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Compass Health Approach
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We believe that an improved life begins with health. At Compass Health Group we take a ‘whole of life’ approach in assessment & treatment, where getting fit & healthy is considered across four dimensions:
· physical
· psychological,
· social &
· purposeful living.
Setting your life in a new & more meaningful direction involves attention to each of these four interrelated areas, not just one or the other. |
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Physical |
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Not just the absence of physical disease.
· Good vitality & energy levels;
· Physical fitness (bodily strength, endurance & flexibility);
· Diet (quantity, quality/nutritional value); &
· Management of drug or medication
use. |
While you may not be ‘sick’, you may not be ‘firing on all cylinders’. This may be evidenced by:
· Frequent bouts of tiredness or poor energy levels during the day;
· Loss of breath walking up hills or stairs;
· Craving &/or consuming high amounts of sugar, white refined carbohydrates, alcohol, caffeine or other drugs;
· Problems sleeping at night;
· Decreased immunity (frequent colds, stomach upsets, headaches & so on). |
| Psychological |
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Mental fitness = having the:
· psychological strength,
· flexibility &
· adaptability
to respond to the changes & demands of life.
Many life events are unavoidable (e.g., job change; divorce; certain illnesses; caring for elderly parents; loss of a loved one & so on). Learn to deal with these situations & get more enjoyment from life by improving your mental fitness. Just like physical fitness, mental fitness can be strengthened through training & learning new exercises or skills. When we are mentally fit we can identify & understand the relationship between our thoughts, feelings & behaviours, & can accept what we don’t have control over while taking action in areas we can control, leading to an improved life.
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Those with lower levels of ‘mental fitness’ may not cope as well with challenges & may respond with:
· Irritability, complaining, blaming;
· Anger or aggressiveness;
· Avoidance (or absenteeism), indecisiveness, passivity / dependence on others, or sadness / hopelessness;
· Poor concentration, procrastination;
· Limited problem solving ability or work
performance;
· Increased smoking, use of alcohol or other
drugs;
· Health problems (e.g., headaches, stomach or digestive problems, fatigue, poor immune
response & so on). |
| Social |
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Having a close-knit support system helps you deal with stress, & in turn is linked with improved health.
Social factors include:
· Family relationships
· Romantic relationships
· Friendship, social life & support network. |
Lower levels of social functioning or health may be indicated by:
· Feelings of isolation. (E.g., limited close friendships, support people, or people you are close to or can rely on, or friendships marked with chaos and drama);
· Strained romantic relationships. (E.g., the ratio of negative behaviours outweighs the positive – more complaining, blaming, irritation, anger or contempt than attention, affection etc).
· Stagnate romantic relationships. (E.g., feeling nothing or very little towards your partner, either positively or negatively).
· Co-worker, work group, or family related issues.
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Purposeful Living
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Living a purposeful life (or having a meaningful reason to get out of bed every morning) is linked with improved physical health. Leading a more meaningful life can occur through a combination of factors, such as:
· The Pleasant life. This concerns positive experiences & emotions – contentment with the past; pleasurable activities or happiness in the present; & optimism about the future.
· The Engaged life. Being absorbed in daily life by using your strengths. Increased engagement may occur by identifying positive personal strengths (kindness, leadership, social skills, etc), & recrafting your life to use them more often or to meet challenges. Engagement is not about generating pleasure for yourself, but rather achieving ‘flow’ or the feeling of gratification you get when engaging your greatest strengths to meet just-doable challenges or achieving goals you value.
· The Meaningful life. Using your strengths to serve or belong to something larger than yourself (e.g., your family, community, work, church or other forms of spirituality etc).
Living all 3 lives leads to the most life satisfaction as
Positive emotions +
engagement +
meaning
= life satisfaction or enduring happiness |
People who rate more lowly on purposeful living often indicate feeling:
· Aimless or ‘lost’
· Anxious (as they don’t know what ‘direction’ they are in)
· Bored or even lethargic |
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Better health - Better Life!
Together, physical, psychological, social & purposeful life functioning are all interlinked with regard to promoting health or causing disease. Being active physically, mentally & socially helps us cope with stresses, improve our mood, create friendships & even romantic relationships! Similarly, having a sense of purpose for your life or having a meaningful reason for getting out of bed has not only been linked to improved health (e.g., less cancer & heart disease, stronger immunity, lower blood pressure) but also a longer length of life.
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