Wellness Educator Training

Prepared by Dr Arien van der Merwe

MBChB FRSPH MISMA

Medical Specialist Health and Wellbeing

 

Purpose of this summary, goal and outcomes proposal: Wellness Educator Training

This Course is a five-day attendance course: 2 days for Module 1 and 3 days for Module 2 with practical work assignments added in between sessions.

INTRODUCTION

Wellness Educators have to develop the following skills set as an inherent part of the training:

• Knowledge of the subject being trained on. In this instance health and wellness education on various related subjects (refer to content outline further on)
• Understanding and discussing the concept of role models: we are not only our physical bodies. Often those who seem, on the surface, to be poor role models, make the best peer educators/wellness champions! This concept is explored and discussed extensively.
• Communication skills: listening, interpreting messages, correct and persuasive communication skills, body language
• Public speaking skills
• Preparing a PowerPoint presentation from articles, Web-site info and books
• How to facilitate a learning process
• How to facilitate a behaviour change process
• Ability to accept people of different beliefs, values, cultures, races, genders, religions, sexual orientation
• Encourage analytical skills: questioning why & how you’ve always done things a certain way, also unquestioned beliefs that perpetuates from generation to generation; building new neural networks, reprogramming the brain for health enhancing behaviour
• Monitoring and evaluation skills
• Simple research skills
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Ability to evolve emotional support
• Problem solving skills
• Basic project management skills
• Basic report writing skills

The primary purpose of Wellness Educators and Practitioners is to facilitate positive, health enhancing behaviours and decrease negative, risky, health harming behaviours.

 

MANUALS FOR WELLNESS EDUCATORS CONTENT AND MORE INFORMATION

WELLNESS EDUCATOR TRAINING: SAMPLE PROGRAM MODULE 1 & 2

Module 1

Day 1-2: Definitions & models of wellness, wellness educator training, and a long term vision for wellness. Qualities, boundaries, limitations of a good peer educator / wellness champion. Stress management (incl. life change management), nutrition, wellness food gardens, fitness and wellness, basic anatomy & physiology – know how your body and mind work. Mental-emotional wellbeing.

Module 2

Day 3-4: Chronic diseases of lifestyle to integrate the learning model: as per company request: e.g. Heart (hypertension, high cholesterol, stroke, heart attacks); Immune system health (HIV/Aids, TB, cancer, colds/flu); Diabetes & blood sugar balance; Musculoskeletal health, using osteoporosis & osteoarthritis as examples; Male & Female reproductive health; Mental-emotional health, using dysthymia &depression as examples.

Day 5: Presentations by each wellness educator trainer, using a poster presentation as aid. Each trainer will be evaluated by themselves, their group and the course facilitators. After the successful completion, each trainer will receive a Company / Health Stress Management certificate of completion & attendance.

Ongoing support and refresher courses are advised, 2-3 times a year to provide sustainability of motivational levels, while increasing knowledge and information basis.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completion of this course, candidates should:

• Be able to define & conceptualise wellness and understand the important effect of the educational approach for sustainable and lasting health and wellness behaviour change.
• Have a clear understanding of the roles, qualities, limitations of good wellness educators
• Have a workable knowledge of basic anatomy, physiology, wellness, nutrition, stress management, fitness and mental-emotional health, and be able to teach this to others
• Understand how to integrate the above into a practical wellness solution driven approach to health and wellness.
• Be able to use chronic diseases of lifestyle (or rather, health challenges) as an integrative model to finding lasting solutions for these.
• Be able to understand the benefit in regarding HIV/Aids as one of the CDL’s, rather than a loose standing entity
• Be able to facilitate a series of lectures to wellness educators in various workplace settings.
• Have good, experiential knowledge of presentation skills, capturing and holding audience attention and facilitation skills

 

DETAILED OUTLINE FOR MANUAL & TRAINING CONTENT

The output will include:

1. Training Curriculum
2. Training Manuals: Wellness Educators

Additional training tools:                                                                            

• Posters per topic as teaching aids                                                            
• Evaluation process of training outcomes and knowledge gained, with certificates on successful completion of training modules. This will be done through an assignment as well as the practical presentation.

