On Wellness

Definition, Dimensions, & Self-care

Deirdre Conde for Blue Hacks 2019
start with
Why!
Being well = Being able to creatively
adapt in all aspects of life resulting
in an optimal level of functioning.

(Gatterman & Brimhall, 2006 in Miller & Foster, 2010)

Being well = living your best life.

(Conde, 2019)
Deirdre, why you?

→ Mental Health Advocate

→ Licensed Psychometrician
→ Anxious Professional Nerd™
defining
Wellness
“Wellness has evolved over time,
first being defined as the absence of
physical and psychological illness,
to a concept encompassing many
more complexities.”

(Horton & Snyder, 2009)

What it is NOT

The term wellness is often confused with

other terms like health, quality of life,
and well-being.

(Rachele et al., 2013)

What it is NOT

“Health” does not account for the

journey towards optimal functioning
beyond lack of illness.

(Rachele et al., 2013)

What it is NOT

“Quality of Life” focuses on conditions

that impact upon the functional status of
the individual but does not account for
life fulfillment.

(Rachele et al., 2013)

What it is NOT

“Well-being” is considered an outcome

measure, so there is little room for
process variables where manipulation
of particular dimensions can result in
whole individual changes.

(Rachele et al., 2013)

The goal is to maximize an individual’s
potential well-being and balance that.

When examined holistically, wellness is

not static, it is a process of obtaining
optimum health for an individual versus a
state of health predetermined by society.

(Horton & Snyder, 2009)

Wellness has identifiable features:

1. Being holistic and multidimensional

2. Being about actions or processes
3. Being relative, subjective, and
perceptual
dimensions of
Wellness
World Health Organization

Wellness is the optimal state of health of

individuals and groups. There are two
focal concerns: (1) the realization of the
fullest potential of an individual
physically, psychologically, socially,
spiritually, economically, and...

(Smith, Tang, & Nutbeam, 2006)

World Health Organization

… (2) the fulfillment of one’s role

expectations in the family, community,
place of worship, workplace, and other
settings.

(Smith, Tang, & Nutbeam, 2006)

 Emotional /
Physical Social Intellectual Spiritual Occupational Environmental Cultural Economic
Psychological

Adams et al.
X X X X X X
1997

Durlak 2000 X X X

Ryan & Deci

X X X X X X
2001

Anspaugh et
X X X X X X X
al. 2004

Travis & Ryan

X X X X X X X
2004

Hales 2005 X X X X X X X

Helliwell 2005 X X X X X X X X

Myers et al
X X X X X X X X X
2005

Ryff & Singer

X X X X X X
2006

May 2007 X X X X X X X X X

Dolan et al.
X X X X X X X X X
2008

Diener et al.
X X X X X X X X X
2009

(Miller & Foster, 2010)

Wellness has identifiable features:

1. Being holistic and multidimensional

2. Being about actions or processes
3. Being relative, subjective, and
perceptual
Physical Wellness
(Horton & Snyder, 2009) (Miller & Foster, 2010)
Physical Wellness

Incorporates all aspects of lifestyle

choices and the physical self.

Optimism about good health results in higher wellness scores (Helliwell,

2005), but it doesn’t always correlate (Ryan & Deci, 2001).
Physical Wellness

❏ Maintaining a healthy exercise regime and diet

❏ Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day
❏ Monitoring internal and external physical signs of
the body’s response to events (like stress)
❏ Seeking medical care when appropriate
❏ Taking action to prevent and avoid harmful
behaviors (e.g. tobacco and excess alcohol use)
❏ Healthy physical indices (muscle tone, cholesterol
level, blood pressure, etc.)
Emotional /
Psychological
Wellness
(Horton & Snyder, 2009) (Miller & Foster, 2010)
Emotional / Psychological Wellness

A continual process that includes an

awareness and management of feelings,
and a positive view of self, the world,
and relationships.

