What is Wellness? | #3
Today, we are going to talk about wellness. What is the difference between wellness, well-being and self-care? Do all of these terms fit together in some holistic package? Or are they all bringing something different to the table? Today, I am going to dive into what Wellness is, what these terms really mean, and how it all fits together in Music Therapy.
Maggie Ford is originally from Kentucky and grew up with two music loving parents. Maggie graduated with her undergraduate degree in music therapy from the University of Dayton and completed her internship at University Hospitals Connor Integrative Health Network in Cleveland, OH. Maggie is a board certified music therapist.
Show Notes
Wellness, as defined by The Global Wellness Institute is “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”
6 dimensions of wellness:
Physical: A healthy body through exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.
Mental: Engagement with the world through learning, problem-solving, creativity, etc.
Emotional: Being in touch with, aware of, accepting of, and able to express one’s feelings (and those of others).
Spiritual: Our search for meaning and purpose in human existence.
Social: Connecting with, interacting with, and contributing to other people and our communities.
Environmental: A healthy physical environment free of hazards; awareness of the role we play in bettering rather than denigrating the natural environment.
Holistic, as defined by Oxford Languages, is “characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.”
Holistic Approach to Medicine, as defined by Oxford Languages, is “the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease".
Well-being is defined by Oxford Languages as “the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy.
“When you think about wellness, think prevention and health. When you think about well-being, think happiness.” - Sue Ellis (Chairman and CEO of The Global Wellness Institute)
Self-Care, according to The World Health Organization, is what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness. It is a broad concept encompassing hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication.”
Wellness and Music Therapy
“Music therapy in wellness is used to meet the needs of individuals looking to "enhance quality of life, maximize well-being and potential, and increase self-awareness. Although music itself is used extensively to encourage preventive practices that help one maintain wellness, music therapy, which involves evidence-based practices designed and implemented by a music therapist, can provide interventions to help one regain wellness” - Lorna Segall, Phd, MT-BC
AMTA Pro Podcast: What is Mindfulness Anyway? - by Anne B. Parker MA, MHSA, MT-BC, FAMI
Engagement with music involves body, mind, emotion and spirit.
Music can stimulate each dimension or all four dimensions simultaneously
Music participation
is available to all persons!
focuses more on what a person is able to do than not able to do.
brings signs, symptoms, thoughts, feelings and behaviors to awareness
can be a vehicle for learning about and exploring uncertainty.
The episode ends with Maggie guiding listeners in a brief Music Assisted Relaxation exercise example.
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