Emotional Wellness Month is observed all October long to raise awareness us about the importance of this critical, but often overlooked component of wellness.
Dr. Mark Lerner, Chairman of the National Center for Emotional Wellness defines emotional wellness as:
an awareness, understanding and acceptance of our feelings, and our ability to effectively manage through challenges and change.
When it comes to caring for patients as well as to maintaining your own health, it is important to be aware of and work to address emergent emotional needs. Focusing on Emotional Wellness allows us to address the needs of the "whole person."
Dr. Lerner writes more on fostering emotional wellness for others:
Know that people never forget what others do during peak emotional experiences. As it has been said, “They may forget what you said—but they will never forget the way you made them feel.” (Buehner)
Monitoring our own emotional wellness is important, too. It is okay to not be okay. You can find resources from the National Center for Emotional Wellness, providing several free infosheets with tips and strategies. The National Institutes of Health also provides an Emotional Wellness Toolkit, with 6 strategies for improving your emotional health.
Though the month of October is coming to a close, it is important to work towards fostering emotional wellness in ourselves and others all year round.