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Eight Dimensions of Wellness

The resources on this page are organized into the eight categories presented in Peggy Swarbrick’s (2012) Eight Dimensions of Wellness model. These include: physical wellness, intellectual wellness, emotional/mental wellness, social wellness, financial wellness, vocational wellness, spiritual wellness, & environmental wellness.

Resources cover a variety of topics within these categories and consist of physical, e-text, and audio formats

Books on Individual Dimensions of Wellness

These links will bring you to the appropriate section further down this page.

Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is about taking care of one’s body, inside and out, to ensure long-term health and quality of life. For additional resources on this topic, check out the library’s Nutrition & Food Management, Anatomy & Physiology, and Menstrual Equity and Education guides.

Physical Wellness Resouces

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness can be achieved through participation in creative and mentally stimulating activities that allow us to diversify our knowledge and skills.

Intellectual Wellness Resouces

Emotional Wellness

Mental or emotional wellness involves being aware of your own feelings, values, and attitudes and developing your ability to manage emotions. Conestoga Library’s Neurodiversity guide has additional resources available, including books, journal articles, and videos.

Emotional Wellness Resources

Social Wellness

Social wellness is about maintaining healthy relationships with others including family members, friends, colleagues, and romantic partners. Social wellness is also about building a strong support network within our community.

Social Wellness Resouces

Vocational Wellness

Vocational wellness promotes lifelong learning and skill development in areas relevant to long-term career goals.

Vocational Wellness Resouces

Financial Wellness

Financial wellness encourages us to assess our relationship to money and our personal finances. It is about living within your means, making informed investments, and preparing for future events or emergencies.

Financial Wellness Resouces

Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual wellness involves seeking meaning and purpose in life by participating in activities that align with our values and beliefs.

Spiritual Wellness Resouces

Environmental Wellness

Environmental wellness is about deepening your connection to the natural world and understanding how your external environment influences your mental and physical well-being.

Environmental Wellness Resouces

References

Swarbrick, M. (2012). A wellness approach to mental health recovery. In A. Rudnick (Ed.) Recovery of People with Mental Illness : Philosophical and Related Perspectives (1st Ed., pp. 30-38). Oxford University Press https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780199691319.003.0003