by Chuck Gillespie, CEO, National Wellness Institute

Direct from  the the NWI website:  The National Wellness Institute promotes Six Dimensions of Wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual.  Addressing all six dimensions of wellness in our lives builds a holistic sense of wellness and fulfillment.  Developed by Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute (NWI), this interdependent model for the Six Dimensions of Wellness provides the categories from which NWI derives its resources and services.

The two words to focus on is interdependent model. Let’s define interdependence:  “The essence of a group is not the similarity or dissimilarity of its members, but their interdependence . . . A change in the state of any subpart changes the state of any other subpart . . . Every move of one member will, relatively speaking, deeply affect the other members, and the state of the group”  (Source: Van Lange, P.A., & Balliet, D. (2014). Interdependence Theory. American Psychological Association. DOI:10.4135/9781446201022.n39)

In other words, each of the Six Dimensions are connected and cannot be successful in a silo.  If you look or think about the Six Dimension of Wellness Model this way, then you have every right to consider what YOUR specific wellness dimensions might need to be in your current abilities to function optimally within your environment.  The NWI Model that Dr Hettler developed is a starting point and should not be seen as the right or wrong model, rather, consider it your point of #WhereInTheWELL you are!

NWI is dedicated to the success of all wellness practitioners, and that success is interdependent on having the competencies to develop and activate a multidimensional, multicultural, high level wellness initiative for yourself and for those you seek to influence.  The Six Dimensions Model is one of the key starting points.  The Multicultural Competency Wheel is a guide, and the Wellness Promotion Competencies are your activation expectations.

But never forget that we are all on our own journey for high-level wellness and no one model, or dimension, or competency will be successful – because they are all interdependent of each other.  Use the tools you have to then curate the tools you need. That requires collaboration, connection, activation, reflection, and evolution.  Let’s do this together.