 

Central to our understanding of the training is that there is a recognised need for a broader approach to employee health and wellness, as opposed to the previous focus on HIV/AIDS only. The wellness educator training programs encourage an integrated approach to addressing all the chronic diseases of lifestyle as identified during the preliminary discussions with the company, and through our research on disease profiles in South Africa.

Also central to our understanding of the assignment is that wellness educator training will, of course, have a much further extension than only the workplace: it reaches into the family, the community, ultimately having an effect on the health and wellbeing of the whole country, thereby addressing skills development and social responsibility requirements.

Wellness educator trainers are there to impart knowledge and practical information, encourage, support, and promote healthy living, to create a ripple effect throughout the workforce, families and communities. It is quite clear from the feedback reports that peer educator training could also become a very effective employee assistance program (EAP)

Examples of the chronic diseases of lifestyle (CDL’s) contributing to the burden of disease in the workplace (In wellness terminology CDL’s are preferably referred to as HEALTH CHALLENGES):

• Heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke
• Cancer
• Diabetes mellitus
• HIV / AIDS
• Depression
• Lung diseases, e.g. tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema
• Arthritis
• Company specific health challenges as requested

 

EXTENT OF HEALTH TOPICS ADDRESSED (ADAPTED ACCORDING TO NEEDS & REQUIREMENTS OF RELEVANT COURSE)

Training manuals – sample content

MODULE 1

Introduction:

• My wellness profile
• My stress profile
• Why do I want to be a wellness educator/practitioner?
• What are the qualities, boundaries, limitations of a good wellness educator? (Group activity)
• Since becoming a wellness educator, what have you as a group, been doing to promote wellness, and/or what would you like to accomplish? (Group activity)

Anatomy 101:

• Know your body from outside, in (LECTURE 1)
• Organs and systems (LECTURE 2)

Physiology 101:

• The cell and its functions. DNA basics. (LECTURE 3)
• The food story: back to basics (LECTURE 4)

Stress:

• Understanding stress (LECTURE 5)            
• Stress anatomy & physiology (LECTURE 5)         
• Symptoms of stress (LECTURE 6)
• The body’s involvement with stress (LECTURE 6)         
• Stress, chronic disease and other health challenges (LECTURE 7)
• Stress and substance abuse (LECTURE 8)         
• Stress solutions (LECTURE 9-12)

Wellness:

• Definitions & Aspects (LECTURE 13)
• Wellness versus disease management, Iceberg Model, Illness-Wellness Continuum (LECTURE 14-15)
• Nutrition (LECTURE 16-18)      
• Self-sustainable wellness food garden (LECTURE 19, 20)
• Thoughts, emotions, health, dis-ease with additional notes on neuropeptides, the molecules of emotion.
• Spiritual wellness and how to apply it in a practical context (LECTURE 21-23)                        

MODULE 2

Selection of 2 health challenges to include as examples of an integrative approach to health and wellbeing, based on client needs (thus any topic): examples incl. heart health, HIV/AIDS and immune system health, depression, metabolic syndrome, endocrine health (male & female).

Choose from the following

1. Heart health: High blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke (LECTURE 24-28)
2. Immune system health:

• HIV/Aids (LECTURE 29-32)
• Colds, flu (LECTURE 33, 34)
• Cancer (LECTURE 35)

3. Mental health: depression (LECTURE 36)
4. Metabolic Syndrome (incl. diabetes)

• Metabolic Syndrome (incl. diabetes mellitus, triglycerides, insulin resistance, abdominal obesity etc)
• Blood sugar balance: Diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, low blood sugar (LECTURE 37-40)

5. Endocrine health: Male & Female reproductive health and sexuality (LECTURE 41-44)

Integrating what you’ve learnt so far (Revision Session 1)

