PDF | Vol. 7, No. 4 (2012)
Everyone has their own definition of wellness and their own wellness goals. Many writers in this issue talk about feeling engaged, feeling centred, feeling that they’re contributing to something greater, or feeling empowered to take on problems or setbacks. While wellness may be harder to define than a medical framework of illness/no illness, most of us intuitively sense what wellness means and how it can benefit us. But wellness doesn’t stop at the individual level. Families, schools and workplaces, communities, and societies all influence our own well-being, and our own well-being influences these larger groups. The importance of community—be it family members and loved ones, workplaces, support groups, cultural groups, or spiritual groups—is a theme you’ll see in almost every article. Another theme is wellness as a journey. Wellness is an ongoing process that might involve awareness, reflection, discovery, support, and dedicated effort. Finally, wellness is about recognizing people for who they really are. When we focus on wellness, we break down barriers because we give everyone an equal opportunity to thrive, discover their personal goals, and engage in broader communities.
Background
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Editor's Message
(Sarah Hamid-Balma) -
Wellness: Grappling with Its Simplicity and Complexity
(Stephen Smith and Deborah Saari) -
A Wellness Perspective of Substance Use
(Dan Reist and Bette Reimer)
Experiences and Perspectives
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Personal Reflections on Shifting the Conversation to Mental Well-being
(Paola Ardiles Gamboa) -
Living My Life to the Full
(Gary Ings) -
The Pursuit of Wellness
(Natalie Jeanne Champagne) -
Aligning Values and Notions of Self-Worth
(Harley Lockhart) -
Caring About Others, Caring for Myself
(Isabella)
Alternatives and Approaches
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Spirituality: A resource for wellness and recovery
(Sharon Smith) -
Connecting the Dots: Promoting the wellness of urban aboriginal youth and families in BC
(Caitlin O'Reilly, Trixie Ling, Tammy Stubley, Dr. Indrani Margolin, Sheila Lewis, Amanda Swoboda, Sandy Brunton, and Fernando Polanco) -
What's the Buzz About Mindfulness?
(Marian Smith)
