by Laura A.B. Brownlee on April 21, 2009
Melinda Mackey is a Licensed Master Social Worker, located in Michigan. She is the Founder of Pathways to Personal Growth, LLC, a therapist and life coach.
When asked what wellness means to her and how she promotes it, Melinda replied:
Wellness takes work and play! It’s a state of mind focusing on strengths and possibilities and a physical dimension with limitations that can be stretched. It’s a spiritual resource that allows us to grow and follow our unique personal paths.
I promote wellness through Pathdancing™ – dancing joyfully along our paths as we face challenges and adventures as they present themselves. Not by asking “why” but recognizing “why not”? I promote emotional wellness through workshops and retreats and by integrating traditional and holistic strategies including Coaching, Hypnosis and Reiki. I strive to live my passions and serve others along the way.
She also mention that www.IDWellness.org is a great resource for connecting with like-minded people and getting information about world wide wellness happenings. “Thanks for creating a great space!” Please join us at www.IDWellness.org.
To learn more about Melinda Mackey’s work, please visit her website: www.positivepsychcoaching.com.
by Laura A.B. Brownlee on April 15, 2009
Lynda Smith is a Accredited Retirement and Lifestyle Transition Coach. Lynda works as a Wisdom Preserver and Connection Specialist for Refirement Network. She is based in South Africa.
When asked what wellness means to her and how she promotes it, she responded:
I run workshops, do profile tests online and help with the overall perception of wellness for Baby Boomer Generation.
IDWellness is supporting Lynda’s efforts by networking and connecting and helping to grow her business through contacts that could turn into business.
To learn more about what Lynda does, please visit: www.refirementnetwork.com
You can also contact her at lgsmith@mweb.co.za
by Laura A.B. Brownlee on April 9, 2009
John Weaver, Psy.D. is a Psychologist and Director of The Healthy Thinking Initiative. He has also an renowned speaker throughout the country.
When asked what Wellness means to him, he replied:
For me, a critical element of wellness is that health is more than just the absence of illness. I like to use a garden metaphor. When someone is really healthy he or she is “flourishing.” There is a strong core and healthy interactions with the environment. This leads to abundant fruit. Because my background is in clinical psychology, the first place I seek to promote wellness is within the mental/medical establishment. We need to understand the difference between what Ken Pellitier calls the Disease Management Industry (because too often it is not about health and it is not about care and it is certainly not a system) and real promotion of health. I also promote psychological health at conferences because I think it has often been overlooked as a critical component of overall wellness.
IDWellness is helping Dr. Weaver by supporting his efforts by highlighting the need for psychological health as part of wellness, and by continuing to bring the idea of wellness to the larger community so that we begin to design and utilize a health system, not just an illness treatment approach. This is the change we need to have a health care system that is really functional.
To learn about all the great things John is doing, please check out his website: www.preventingdepression.com.
Get M.O.R.E. out of life…
Mindfulness
Optimism
Resilience
Experience the Difference
John Weaver, Psy.D.
The Healthy Thinking Initiative
2717 N. Grandview Blvd. #303
Waukesha, WI 53188
(262) 544-6486
Watch for his new book: The Prevention of Depression (To be published April 2009)
by Laura A.B. Brownlee on April 3, 2009
Eric Durak, MSc is the President of Medical Health and Fitness.
When we asked Eric what wellness means to him and how he promotes it, he replied:
Wellness programs have as much to do with financial incentives as improving health. Companies will not promote wellness (or start wellness programs) without some knowledge of cost savings and improved productivity. It is therefore important for wellness providers to be aware of current trends and be able to start/expand programs with financial incentives in mind.
Eric believes IDWellness.org is a great networking site, and he would like to see many wellness practitioners, even from other organizations, take part in this opportunity.
Please visit www.medhealthfit.com or www.MyWellnessAtHome.com to learn more about Eric Durak.
by Laura A.B. Brownlee on March 24, 2009
Mary Lynne Quinnan Zahler, BA, MA, CHES, LSW, CFLE, CCLS is the Wellness Coordinator at Akron Children’s Hospital, located in Akron, Ohio. Mary Lynne has been a member of IDWellness since the beginning of January, 2009.
When asked “What does wellness mean to you, and how do you promote it?”, she replied:
Wellness is a multi dimensional concept that equals quality of life to me. The more healthy and well one is, the better their quality of life. Wellness is an optimum state of health & well-being and not necessarily the absence of disease though. It is an active, ongoing process of making healthy choices and taking responsibility for those behaviors. It emphasizes the importance of balance and moderation in all things and to me, wellness is holistic and integrates the mind, body and spirit connection.
I promote wellness in any way I can! I try to role model it and live it. I also promote it in my family, community, and job as a wellness professional. I promote it in many ways.
Please visit http://www.akronchildrens.org to learn more about the organization in which Mary Lynne promotes wellness!
To meet other like-minded wellness professionals, like Mary Lynn, join us on www.IDWellness.org.
by Laura A.B. Brownlee on March 2, 2009
