EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

DEFINITION OF EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

An emotionally well person is both aware of and accepts a wide range of feelings in him/herself and others. He/she is able to freely express feelings and to manage feelings effectively to arrive at personal choices/decisions based upon the integration of feelings, cognition and behavior. He/she is self-aware and self-accepting while remaining flexible and continually open to personal development.

The emotionally well person can function autonomously but is aware of personal limitations and the value of seeking interpersonal support and assistance. He/she also forms interdependent relationships based upon mutual commitment, trust and respect. The emotionally well person is willing to accept challenges, take risks, and acknowledge conflict as being potentially healthy. The emotionally well person maintains a generally positive approach to life that is rooted in his/her sense of personal responsibility for, and ability to manage, his/her life in personally fulfilling ways. Emotional wellness is not an end stage but a continual process of change and growth.