What is Wellness?

Wellness
n. the state of being in good health, especially as a pursued active goal

Pfizer says it well, that wellness is “the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you’re thriving”.

The Global Wellness Institute specifies the scope of wellness as beyond physical health, while more traditional bio-medical approaches to health are criticised for limiting their focuss on physical health only. The wellness approach broadens the scope of health to include: physical, mental, social, spiritual, environmental, occupational and emotional health. The impact of this is shown aptly in Dr Travis’ “Iceberg of Health” above.

Wellness is thus understood as the holistic experience of a fulfilling and productive life.

Wellness is not a new concept, but rather has been identified as far back as a few millennia across both the west and the east of the earth (Global Wellness Institute). The understanding became somewhat clouded at the growth of the scientific era during the sixteenth century, when the bio-medical model came to dominate perspectives about health. Unfortunately, it did mean that humans were seen more strictly as physical beings, forgoing a holistic perspective. During the mid nineteenth century, medical professionals openly explored the integral connection of all aspects of a human with their overall health and happiness in life. It was finally recognised that problems causing ill health, didn’t necessarily begin with a physical health issue; and that symptoms didn’t necessarily begin as physical symptoms. We now recognise that being bored, unfulfilled or depressed can lead to physical illness and stress on the body.

The wellness model differs from the bio-medical model, not only because of its broad view of the human experience of health, but also because the wellness approach is considered proactive, based on salutogenic theory. Humans usually engage with the bio-medical model to heal from health issues once life has already become negatively impacted - when they seek relief from symptoms - making it reactive. The wellness approach encourages engagement before issues impede life, with the aim of working through such issues while the person has more capacity to do so. This makes the approach empowering for clients and proactive in creating a fulfilling life.

An important aspect of wellness which is a part of its empowering nature, is the concept of choice. In order to engage with the wellness approach to health, a person must take action, must make the decision to engage. By making the choice to interact with a wellness professional, lifestyle or program is one only that person can make. The choice to interact is the first step of empowerment in creating a thriving life, but also gives a person a sense of responsibility in their own well-being.

Above shows the wellness continuum as taken from the Global Wellness Institute.

Wellness is considered a continuum, always in process. This means that holistic wellness is something a person may work on consistently rather than experience in a single, once off fix, or not at all. This is because of the multidimensional nature of you as a holistic person - reaching true fulfillment within yourself is a complicated process requiring ongoing work. This may be difficult to remember in tough times. Take heart, this is not a negative aspect of life.

Instead, the nature of a successful life can be considered as taking steps forward in a personal process towards a thriving life.

To read the ASCHP’s direct perspective on the Wellness Approach, read here: ASCHP Introduction to Wellness