With the support of Grampian Self-Management Transformation board, which looks to celebrate and learn what works well across Grampian in self-management for wellbeing, two Moray Wellbeing Hub Champions took part in this intensive version of TheWEL course held over five full days. The aim was to test out the course then share back to others in the board and the wider community on how the course worked and what potential it had to help others.
Thanks to both Champions for their full feedback on the course, the following reflection is a combination of these thoughts.
Overview:
There were 13 participants taking part, all women led by mentor David Reilly, who shared in his bio for a recent book, “I am now old enough to have made major mistakes and young enough to learn from them. Fortunately, I am a not as old as I used to be, as I am even younger since the birth of my daughter Karina Maia in 2005. Since leaving the NHS in 2016 I feel even younger.”
The five day course was very intensive and focused on the process of change. The aim of the materials presented was to achieve self-sustaining and growing improvement in participants self-care through exploring the lack of wellness and suffering and the need to change the way we think, and to understand the innate capacity for healing that is within every human being. This healing being dependent on the correct nourishment of our bodies and the ability to quieten the mind and challenge some of the anxiety provoking patterns of thought that drive unhelpful behaviour. This was well delivered through slide presentations covering research and the personal and clinical experience of the author.
David started the course by explaining how we all store maps within our brain that can create difficulties as we don’t really question our thoughts daily – we just accept them. Our feelings, motives and our decisions which are powerfully influenced by our past experiences and stored unconsciously, are then assumed to be the truth. The bigger picture is that in acknowledging stress and the difficult space we create for ourselves can change the dynamics of our brain.
Moving on to food and nutrition as a subject was interesting, for example the industrial revolution created a country, “…clever enough to make refined foods, and stupid enough to eat them” – such foods like refined sugar are the tipping point for diabetes in people nowadays along with being the cause of tooth decay in children. We learned children who eat a tradition diet have perfect teeth also have traditional broad faces where as children who eat refined diets have narrower and triangular shaped faces (see photos)
We also looked at the impact of emotional deprivation in early life and Adverse Childhood Experiences, which includes economic, social and spiritual lack. One other thought would be that we all at times have human suffering which can be a restriction in our own wellbeing and health.
Resources:
The course was supported by a course manual, a newly developed workbook (out for testing), a diary to record reflections and a computer memory stick of the full course. A plethora of information, evaluations and research findings is also available on the website.
Personal experiences:
We started on Monday morning of 17th September 2018, not knowing what was in front of us. In my case I was hoping for a solution to create change again in my life in the way that I eat and look after my body, along with the issues of medications that are constant in my life. What I learned from the lessons in class was that I could change the thoughts in my head by questioning my internal map – by changing the map I changed the journey for myself.
I felt the course met its aims and provided participants with the tools to make appropriate changes to enhance their wellness. All in all it was a very powerful delivery and myself and the other participants were fully committed to making lifestyle changes which included reducing the intake of sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods. Seeking organic alternatives as far as possible. We also accepted that we needed to explore new ways of thinking and to be able to challenge negative automatic thoughts. Recognising that this didn’t all happen in a day showing compassion to ourselves and others would also be required. On the downside, 5 full days of training I found both physically and mentally exhausting.
Had I not had the opportunity to be selected to attend this course, I would never have learned how to change my thoughts and patterns, to create a better life where I feel grateful every day. Through using the tools I learned during theWEL course, which was extremely interesting and a joy to participate.
So, in reflection I am glad I learned how to calm my mind through the tools provided in the learning of theWEL course; which are now part of my life, from when I wake until it is time to sleep. All the people who attended are now friends on Facebook and speak quite regularly, along with arranging to meet up for coffee every now and then in various parts of the country. I would like to thank the Moray Wellbeing Hub for selecting me for the course and NHS Grampian for the funding, without either of your kindness and consideration, I would not have gained the knowledge of how to change my thoughts and life’s challenges.
Potential for implementation across NHS Grampian:
David Reilly is currently delivering the WEL course to 20 AHP’s (Associated Health Practitioners) in Highland. The Guided WEL course is reported to be running very successfully in the Gorbals as with Community Renewal and is constantly being reviewed and updated to meet the need.
Perhaps the Guided WEL version would be most suited to be rolled out across Moray. We have some very successful support groups running in Moray and maybe we could take the training out to them. Taking the training out to the groups would mean that it is delivered to an already motivated group at a time and venue that has been chosen by them as being convenient. The pace would be better (5 days at one stretch is mentally and physically exhausting) and support would come from within the group as members meet on a regular basis.
