Strength from Spirituality

How does spirituality inform research, writing, and life? What chain of events led the authors to write this chapter? Some readers may view the experiences survived by the authors as a series of random coincidences, but because religion plays a large role in the lives of both authors, they believe that their experiences happened for a reason. They are not trying to convert you to a certain religion but simply want to show the power religion can have. It is recommended to take out all prejudgments on this issue and read the chapter as is. After that, take out of it what you wish. The more you read into this the more you will realize that everything truly does happen for a reason and there is a greater power amongst us.

Piti, Piti, Wazo fe Nich Li (Little by Little, the Bird Builds its Nest)

After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, many people desired to help in relief efforts. Despite “good intentions,” there are a number of mistakes educators, scholars, and do-gooders make in an effort to “serve” those they determine to be “in need.” A married couple provides their individual and collective perspective about their experiences in Haiti. They discuss the histories and cultures that influence the structural barriers that exist between different communities. In order for relief efforts to be sustainable, it is imperative to create a culture that puts the Haitian community and their perspectives at the center of any change that would take place. The authors discuss personal and professional efforts to address the need of health education standards in a school in Haiti.

Well Teachers Teach Well

No matter what field one enters, landing that first job and depositing that first paycheck is like no other feeling in the world. The excitement, anticipation, and demands of any career can be exceptionally challenging, and many people underestimate the toll that work—even meaningful work—can have on one's physical and mental well-being. This underestimation is especially true in the field of education, where many teachers in ever-expanding roles (teacher, mentor, counselor, etc.) work non-stop nine months out of the year only to find themselves physically and perhaps mentally exhausted. This chapter explores the teaching careers of college friends and how they have been able to break the cycle of Work/Exhaust/Repeat by recognizing, modifying, and preventing patterns that are ultimately harmful to their physical and mental well-being and make them less effective as educators.

Preventing Burnout

The essential administrator in higher education must maintain a healthy work-life balance. The process of attempting to balance the demands and expectations of career, personal life, interpersonal relationships, partnerships, and family has been explored extensively over the last decade. Achieving a sense of work-life balance is both physically and psychologically necessary to promote life satisfaction, wellness, and occupational success. Many challenges and responsibilities confront administrators daily, some of which they have little or no control over and are commonly labeled as stressors. A large number of publications and media address the topics of stress and burnout-related health issues which may lead to chronic illnesses. This chapter explores stress and strategies to help individuals in administrative careers cope with the day-to-day stressful events and/or situations in their personal or work-life. The information included will dispel the idea, take two aspirins and call the doctor in the morning!

Teacher Stress and Anxiety

This chapter illustrates the author's struggle with stress and anxiety associated with the teaching profession. After conversations with colleagues, it is apparent that many teachers drive to and from school with knots in their stomachs, exhausting themselves with worry about students, parents, administrators, state standards, and more. As educators, we search to find balance between our school lives and our “normal” lives. We struggle to take a mental break from our jobs. In this chapter, the author uses a multigenre style to illustrate her anxiety and healing throughout her teaching career. Many authors write about the needs of the student, yet it is also worthwhile to explore the mental health of teachers. Teachers cannot best serve students if teachers cannot first take care of themselves. It is an idea that is often overlooked, and the author hopes this chapter may help educators who have experienced similar issues of anxiety in their careers.

Write to Transform Your Health

This chapter is a description of the workshop, ‘Transform your Health: Write to Heal,' created by John Evans. Writing and facilitating optimal well-being and vibrant living are the authors' passions and they feel privileged to fuse these passions in this chapter.

Truly Nourished

A nutritionist presents case studies of patients who learned not only lessons about nutrition but also lessons about life. Details about the patients' stories are fictionalized, but the life lessons learned by the patients and the nutritionist lead to reflection on healthy choices. The nutritionist uses her faith and conversations with God to guide her as she helps patients.

Cutting-Edge Technology Adoption for Building Holistic Patient Experience

Internet acceptance has exponentially risen globally in the last decade with the advent of collaborative and interactive Web technologies. E-learning techniques are extensively used by medical educators to impart learning to their patients and caregivers. E-Learning 2.0 has appeared as amalgamation of traditional e-learning model and capabilities of Web 2.0. It is a supplement to treatment provided by doctors, used for educating patient and equipping them to handle preventive and disease-specific conditions resulting in affirmative patient experience. The contemporary medical practices emphasizes building patient experience and not restricting patient treatment. This chapter explains the need of shifting e-learning focus from the software product design to service design and drawing the comparative model between the two. It reviews existing E-Learning 2.0 practices being used in medical education and recent state-of-the-art technologies including webcasting, virtual learning environment, mobile technology, etc. The focal point of the chapter is how to use technology to promote patient-centered culture.

Healing through Self-Discovery and Artistic Design Journals

The author explores the process of healing through the use of artistic writing activities in a journal, which promote self-discovery. Techniques that involve art making and writing are shared, such as collaborative drawing and writing, ekphrasis, hand-made journals, mandala drawing, marble paper abstract drawing, and sensory printing. Through artistic design, the journey to better understand the self is addressed, emphasizing management of everyday stresses such as those stemming from relationships, roles, and change. Managing these stresses leads towards a healthy life by providing a balance between creative drive and daily obligations. Guided exercises using various media are explained. The process is emphasized, not the end product or artistic merit of the creation. It is through this creative process that tension and stress are released and the joy of discovery becomes a part of life. Individuality is valued through thoughtful reflection of the activities that are embedded in artistic design journals.

Self-Directed Learning and Adult Education

Patients are increasingly being asked to take more responsibility for self-care in a complex healthcare system; this can be a challenge for even the most educated individual. Learning is central to health, health decisions, and self-care. Adult educators' insights regarding lifelong, self-directed learning are critical in helping adults learn about their disease and make informed decisions. This chapter presents documentation of self-directed learning in health education through a series of case studies with reflections. The authors draw attention to self-directed learning in the context of one's own personal health management and propose self-directed learning as a solution to the numerous barriers to personal health education. Ideas for increasing a self-directed approach when seeking health information are offered based on the case studies reviewed. Ideas regarding future research needs are included.