Wellness Workshop Series
The Metis Life Promotion Framework (MLPF) Wellness Workshop Series was developed by Dr. Judy Bartlett and Sheila Carter. The Wellness Workshop Series is a holistic tool to help us work toward healing and wellness. This simple framework can function at both the individual and societal level to begin to understand where we are now, how we have arrived here, and where it is that we wish to go from here. The framework is intended to support individuals, and potentially a collective such as a community, to look at existing strengths and challenges. It is intended to assist us to assess and evaluate our strengths and areas that are not as strong, and to develop action plans to assist us in achieving healing and well-being. There is information contained in the introduction that describes how the Wellness Areas were developed. You will see that Dr. Bartlett and Ms. Carter drew heavily on the Aboriginal philosophy of Medicine Wheels and principles of behaviour that are likely found within all human groups; sharing, honesty, trust, respect, kindness, caring and humility. These values provided the foundation for developing the MLPF with which you will be working over the next several weeks.
In addition to the introduction, there are eight Wellness Areas in the series. Every few weeks I will post a new unit. After you download it to your computer, work through it at your own pace. There are some things to read, and then some exercises to do. Throughout each unit there will be the opportunity to write your ideas or post questions on the discussion board. There is no requirement to show your work to anyone else; your responses are for your personal reflection.
I hope you enjoy The Metis Life Promotion Framework Wellness Workshop Series and your participation in the development of the Metis Health Workers Support Network. I am looking forward to many spirited discussions online.
Julianne
Topics Covered
In the Introduction you will define, in your own terms, the meanings of spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual.
Unit One - Nature: We 'unpack' who we really are on the inside. In this unit you will complete exercises that will enable you to identify what your spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual natures are.
Unit Two - Identity: Explores the image we present to others - our 'created' selves. The exercises in this unit help us to understand our spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual natures.
Unit Three - Development: Or age and stages that we express at different times. In this unit the exercises are designed to help us to identify our spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual development.
Unit Four - Relationships: In this unit we consider how we treat others and how others treat us. For many of us as health care providers this is an area that comes with some 'baggage' - old memories and perhaps unresolved issues. It is not the intent of this network to provide anything but sympathetic support. If you feel unduly distressed it is important to let the moderator know. Please do not rely on the other members for therapy.
Unit Five - Networks: We discuss how we interact with others to meet a specific goal. The exercises in Unit Five help us to think about individual, family, community and national networks, and which of these are spiritual, emotional, physical or intellectual networks.
Unit Six - Supports: Supports can be seen as those things that help us in our homes, workplaces or communities, to be who we truly want to be, and to function well. The exercises assist us to understand our spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual supports.
Unit Seven - Environment: We think even more broadly and consider the cultural, social, economic and political environments in which we live. The exercises help us to think about our spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual environments.
Unit Eight - Governance: Explores our ability to make informed choices and personal power. We are encouraged to think about who speaks for us, and what our verbal and nonverbal voices are.