I still feel that my physical

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aspect was one of the highest components for the simple fact that I have been
working out and trying to keep my nutrition on point. However, at the beginning
of this class I would say that I was severly lacking in my spiritual and
psychological aspects. I can tell now though just with the positive changes that
have been made in my life that my psychological and spiritual aspects of wellness
has drastically improved. At the beginning of this class I would say that those two
components would be around a 5, but now I can honestly say that out of a 10
point scale all aspects are rated right now at about an 8!
3. Goal Development:
As you know setting goals is one of the most important things that you have to do
to make sure you make a real lifestyle change. It also serves as a way to
subjectively see how you are progressing in each aspect of your wellness. My
physical goal is to continue working out and following an organic nutritious diet
in hopes of decreasing my body fat percentage. My spiritual goal is to continue
learning as much as possible to connect with the environment and the world
around me on a deeper connection. Lastly, my goal for my psychological or
mental wellness is to continue meditating, but also to incorporate more lovingkindness exercises.
4. Practices for personal health:
The two strategies I will continue to incorporate in my physical wellness aspect is
to not only continue working out and eating well, but also to make sure Im eating
based off my basal metabolic rate and continue doing the calculations to figure
out my body fat percentage. The two exercises that I really want to continue
practicing in my psychological wellness is meditation and the loving-kindness
exercise that Elliott Dacher proposed. Dacher states remember this is an inner

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practice whose primary goal is to create a heartfelt loving-kindness that

diminishes your self-centeredness and quiets your mind (Dacher, 2006). I will
continue doing each for a total of 15-30 minutes each day; meditation in the
morning and loving-kindness after work before I go to bed. Lastly, my spiritual
exercises that I like to continue is the subtle mind exercise and to learn as much as
I can through reading and research for my spiritual beliefs. I will do the subtle
mind exercise each Sunday and also use that as a day to expand my spiritual
wellness.
5. Commitment
In my physical wellness I will not only do my measurements for my body fat
percentages, but also once a month do a fitness test just like I used to do while in
the Air Force to see how well I have developed physically. In my spiritual and
psychological wellness I will try to gauge how much more positive things have
happened in my life and to see if I have noticed a lot less stress in my life like I
have already noticed. I will also use personal relationships in my life such as
family and friends to use as a gauge to see if they have noticed positive changes I
have made in my life. I feel that by doing this combination I can not only see
changes and progress subjectively but also objectively through my family and
friends!
References

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

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Harry McDermott, Richard Papenfuss, Phillip Eichling, Dan Baker, Kathleen Johnson, Michael
Hewitt. (2000). Optimal Living Profile: An Inventory to Assess Health and Wellness.
American Journal of Health Behavior, 403-412.
Joseph Gieck, Sara Olsen. (2007). Holistic Wellness as a Means to Developing a Lifestyle
Approach to Health Behavior Among College Students. Journal of American College
Health Vol. 56, 29-35.