Wellness and Well-Being Sarah F. Spiegelhoff, M.A., Ed.S.,

Wellness and Well-Being Sarah F. Spiegelhoff, M.A., Ed.S., NCC [email protected]

Wellness and Well-Being What is wellness? Wellness models – Wheel of Wellness & The Indivisible Self – Six Dimensions of Wellness Model – Illness/Wellness Continuum & Iceberg Model Well-Being – Hedonic & Eudaimonic – Subjective & Psychological – Flourish-Well-being Theory

Wellness and Well-Being Wellness & Well-Being in college counseling Final thoughts, Q&A

What is wellness? A way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live more fully within the human and natural community. Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (2000)

Wellness Models Wheel of Wellness – Sweeney & Witmer – Move away from physical health – Interdisciplinary: health, quality of life, longevity – Adlerian Psychology as organizing principle

Wellness Models Spirituality—most important characteristic of well-being 12 spokes direct self as person responds to Adlerian life tasks of work and leisure, friendship, and love Components of wellness are interactive

Wellness Models Indivisible Self – Empirical research not supporting Wheel of Wellness Led to creation of Indivisible Self – Statistical analyses on Wellness Evaluation Lifestyle (WEL) – Adlerian theory to create five factors

Wellness Models Essential Self – Spirituality, self-care, gender identity, & cultural identity Creative Self – Thinking, emotions, control, positive humor, & work Coping Self – Realistic beliefs, stress management, self-worth, & leisure Social Self – Friendship & love Physical Self – Exercise & nutrition

Wellness Models Indivisible Self both affected by and effect on surrounding world – Local context – Global context – Institutional context – Chronometrical context Can this model be considered ecological?

Wellness Models Myers & Sweeney claim—only empirical models based on counseling literature/theory Where/Are there other similar models in existence, and what are counseling centers using?

Wellness Models Hettler’s Six Dimensions of Wellness Model (SDWM) – Father of modern wellness movement – Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward a more successful existence

Wellness Models Criticism by Myers and Sweeney – In practical use, primarily focused on physical health Incongruence? – 6 dimensions: social, occupational, spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional

Wellness Model Indivisible Self Hettler’s SDWM

Wellness Models Travis’ Iceberg Model – Varying degrees of wellness and illness – Wellness is not static – High wellness is: giving good care to your physical self, using your mind constructively, expressing your emotions effectively, being creatively involved with those around you, and being concerned about your physical, psychological and spiritual environments

Wellness Models Travis’ Iceberg Model – Like the structure of an iceberg, wellness and illness is what is seen; whereas other facets of wellness (e.g., lifestyle, culture, spirit, motivation, etc.) must be explored below the surface

Wellness Models Travis – Energy System: life is a process and an individual’s wellness is dependent upon how s/he manages her/his energy – 12 dimensions of wellness: self-responsibility and love, breathing, sensing, eating, moving, feeling, thinking, playing and working, communicating, sex, finding meaning, transcending

Well-Being Well-being is: a complex construct that concerns optimal experience and functioning. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L.

Well-Being Hedonic (psychology) Concerned with pleasure or happiness Balance between positive and negative affect Eudaimonic Quest to actualize human potential Realize one’s true nature Focus on doing and thinking, rather than feeling

Well-Being Subjective well-being (SWB) – Research conducted within hedonic tradition – 3 distinct components: life satisfaction, positive affect, (absence of) negative affect – Life satisfaction—global cognitive evaluation of life – Major proponents Ed Diener and Daniel Kahneman – Hedonics as a basic building block of positive psychology (c. 2000)

Well-Being Psychological well-being (PWB) – Carol Ryff—argues SWB little theoretical grounding – Striving for perfection that represents the realization of one’s true potential – Draws on mental health, clinical, and life span developmental theories – 6 ideals: autonomy, personal growth, selfacceptance, purpose in life, environmental mastery, positive relations with others

Well-Being Hedonic (SWB) in counseling – Client initial help seeking behavior Heightened negative affect related to life domain or life event Eudaimonic (PWB) in counseling – Existential concerns

Well-Being Culture and well-being – Critique PWB shaped by Western individualistic moral visions SWB assumes individuals are well when happy SWB refrains from claims about good life and good person Collectivist cultures different views on wellbeing family and friends over individual Collectivist cultures more likely to use external cues

Well-Being Well-Being Theory (Seligman) – Happiness is overused and meaningless dissolve happiness into more workable terms – Happiness more than cheerful or merry – Original goal of Authentic Happiness Theory (positive psychology) increase life satisfaction

Well-Being Well-Being Theory – Topic of positive psychology well-being – Elements of well-being: positive emotion, engagement, meaning, accomplishment, and positive relationships – No one element defines well-being, but contribute to it and can be measured through self-report (subjectively) and objectively

Well-Being Flourishing as the goal of positive psychology in WellBeing Theory – To flourish an individual must have all of the core features and three of the six additional features 1 Huppert, F. A., & So, T. as cited in Seligman (2011) 1 Core features: positive emotions, engagement, interest, meaning, purpose Additional features: selfesteem, optimism, resilience, vitality, selfdetermination, positive relationships

Wellness and Well-Being Do college students who adhere to a wellness model have a greater sense of well-being? (Herman & Hazler, 1999) – Measurements: WEL, Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH) – MUNSH measures state (affective) and trait (quality of life) aspects of well-being – Significant relationship between wellness measure and state/trait well-being

Counseling Centers How can this critical understanding of wellness and well-being be implemented in our counseling with clients? Further thoughts?

References Christopher, J. C., (1999). Situating psychological well-being: Exploring the cultural roots of its theory and research. Journal of Counseling & Development, 77, 141-152. Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55(1), 34-43. doi: 10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.34 Hattie, J. A., Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2004). A factor structure of wellness: Theory, assessment, analysis, and practice. Journal of Counseling & Development, 82, 354-364. Hermon, D. A., & Hazler, R. J. (1999). Adherence to a wellness model and perceptions of psychological well-being. Journal of Counseling & Development, 77, 339-343. Hettler, B. (1976). The six dimensions of wellness model. Retrieved from http://www.nationalwellness.org/pdf/SixDimensionsFactSheet.pdf. Hettler, B. (1980). Wellness promotion on a university campus. Journal of Health Promotion and Maintenance, 3, 77-95. Hettler, B. (1984). Wellness: Encouraging a lifetime pursuit of excellence. Health Values, 8(4), 13-17.

References Kahneman, D., Diener, E., Schwarz, N. (1999). Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation. Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2004a). The indivisible self: An evidence-based model of wellness. Journal of Individual Psychology, 60(3), 234-244. Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2008). Wellness counseling: The evidence base for practice. Journal of Counseling & Development, 86, 482-493. Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (2000). The wheel of wellness counseling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78, 251-266. Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 141-166. Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well- being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069-1081.

References Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY: Free Press. Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihaly, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14. doi:10.1037//003-066X.55.1.5 Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (1991). Beyond social interest: Striving toward optimum health and wellness. Individual Psychology, 47(4), 527-540. Travis, J. W. (1981). The Wellness Inventory (3rd Edition). Mill Valley, CA: Wellness Associates. Travis, J. W. (1997). Wellness Workbook for Health Professionals. Mill Valley, CA: Wellness Resource Center. Witmer, J. M., & Sweeney, T. J. (1992). A holistic model of wellness and prevention over the life span. Journal of Counseling & Development, 71, 140-148.