• Training/facilitation by Dr Arien van der Merwe
• Training Manual in full colour
• Set of 12 posters A1 size, full colour, laminated and bound in a display set
• Books Health and Happiness, Stress Solutions and relaxation CD

INFORMATION: COMPANY AND DR ARIEN VAN DER MERWE

Health Stress Management Gauteng has many years of experience, and therefore an extensive list of clients in the mining, parastatal, government services, corporate, banking and manufacturing sectors and offers a comprehensive range of training, consulting and advisory services that aim to improve the status of employee health and wellbeing, by providing lasting health and wellness solutions to address the burden of disease. This translates into improved productivity and creativity, with decreased absenteeism, sick leave and presenteeism, thereby showing that wellness is a good return on investment.

The focus and emphasis of this specialist corporate health and wellness service provider company are on education and training to address and manage, the burden of disease caused by the chronic lifestyle diseases (or rather health challenges!) through health, wellness and stress management training, as well as practical workplace wellness interventions. We present and facilitate talks, workshops and courses throughout South Africa and abroad, as well as practical training and support of existing company health teams to become independent wellness consultants within the company.

We believe in a holistic, integrative approach to manage health and wellness risks, and therefore designs and implements comprehensive and integrated solutions.

Dr Arien van der Merwe MBChB (Pretoria) FRSPH (London) MISMA (UK) NHA (SA). For more information, please visit: www.DrArien.co.za

Dr Arien van der Merwe is a medical doctor, specialising in workplace wellness, body-mind and integrative, natural medicine, stress management and longevity. Arien is an internationally renowned holistic health expert, health coach and bestselling author, a well-known and experienced public speaker, facilitator and trainer, internationally published author of 22 books and training manuals on health and wellness, and medical specialist in workplace health and wellbeing since 1998. Her latest book is ‘Managing Diabetes and Related Health Challenges’, published by Human & Rousseau and available at bookshops and from her online health shop.

As Medical Specialist Health and Wellbeing, Dr. Arien van der Merwe acts as wellness advisor and consultant, health and wellness coach and trainer, workplace peer/wellness educator trainer, stress expert, product and program developer to the health care industry, companies, interest groups, websites and the media.

 

Dr van der Merwe assists companies in recognising the importance and effects of workplace wellness chronic diseases of lifestyle, (incl. HIV/AIDS) programs, by identifying their impact through measurable return on investment protocols on company wellness investments. She advocates the importance of employees learning and understanding that managing preventable health conditions will benefit both themselves and ultimately their employer (and livelihood) through the impact their health has on the bottom line of their company’s financial success.

Dr Arien recently developed the Timeless DNA™ Youthful Living Program with courses and online programs to entertain, enlighten and educate people on how to become a healthy, happy 120 years of age (our natural lifespan!) embodying the concept of beauty within, beauty without and beauty of being.

She is registered by the Natural Healers Association (NHA) as Trainer and Ethno-Medicine Practitioner in the field of Traditional Health Care, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (FRSPH – London) and Member of the International Stress Management Association (MISMA), UK branch. She has recently developed and registered 2 Continued Professional Development (CPD) Accredited Courses: ‘An Integrative Approach to Managing Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome’ – SAMA, 6 points; and ‘An Integrative Holistic Approach to Medicine’ – SAMA, 4 points.

Dr Arien writes for, and consults regularly, for many magazines and newspapers in South Africa, and appears in countless national radio and TV shows as guest. Arien is the Director of Health Stress Management Gauteng (Pty) (Ltd) and Co-owner (with Anri van der Merwe) of Ariani Health Solutions, based in Faerie Glen, Pretoria and online (www.DrArien.co.za).

