The Wellness Philosophy

THE WELLNESS PHILOSOPHY

InnerWisdom's fundamental philosophy is based on the concept that wellness, as it relates to complete health and wellbeing, is a combination of different aspects of one's life and social environment. Although InnerWisdom focuses on the issues that are presented regarding mental health care, we also evaluate and address other areas of the individual's life that appear to be problematic.

Wellness is more than nutrition, exercise, or the state of freedom of disease. It is a dynamic state of awareness of the nonphysical aspects of life such as will, motivation, feelings, desires, sense of purpose, thoughts, memories, and beliefs.

Wellness is self-empowerment and the pursuit of the passions of one's life that enhances the core essence. The state of wellness influences occupation, friendships, social involvement and self-worth. A life-style of wellness creates a positive attitude toward self, others, and society in general. It is a willingness to learn and experience new ideas, and to establish a positive approach toward an imperfect life.

Wellness is about training the mind to acknowledge only positive attitudes, beliefs and thoughts, while revising and reframing negative or self-destructive ones.

Anyone who seriously undertakes a recovery program must be well prepared before beginning the process. Listed here are steps that should be taken before the journey begins. As in a journey by automobile to another destination, you must make sure that everything is in working order and in good repair. A map, compass, and other navigational tools are also necessary.

• Identify at least five people that will be willing to "be on call" at any time of the night or day, to lend you support and encouragement in the event that you become overwhelmed with feelings or memories.
• Identify a professional psychotherapist, counselor or pastor who is trained to assist those individuals who are experiencing disturbing or unfamiliar feelings, or who can help during difficult times to break through tough barriers that prevent recovery.
• Develop a set time of the day and week to work on recovery exercises. Plan around the most important appointments of the week, but be sure to keep the "appointments with yourself" as regularly as possible. The mind works more efficiently when on a well-developed schedule.
• Identify your most creative escape routes (creative activities) and prepare yourself with supplies.  If you find that you are depressed, anxious, angry, enraged, hostile, suicidal or homicidal, and you can't find significant relief from the feeling(s) through talking with one of your support persons, use the creative tasks to process disturbing emotions. Creativity is one of the most powerful ways to express emotions. Journal writing, drawing, singing, dancing, playing or listening to music are just some of the ways of finding relief through the expressive arts. Don't stop until you feel better. It may take several hours or even several days, but you will begin to experience a sense of peace and well being.
• Join a support group. You can find groups in every city and town, and in every country. Start with a church or a community organization, and branch out to other supportive activities.

Keep a list of the names and phone numbers of people, organizations, support groups, professionals, Hot Lines, churches, and hospitals, and put them where you can always find them. Keep several copies: at the office, in the bathroom, in the bedroom, and BY THE PHONE. Then use them if you need them!

The Family As A System

The importance of strong relationships, healthy families, and well-adjusted children, has been the basis of a well functioning society. The family aspects of a stable nation have changed over the past several generations. In essence, we have lost touch with the concept of the perfect family and have nearly destroyed families in the process.

Some individuals have chosen nontraditional life paths. In addition, society has changed its concept of what constitutes a family, and we are adjusting our thoughts and behaviors regarding family values.

It is a known fact, though, that our family experiences influence us well past childhood. Family interaction is the initial and most lasting influence that each of us will ever know. The way that we experience our family members determines what it means to us to be a human being. These experiences have formed the very basic and core belief about "who we are and how we behave".

The reason that the family systems model works in helping individuals define their lives is that the conceptual focus is on the family system as a whole, and not on one individual member. Individual symptoms are viewed as by-products of relationship struggles, situations that are inherent in growing up in a group of other people, whether biological family members or not. Interventions are thus geared toward understanding each individual's behavior patterns, roles and functions, and how they fit into the complex matrix of the specific family system.

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