Unit Nine Final Project

Integral Health Assessment Final Project

Vernita Myers

Kaplan University

HW420

Dr. D.

May 26, 2014

As an aspiring health and wellness professional I cannot preach what I do not practice. I must lead by example. I lack credibility if I talk about the virtues of proper nutrition and regular exercise if I am modeling the opposite behavior. I need to be psychologically and spiritually healthy because all aspects of health are intertwined. What good is a physically fit body if I get a stroke due to poor stress management? How can I be psychologically healthy if I am in spiritual distress?

Unfortunately, due to a series of events that I have very little control over, I feel myself backsliding. In the unit three assessment I rated my physical health at a seven with a goal of eight. I feel that I have fallen to a five or six. I believe that the mental and emotional stress I have been under has caused me to suffer near-constant acute pain, which has forced me to limit my strength training routine. I have also had to reduce the duration and intensity of my cardiovascular routine as I lack full range of motion. My nutrition has similarly decreased. I unexpectedly have more mouths to feed without having the corresponding resources to accomplish the task. This means that I am sometimes forced to choose between quality and quantity.

Previously, I rated my spiritual well-being at a six. I hope that I am at least holding steady, but I am not so sure. This lack of certainty comes from the serious emotional and mental strain I have been under. My goals for regular church attendance and prayer meetings are under scrutiny. As a foster care provider for my niece and nephew, I have been told that I do not have the right nor permission to take the children to church. I also cannot leave the children unattended even though my niece is sixteen. This means that if my sister chooses to continue to lash out at her family, she can effectively prevent me from attending church. I will be forced to find another way to meet my spiritual needs. This has been a source of distress for me.

It is not my intention to continue to sound negative, but in the interest of an honest assessment I must say that my psychological health is also slipping. I am trying to meditate and still my mind, but I find the exercises harder to do each day. I am a single parent who is trying to blend my sister’s children into my household. This is something I do regularly, and would not be a source of great concern, but for the fact that the process for becoming a foster parent is intrusive and emotionally painful. Due to the sheer number of meetings, therapy appointments, inspections, court dates, and paperwork, many of my previously healthy practices have fallen to the wayside.

Now for the positive, I have this opportunity to truly choose this task that is before me. I know the sacrifices that it involves. However, my health cannot be one of those sacrifices. So here is my plan of action. I have been engaging in deep breathing whenever I feel acute stress or pain. This is not quite to the level of mindful meditation however; I must get control over my body and emotions before I can proceed much further. I have begun to slowly improve, and during my break between classes I intend to revisit all of the mindful meditation and loving-kindness exercises. I also intend to take a timeout whenever I feel my emotions are becoming too overwhelming. I will do this with the intention of calming my mind and preparing myself for the rest of the day. I tend to keep a daily journal, and in order to track my progress I will make daily notations of my physical and emotional state.

In terms of my spiritual health, I will have to actively seek help. It will no longer be enough to sit back and listen. I need to ask my church elders and prayer partners for help. I am not religious, but I am a person of faith. It is not the building I will miss, but the fellowship of the congregation. Perhaps if I reach out to them I will not have to lose that fellowship.

I am less worried about getting back to the level of physical fitness I am accustomed to. Thankfully in this area I have high self-efficacy. I know what I need to do. I will set realistic, challenging short-term and long-term goals. I know the system of rewards and positive reinforcement that works best for me. I know how to incorporate the support of family and friends. I have the skill set to complete this task. I will measure my success by tracking my workouts and physical activity, including duration, intensity, and performance outcomes. I will create an exercise prescription for myself and I will follow it. I will not torment myself for the temporary setback, but will instead remind myself that I have an opportunity to make positive change.

As my body and soul goes, my emotions will follow. I need no further convincing that there is a mind-body-soul connection. I feel it. I must identify that which is causing unnecessary pain. I must work through the pain that is necessary, for as Dacher points out, that is where the growing occurs (2006). I will take the time I need to prepare my mind each day, and I will ask for the help I need. I have so many people counting on me that I cannot afford to fail.

The challenge is to remember all the progress I have made in life, and know that I can do it again. Because of this class I now have new tools to work with. I can choose to consider my setbacks as a test. What matters most is how I overcome my obstacles. It is pushing past the pain that builds character, and character development requires intention which is on the path to integral health (Dacher, 2006).

References

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.