1. Training and education

• Wellness, peer educator or wellness task team member training on integrated health and wellness, basic anatomy & physiology, nutrition, stress management & chronic lifestyle disease management, incorporatingall the chronic diseases (e.g. heart, immune system, diabetes mellitus, cancer, HIV/Aids, osteoarthritis, TB, emphysema, etc.), substance abuse, mental-emotional wellbeing, etc.
• Facilitation and implementation of training courses for wellness, HR, occupational health teams, to manage in-house programs: current accredited short courses in wellness educator training (previously known as peer educator training when only based on HIV/Aids training), stress management and wellness in the workplace through the University of Pretoria
• Education material & content, as well as marketing material:
  • Manuals
  • Books
  • Newsletters
  • Posters
  • Internet & intranet assisted wellness program development and providing of content
  • Pay slip notices
  • CD’s
  • Booklets
  • Brochures
  • Banners
• Talks, workshops, courses, seminars and retreats. In-house & outsourced teams of expert speakers, trainers & facilitators, covering a wide range of topics. Examples include practical stress management; motivational, business & financial matters; wellness, integrative & complementary medicine for common ailments; healthy nutrition, with practical food demo’s, menu & shopping list planning; thoughts, emotions, beliefs & your reality; chronic lifestyle disease management and mental-emotional health

Topic examples: heart health, stress management, HIV/Aids, nutrition, wellness, integrative medicine, mental-emotional health, herbal remedies, spiritual health, food supplements, disease as teacher, wellness day teasers & notices

1. Wellness days & health screenings with reports and wellness solutions based on findings

 

1. Personal consultations that include advice, explanation and ongoing support in a wellness based, whole being approach/philosophy on living a balanced life of health, happiness, meaning and purpose

 

CLIENT LIST AND REFERENCES

Client list & references as relevant to this proposal

 

• of Labour: Practical Stress Management Course of 3 full day sessions every 2 weeks (refer feedback following) for 2 groups of 20 employees per group, done in 2010, repeated for another 2 groups Feb. & March 2011 and once again in 2012. Contact: Petro Roux.Manager: Training and Performance Management; Dept. of Labour. Provincial Office: Gauteng North. Tel:   012 – 309 5194. Petro.Roux@labour.gov.za
• TCTA: Appointed as specialist corporate health & wellness service provider to implement employee wellbeing programs, incl. Wellness Day Events, health screening, keynote speaking at company events, stress courses, peer education, etc (Carina Bleeker. Corporate Services Manager. Tel: 012 683 1200. Cell. 083 5402810. cbleeker@tcta.co.za)
• EDi (with Deloitte Consulting): Appointed as specialist corporate health & wellness service provider to implement their employee wellbeing intervention for 2009-2012 (Empilweni – Life, Health, Abundance), incl. Wellness Day Events, health screening, keynote speaking at company events, stress courses, peer education, financial wellness, legal counceling, individual health coaching for stressed and health challenged employees, etc. (Jane Coughlan. Executive Lead. Consulting – Human Capital. Deloitte Consulting Pty Ltd. Tel/Direct: 011 806 5400. Mobile: 082 826 2135. jcoughlan@deloitte.co.za)
• University of Pretoria Continued Education Program: Short courses in Stress Management, Wellness in the Workplace (including Natural & Complementary Medicine) and Peer Educator Training. Two courses on each of the 3 topics in 2008, with advanced courses in each planned for 2009. (Prof. Lourie Terblanche. Course Leader. Tel. 012 420 3292. E-mail: Terblanche@up.ac.za).
• Exxarro (previously Kumba Resources & Iscor): Various ongoing workplace wellness, chronic disease of lifestyle (incl. HIV/Aids) management, natural & complementary medicine, peer educator training programs (Wellness manager: Pierre Cloete.Tel.012-3073225. E-mail: Cloete@exxaro.com)

 

• Deloitte partners with HSM and Dr Arien van der Merwe to act as specialist corporate health & wellness service provider to their clients (e.g. EDI Holdings & GEMS Health & Wellness and Maternity Program Tenders). (Portfolio managers: Anele C. Mtshemla, Aretha du Rand, Lucien Kearns. Tel. 012 482 000)

 

