Basic Counseling Skills
  • Home
  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. Readers Contributions
    • Articles >
      • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S >
        • Alcohol Counseling - Carol G.
        • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
        • Quit Smoking and Alcohol Rehab
        • Reducing Stigma - Patricia S.
        • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
        • Recovery Village - William B.
        • Bereavement Counseling - Sally W
        • Personality Traits - Sally W
        • 3 Solutions to Worst Fears - Paige M
        • 30 Min Reduce Anxiety - Paige M
        • Restorative Power of Arts & Crafts - Sally W
        • 3 Ways - Rid of Sunday Scaries
        • Conquer Fear of Flying - Sally W.
        • Document Anxiety through Journaling - Sally W
        • Career Options - Sally W
        • School Counselor ToolKit - Serena K.
        • Psychology Degrees - Lindsay F
        • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
        • Diagnosing Depression - Melissa M
        • PostPartum Depression - Tracey F
        • Assisted Living Options for People with Disabilities
        • Wheelchair Home Safety - Michael M
        • Cerebral Palsy Resources
        • Counseling and Persistent Pain - Sally W
        • Mesothelioma Guide - Corine F.
        • Mesothelioma Resources
        • Finding Start Up Success - Eva B
        • Cleaning House for Better Health - Cheryl C.
        • Destress/Clean Home - Cheryl C
        • Financial Stress - Sally W.
        • Financial Debt - Sally W
        • Be Happy - Hazel G.
        • Gut Health & Mental Health - Sally W
        • How Having a Skincare Routine
        • Counseling the Impoverished - Sally W
        • Conquering Interviews - Eva B
        • Daily Journal Routine - Paige M
        • 4 Journaling Tips for Beginners - Shristi Patni
        • Drug Dangers - Rebecca P.
        • Recall Report - Laura P.
        • Living Mindfully - Mollie Wilson
        • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Sally W.
        • Couns. Resources - Tim C.
        • Practical Financial SKills - Johanne H
        • Nutrition to Help Anxiety - Sally W
        • Retirement Career Change - Sally W
        • Managing Phobias - Sally W
        • Healing Power of Pets - Sally W
        • Geriatric Counseling - Sally W
        • Counseling Seniors with Anxiety - Sally W
        • Senior Resources - Claire S.
        • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
        • Better Sleep - Better Health - Cheryl C
        • Treating Insomnia - Sally W
        • Tuck Sleep - Kellen S
        • De-Fogging Brain - Sally W
        • Recovery from Sports Injury
        • Improving Mental Clarity - Sally W
        • Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Mental Health - Sally W
        • Stress on Health - Sally W.
        • Stress Management - Sally W
        • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
        • Summer Side Gigs for Teachers - Joyce W
        • Tobacco in 2017 - Mary G.
        • Take Control of Your Life - Dorothy Watson
        • No More Winter Blues - Rufus Carter
        • How I Put Anxiety Attacks on Pause
        • 8 Effective Tips for Improving Mental Health - Camille Johnson
        • Manage And Reduce Stress For Your Employees With These Tips - Rufus Carters
        • Moving Forward When Grief Intrudes in Your Life - Camille J
        • Working Remotely - Emma Grace Brown
        • Unlock Greater Confidence - Rufus Carter
        • Coping With a Mid-Life Crisis - Rufus Carter
        • 6 Self-Care Tips - Laurie Abner
        • Help a Loved One After the Loss of a Spouse - Rufus CarterNew Page
        • Relocating After a Tragic Loss - Lucille Rosetti
        • Guidelines for Teens Who Want to Thrive as Entrepreneurs - Lucille Rosetti
        • 5 Common Lifestyle Habits That Can Cause Skin Damage - Andrew Mark
        • What to Do if a Loved One Is Battling Addiction
        • From Addiction Recovery to Financial Independence
        • Major Life Transition - Ryan Randolph
        • Find Your True Path - Ryan Randolk
        • Officers Coping With PTSD - Ryan Randolph
        • Self-Care Secrets for the Rookie Caregiver - Ryan Randolf
        • Self-Care Building Blocks for Improving Your Mental Health - Cheryl Conklin
        • Avoiding Burnout in the Counseling Profession
  • Reset Your Day Without Burning Out
  • The Big 6 Personality Traits
  • When Everything Breaks, Something Begins - Holli Richardson

Whole Health Check-In

In a whole health check-in we take into account that we have physical, intellectual, social, emotional, vocational and spiritual needs - the neglect of which reduces the ability of one to withstand the effects of stress. And we live in socio-economic conditions that can enhance or demean our long-term well-being.

