A HOLISTIC MODEL OF WELLNESS

Wellness is a broad concept. In this guide, we attempt to provide a

broad, yet specific sense of what it means. We invite you to think of

wellness as meaning being healthy in many dimensions of our lives.

That includes the emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual,

financial, social, environmental, and spiritual parts. These dimensions

are interconnected, one dimension building on another.

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We also recognize that we live in a multicultural world, and wellness

encompasses areas that may not be specified in this brief discussion.

We believe, for example, that trauma is a universal human experience,

and that our culture and spiritual beliefs impact our perceptions and

everything we do. In summary, wellness is about how we live our lives

and the joy and fulfillment and health we experience.

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When we worry about money (for example, debt or being able to afford what we need), (financial) we sometimes experience anxiety (emotional). This can lead to medical problems (physical), and trouble at work (occupational). When this happens, we may even question our own sense of meaning and purpose (spiritual).

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At the same time, when we are not working (occupational), we may lose opportunities to interact with others (social) and may not be able to afford the good food and medical care we need to stay well (physical). We may even need to move our home to a place that feels less safe and secure (environmental).