• Metro Rail Peer /Wellness Educator training: Ongoing training in 2 progressive modules (module 1: basic anatomy, physiology, nutrition, stress and wellness; Module 2: using the integrative model to address the CDL’s relevant to Metro Rail), facilitation, manuals, books, posters. Training adapted to different levels of employee education. Recently requested to extend training program from an initial 15 trainees to another 20, and now also 15 more. Finally up to 100 employees will be trained. (EAP & Wellness Manager: Wendy Mabuya – Tel. 27 11 773 6621)

 

• Minopex Peer Educator training: Training, facilitation, manuals, posters to address the following chronic diseases of lifestyle: HIV/Aids, heart disease, TB, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. (Wellness manager: Japhta Raphadu. Tel. 014 536 4044)

 

• Discovery Health, LA Health, Vitality Program, Discovery Institute: Development of interactive Internet Stress Centre on Discovery World for Vitality members; also interactive Stress Course on internet, also extending to all Discovery’s corporate clients. Health, wellness, stress management, work-life balance talks, workshops, courses to members, health partners, corporate clients. (Marketing manager: Paula Brown. Tel. 082 602 0602)
• Qualsa Healthcare: Stress management workshops to POLMED Call Centre staff. (Manager: Employee Assistance Programme: Manini Radebe. Tel: 021 480 5158, Cell. 083 450 0209)

 

Feedback from Metrorail & Minopex Wellness Educator Training

‘Hi my name is Martha. I just want to say thank you to myself for joining as a peer educator, because you know what?  According to my own point of view, I thought the word ‘peer educator’ was more about communication between your peers about AIDS, and I often became bored with these topics. Thank you all very much for the knowledge I’ve gained today, and about health. The only thing that I knew about health was to eat healthy food, HIV diseases and to exercise -that is the main thing I knew about health, but today I learnt a lot! How to make decisions and life choices is also health. I was so amazed.  Happiness is also health. Wellness and lifestyles are also health. To lead by example, more especially we peer educators: you must always practice what you preach. You can’t tell somebody don’t smoke when immediately after the break started, you smoke, then they would say these people are just lying to us! To understand other people’s culture and religion, I was also not aware it was part of people’s health. To sleep enough, I thought maybe you should just sleep four hours as long as you have rest, I was unaware that this was part of health. I thank myself and all my fellow partners, to see myself being here today and become a peer educator, it means I gained a lot and can teach more and more.  I study for my family and fellow workers, also my community. Thank you!’

Ronald Tshabalala from Metro Rail said the following after his 1^st training module:

‘My understanding of life has changed. Now I know how to take it one day at a time. I don’t have to rush because I understand a certain truth: it is the truth that was taught here that made me calm and balanced. What I’m saying, is that this was for me a pivotal point, a life changing event! I won’t look back again. Thank you for depositing yourself into a stranger’s life. You have just saved me, my family and my nation. I am eternally grateful!’

To summarise some of the other peer/wellness educators’ comments on what they learnt during the training sessions:

