Mind-Body Wellness

Subject Overview

This subject examines wellness within both personal and professional contexts. It explores the psychological, emotional, physical, social, and environmental factors that contribute to, or work against, the health, wellbeing and resilience of individuals, groups, and societies. It critically examines mind-body wellness research, considering its validity, limitations, and potential applications. It provides students with advanced knowledge of mind-body therapies and evidence-based interventions that have been proven to assist individuals to improve mind-body wellness. Finally, it outlines ways to encourage positive work cultures and practice and to promote global and societal wellbeing. 

Learning Outcomes

1. Explore and analyse determinants of health and the impacts on the individual and community with reference to public health policy.
2. Analyse critically the individual in relation to the interpersonal and external factors that determine health from a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual perspective using contemporary health behavioural models and the neurobiological literature.
3. Analyse critically the concepts of self-growth and resilience using reflective practice to examine one’s own insights regarding interpersonal wellbeing.
4. Locate and evaluate credible evidence about wellness and mind-body therapies and analyse critically the basic principles, techniques, physiological impacts, applications, and controversies associated with selected therapies.
5. Describe the main mind-body therapies utilised in Australia, including the prevalence, acceptance and regulations governing these modalities and the ways in which these modalities facilitate personal and social healing.

Assessments

• Assessment 1: Critical Reflective Practice Journals (15%, due week 4)
• Assessment 2: Essay (30%, due week 6)
• Assessment 3: Comparative Report (55%, due week 10)