Gaining a strong sense of purpose or identity, while maintaining

optimism, is important, as is having high self-esteem and a positive
and realistic self-concept.
Emotional / Psychological Wellness

❏ Dealing with conflict and life circumstances

❏ Having a realistic, positive, self-valuing, and
developmental view of the self
❏ Being able to reflect on emotions & communicate
with others in a constructive manner
❏ Experiencing satisfaction, curiosity, and
enjoyment in life
❏ Being able to anticipate the future with a positive
or optimistic outlook
❏ Bouncing back from setbacks or failures
Emotional / Psychological Wellness

❏ Having strong feelings of empathy and affection for

all human beings, having a greater capacity for love
and deep friendships, having a more complete
self-identification with others (self-actualization)
❏ Healthy psychological indices (level of depression,
anxiety, self-control, optimism, etc.)
❏ Finding solutions to emotional problems with the
help of a therapist if necessary
Social Wellness
(Horton & Snyder, 2009) (Miller & Foster, 2010)
Social Wellness

The ability and willingness to give and

receive support from others.

This encompasses the degree and quality of interactions with

others, the community, and nature. It includes the extent to which a
person works towards supporting the community and environment
in everyday actions.
Social Wellness

❏ Getting along with others / accepting others

different from self
❏ Being comfortable and willing to express one’s
feelings, needs, and opinions
❏ Having supportive and fulfilling relationships
❏ Being able to contribute to one’s community
❏ Being able to seek help from others
❏ Healthy social indices (e.g. size and density of
one’s social network, frequency of contact with
relatives and friends)
Intellectual Wellness
(Horton & Snyder, 2009) (Miller & Foster, 2010)
Intellectual Wellness

Involves acquiring an optimum level

of stimulating intellectual activity.

This is associated with the degree that one engages in creative and
stimulating activities, as well as the use of resources to expand
knowledge and focus on the acquisition, development, application,
and articulation of critical thinking (Hatfield & Hatfield, 1992).
Intellectual Wellness

❏ Exerting effort to share knowledge with others

❏ Developing skills and abilities to achieve a more
satisfying life
❏ Having awareness of and/or attending cultural events
❏ Seeking out opportunities to gain knowledge of
current local and world events
❏ Gaining stimulation from reading, studying, traveling,
or exposure to media
Intellectual Wellness

❏ Healthy intellectual indices (e.g. education and

learning history, cognitive style and flexibility,
attitude towards learning, functional literacy)
Examples: low levels of educational attainment are less likely to lead to high
levels of satisfying employment security and thus quality of life is reduced (Case
& Paxson, 2006); those with low levels of literacy are more likely to experience
smoking, inactivity, obesity, and poor diet.
Spiritual Wellness
(Horton & Snyder, 2009) (Miller & Foster, 2010)
Spiritual Wellness

Involves a belief in and respect for

someone or something larger than
one’s self, a “unifying force”.

It is found within shared community and there is a continual

process of finding meaning and purpose in life, while
contemplating and coming to terms with one’s place in the complex
and interrelated universe.
Spiritual Wellness

❏ Having principles or ethics to live by

❏ Seeking meaning and purpose in existence
❏ Having a commitment to / relationship with God
(or ultimate concern)
❏ Recognizing, accepting, and tolerating the
complex nature of the world
❏ Acknowledging powers that go beyond the
natural and rational
❏ Being motivated by truth, beauty, and unity
Occupational
Wellness
(Horton & Snyder, 2009) (Miller & Foster, 2010)
Occupational Wellness

Level of satisfaction and enrichment

gained by one’s work and the extent
one’s occupation allows for expression
of one’s values.

This includes the contribution of one’s unique skills, talents, and

services to the community and the level to which the individual views
their work as rewarding and meaningful (whether paid or unpaid).
Occupational Wellness

❏ Achieving a balance between occupational

responsibilities and other commitments
❏ Having opportunities for positive social
interactions at work
❏ Gaining personal satisfaction and enrichment
❏ Having opportunities to express one’s own values
through work tasks
❏ Recognizing attainment of vocational goals
❏ Reducing exposure to physical hazards
 self-care &
Wellness
Wellness has identifiable features:

1. Being holistic and multidimensional

2. Being about actions or processes
3. Being relative, subjective, and
perceptual
Holistic wellness is a journey
as opposed to a destination,
and the journey will be
different for each individual.

(Allison, 1997)
Wellness is an active process
through which the individual
becomes aware of and makes choices
towards a more successful existence.

(Hettler, 1980 in Rachele et al., 2013)

 Wellness
is holistic & multidimensional
is a process & involves actions
& takes into account the unique individual
Thanks!
Deirdre Conde
deirdre.remida@gmail.com
medium.com/@drdrconde