• Most people don’t know how or what they should eat. The training taught us and now I can teach them.
• We also learnt the importance of emotional & mental “food” and wellbeing and how important the way we think, is for our wellness
• I know more about how my body works. How it all fits in together, and the importance of nutrition, exercise, meditation. Now I can teach others.
• We learnt to check labels for the nutritional value of food. I’m more aware of healthy food choices and show it to others. I’ve started to adapt my grocery list to make healthier food choices. In the shop others ask me what I’m checking and I explain to them right there in the shop.
• When our group eat together at work, I eat healthier and also then show others: cold drinks, pap with greasy gravy, and chips should be replaced by water, fruit, vegetables, peanuts and yogurt. And, it’s not more expensive! Even the woman who sells the food has been bringing healthier food to sell at her informal store during our lunch breaks at work!
• We learnt about the importance of water and to drink clean water regularly
• We know now how important sleep is for our bodies to recover and rest. Also to sleep in darkness and quiet, even if we work night shift
• We think wellness should be a part of SHE (safety, health and environment of occupational health) programs as well
• Since I started being a Peer Educator my life has changed a lot because I know how to deal with stress and I can also manage my budget.
• Before, when I was sad or people upset me, I used to cry and feel lonely, but now I feel much better. I feel stronger inside. I know that I can accept things and I can do some breathing exercise and meditate. Then I stay in control of my thoughts and feelings. That helps me to deal with situations a lot better.
• I know the right food for me and my family. No more stress! I save a lot of money because the healthy food is cheaper than the fancy food
• I’m now able to talk to others, approach people correctly, stay aware and not become involved in their story: if they’re negative, I can stay positive and help them to be more positive
• At work also now I’m in the spotlight because when you are a peer educator people look at you and then you become a leader, even if you don’t notice. Even management takes a look at you to be a leader.  So now I can speak to people and people will listen. Before, I was scared to talk to management. Now I’m not! So all I can say is then I have grown personally.
• I knew I had it in me, but this training has helped me develop to take a positive leadership role, gain knowledge, learn more about health & wellness, and to help others do the same. I want to spread this knowledge to my community.
• My life has changed so much after being a peer educator:

• Because I know the importance of knowing my total health status, not only my HIV status
• I know how to manage my stress and anger
• I’ve started to talk at community gatherings to also make them more aware.  Some listen, some don’t. I know not to become upset. I can’t change people, I can only plant the seeds. Each one changes when ready
• I was very happy to be one chosen to be a Peer Educator. I thought God had an aim about my life, because I was so scared to stand in front of people, but now it is easy, to stand and share some important views about healthy things to my colleagues and also community and my family, it changes me a lot. I feel free inside
• As I was doing these programs of wellness I gained a lot of knowledge; life changing behaviour; know how to deal with problems easily and reducing bad habits like too much smoking, alcohol and sex caused by stress. From 6 beers a day I only take 6 a month, 30 cigarettes a day and now stopped. My brain can think, my body feels good. I found other ways to deal with stress: walking, exercise and breathing.
• Since I’ve become a peer educator, I have become more aware of health issues.  I personally have learned to cope with stress a lot better and to manage anger as well.  I no longer use blood pressure medication, for my blood pressure is much more stable and under control. The breathing exercises, meditation and awareness of upsetting emotions help me to control my anger better. I have more inner calmness. 

 

Feedback from the Stress Course at the Dept. of Labour in Pretoria, consisting of 2 courses of 3 full day sessions, 2 weeks apart to allow for practice and integration:

1. My life has changed on so many levels:

At  work:

I used to be stressed by my manager end supervisors. Now I take things as they come and just do away with my stressful thoughts. I can cope with both clients and supervisors without any hassles. I am back to normal.

At home:

I can tolerate whatever problem comes my way and resolve it very easy. I resolve my family matters easily and can stand the hardships that come my way. I am now relieved and stress free. I no longer frequent my doctor like I use to. I follow all the instructions that I read and listen to the CD provided by Dr. A van der Merwe.

Children:

I was not aware that children are also affected by stress because my son was reacting very strange. When I was speaking to him he was so rude, eating abnormal and coming home very late. I took my time to listen to all his problems and I tried my utmost best to console him and guide him and also taught him to pray to the almighty God because He is the truth and light to all of us. I am now stress free and can cope and stand all the hardships I come across. Dr van der Merwe came to my rescue and showed me and gave me guidance on how to handle and relieve stress.

1.  JM Plodi

Thank you Dr. van der Merwe. I have been dreading meetings and got all stressed out before attending these. Now I’ve learned to calm my mind, and can even manage to look forward to meetings, to have an effect of calmness on the others!

My friend has been so depressed, used to drinking sleeping pills, sleeping and eating too much. After I attended this course, I started reading the book Stress Solutions by Dr van der Merwe to her, and started doing breathing exercises from the Stress Solutions relax and unwind level 1 CD with her. She is back to life and she wants to attend the course and needs the book and CD. She stopped drinking those sleeping pills and she started doing exercises with the Nestle active at SABC 2 every morning at 05h45. She hhas started sharing with other people who have the same problem as her.

