Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2009

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Counselor Education

Major Professor

Marianne Woodside

Committee Members

Priscilla Blanton, Gary Skolits, Shawn Spurgeon

Abstract

The Indivisible Self (Myers & Sweeney, 2004; Myers & Sweeney, 2005a) model of wellness was proposed in the counseling literature to serve as a framework for enhancing wellness across the life span. Numerous researchers conducted a variety of investigations related to this model; however, gaps in the literature still exist. The aim of the current study was to add to the body of existing literature by investigating one woman‟s wellness across the life span utilizing qualitative methods. The senior adult participant provided a narrative of her life in the form of an oral history. This narrative was then analyzed through the lens of the Indivisible Self model of wellness. The result of this analysis was a descriptive picture of wellness for this woman over the course of her life as it relates to the five Second Order factors of the Indivisible Self model. These five Second Order factors are the Creative Self, Coping Self, Social Self, Essential Self, and Physical Self. In addition to this descriptive picture of wellness, several themes were identified that were central to the participant‟s stories. These themes were Activity, Pleasure, Faith, Relationships, and Helping. The relationship between these themes and concepts from the Indivisible Self model are discussed. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are provided.

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