What follows are two inventories – Personal Well Being (PWB) and Socio-economic Well Being (SWB). Items in PWB are things that can be addressed almost immediately – but situations in SWB take a very long time. Both are essential components of the whole health check in.

Picture
Personal Well Being – in a nutshell

PHYSICAL HEALTH
• Nutrition
• “Anti-nutrients” including alcohol, junk food, caffeine, illegal drugs and nicotine use
• Sleep
• Exercise 
• Check in with Dr/NP (weight, blood pressure, blood work including hemoglobin, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and thyroid functioning)


SOCIAL – Relationships with…
• Partner
• Friends
• Parents or Guardians
• Children or Dependents


EMOTIONAL
• Personal time or “down-time”
• Hobbies
• Good sense of humor

SPIRITUALITY
• That which gives meaning to one's life and draws one to transcend oneself.
• Volunteering

INTELLECTUAL
• Our brains need regular and diverse stimulation.

OCCUPATIONAL
• We thrive on meaningful, paying work.



WHOLE HEALTH – The Questionnaire

PHYSICAL

Even though these are not really True/False topics – most of us are somewhere in between – label these anyways, just to get a sense of your whole health! Most of these are things you can improve quickly and easily.

1. Nutritious food – I have a diet chock full of veggies.
T / F

2. Water – I make a point of drinking at least four cups a day.
T / F

Anti-nutrition

3. Junk Food – I avoid junk food.
T / F

4. Cigarettes - I don’t smoke.
T / F

5. Alcohol – I don’t drink. Or I limit myself to no more than one a day.
T / F

6. Illegal Drugs – I don’t use them.
T / F

7. Caffeine – I don’t use caffeine.
T / F

*****

8. Sleep – I get at least 8 hours a night.
T / F

9. Exercise – I get the equivalent of one hour of fast walking every day.
T / F

10. Check in with Dr/NP - I've had a physical assessment within the last year.
T / F


SOCIAL – Relationships with…

11. Partner – I have a special person in my life who cares about me, and I care for that person.
T / F


12. Friends – I have pals I can talk to or go out with.
T / F

13. Family -  I get along with family well enough.
T / F


EMOTIONAL


14. Personal time or “down-time” – I have “me” time.
T / F

15. Hobbies – I enjoy a pursuit that is different from my job.
T / F

16. Good sense of humor – I love to laugh.
T / F

SPIRITUALITY


17. Religious practice – I have a sense of meaning in life that transcends myself.
T / F

18. Volunteering

INTELLECTUAL


19. My brain gets regular and diverse stimulation.
T / F

OCCUPATIONAL


20. Meaningful, well-paying work work (with a good benefits package) have I.

T / F

OTHER (Bonus Point)

21. RESILIENCE – I can bounce back from disappointments.
T / F

TOTAL:

T=

F=


How did you do with the Personal Well Being part of the whole health check in? Want to change any of these? It’s within your control – but as always I encourage you to get an accountability partner if you have areas you need and want to change. You need a strategy and a “mom.”

Next, let's take a look at the Socio-Economic Well Being of the whole health inventory.

Books and Videos

Books

“It's All in Your Head: Change Your Mind - Change Your Health” by Mark C. Pettus and Mark Liponis, Capital Books, 2006

“Faith and Health: Psychological Perspectives” by Thomas G. Plante and Allen C. Sherman, Guilford Press, 2001

Video

How to have good feelings, become happy and develop self-esteem ? - David D. Burns PHD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6u3tT2NLEc

Virtual Exercise Trends: A Guide to the Growing Popularity of Online Exercise: https://www.comparethemarket.com/life-insurance/content/online-exercise/.


Keeping your body, mind and soul healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything. - Thich Nhat Hanh
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