1. Hlako NJ: This training should be extended to everyone. Stress involves everyone. This course was not only about stress but life as a whole, nutrition, well-being, exercise and nature. We are looking forward to a refresher in 2010.
2. Mothiba MH: the course was fruitful to me to help others in our society. I’m glad we did this course because I learned a lot about me and about other people’s emotions and to handle myself.
3. Juliet Mmabetho Tladi:  the course was fruitful to me. It helped me, my friends, colleagues and my family. I recommend a refresher course.
4. Zebeclia Moalusi Ngobeni: the course was interesting and most helpful to me because I can now cope with hardships I come across.
5. Sinkie Ntuli: I like this course whereby it said be calm most of the time by knowing yourself.
6. Joyce Skosana: it has helped on how to react in a positive way withtout being stressed like before.
7. Jacques Joubert: very insightful and interesting; how you handle your emotions and herbal healing and correct eating. The journey has just begun.
8. Skhumbuzo Mesangu: it is very important and it must be extended to other co-workers.
9. Lulama Mthi: the course helped me with handling/managing stress. I can deal with stress at work/at home. I have also learned that healthy food also contributes positively to our health.
10. Nomathamsanqa Batyi: it was very effective on how to deal with stress and ways of changing your mindset to be positive and the correct diet to be taken.
11. Mandla Mdluli: this training has been a eyeopener on how to live a meaningful life as human beings and to be mindful of ourselves and surroundings in terms of stress factors. This has been the best training ever. Refresher course please!
12. Boutle Morudu: the program has been helpful in training my thoughts into thinking and believing  positively. The breathing exercises have improved my moodswings, the CD and book keep me informed and enable my train of thought to be channeled properly.
13. Phindi Masha: the session was good.  I have enjoyed and learned to overcome stress. 
14. Mogan Mmmama: I have learned how to control stress. I have gained the knowledge of how to help the person who is stressed. To take control of myself and be positive. Eat healthy and understand my body.
15. Christina Kywatalale: I have learned to control my anger, temper, to think positive. I have started exercising and so far have lost 1kg and I am continuing the exercise, practicing my breathing now and then. I am calmer and happier.
16. Selinah Motlhatlhane:  this program is so helpful to my working environment and household. I have learned that one can not have joy and happiness if he/she does not have it from the inner side.

• That what you think is what you are going to act on.
• How to manage stress: the eating, the sensing, the breathing.
• And the emotional positioning system i.e. positive and negative and so much more.

 

CONCLUSION AND CONTACT DETAILS

 

The spin offs (such as life skill training, leadership development) from the basic training in health, wellness and an integrative whole being approach to the chronic diseases of lifestyle, are very encouraging. It is also a clear indication of the success of wellness educator training as a workplace wellness intervention, and the only intervention to consistently demonstrate long term, lasting and sustainable, health behaviour change. Developing life skills and leadership qualities, experiencing personal growth, learning to manage emotions, increased self-esteem and self-confidence, lowering blood pressure, improving the health and wellbeing of colleagues, friends, family and community, all added to the increase in knowledge on health and wellness, show that wellness educator training has to be one of the best return on investment wellness interventions available today.

WET is also becoming a powerful EAP tool, as employees learn to trust their Wellness Champions and discuss problems with them rather than a call centre assistant. Wellness Champions then refer to the necessary health professionals for further management.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any queries

Yours in health and wellness

Dr Arien van der Merwe MBChB FRSPH MISMA

Medical Specialist Health and Wellbeing

Director: Health Stress Management Gauteng (Pty) Ltd

Address: Optimum Care Building, 426 Cliffendale Dr, Faerie Glen, Pretoria

Tel: 012 3622422

Contact person: Anri van der Merwe (Practice Manager)

E-mail: anri@drarien.co.za / arienvdm@samedical.co.za

Web-site: www.DrArien.co.za