| Four years ago, my burnout at work had reached | | | | pondering, I became convinced that if I could |
| the point of crisis. I knew what it was like to be | | | | discover how to stay spiritually connected and in |
| enthusiastic and warm and positive, but I found it | | | | balance with the whole of life my burnout would |
| impossible to summon up those feelings that had | | | | dissolve. |
| come so easily in the past. The nurses and other | | | | The Native American concept of wellness led me |
| doctors noticed that I was no longer the same Dr. | | | | to a solution to my struggle with burnout. In the |
| Shelton they thought they knew. | | | | Native American understanding, you are well when |
| One morning, the psychologist in charge of our | | | | all aspects of your life are in balance and in |
| mental health branch called me up and asked if I | | | | harmony. There is a sense of inner peace and |
| would be willing to visit Doby, the traditional healer. | | | | wholeness. It is more than the absence of |
| I reluctantly agreed, because I knew the | | | | disease, or enjoying good health. You thus might |
| psychologist cared about me. | | | | be well while living with a chronic illness. This kind |
| I felt awkward, though, and I didn't really expect | | | | of wellness is reflected in behaviors and attitudes; |
| the healer to be able to help me. How would he | | | | how you respond to situations, problems, or |
| understand when I couldn't even explain what was | | | | people. Wellness means having a sense of poise |
| going on with me? My hesitancy was complicated | | | | and serenity that allows you to respond creatively |
| by the fact that I was the medical director at a | | | | and responsibly in a crisis. |
| clinical center created for the purpose of helping | | | | How do we improve on our state of wellness? In |
| and treating the Native People. I wasn't supposed | | | | the Native community where I work every day, I |
| to become one of their patients! | | | | hear constant references to "the wellness |
| At the mental health building I was greeted by | | | | circle."Â The circle is an important sacred |
| Doby, a short, thick, elderly native man with a | | | | symbol for Native Americans. It represents the |
| white crew cut, dressed in a Pendleton vest and | | | | cycles of life, the four seasons, the four |
| blue jeans. In the corner sat a middle-aged man | | | | directions, the heavens, Mother Earth, and the |
| with a drum who, I learned later, was the his son. | | | | universe. It represents a holistic symbol of |
| We sat down at a small table in the center of the | | | | physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health in |
| room. | | | | its broadest sense, revealing the parts of human |
| "So, what's going on?"Â he said. | | | | nature that must be nourished to bring a person |
| I started with, "Well, it's getting harder and harder | | | | to wholeness. |
| for me to come to work." | | | | The Native American wellness circle describes |
| He put up his hand abruptly, signaling for me to | | | | four aspects or dimensions of life: physical (what |
| stop. He told me a story about the time of his | | | | one does), mental (what one thinks), emotional |
| father's death. The healer didn't want or need to | | | | (what one feels), and spiritual (what one believes). |
| hear any more about my problem. I was a little | | | | When all four dimensions of life are in balance and |
| troubled by this. I didn't see how this rambling | | | | functioning at an optimum level, a person is |
| story about his father was going to help. | | | | considered to be physically fit, mentally stimulated, |
| Finally the healer completed his story and said, | | | | emotionally adjusted, and spiritually connected. To |
| "Okay, I'll see what I can do."Â He came | | | | be well, then, means to have vitality in each part |
| over to me. Placing his hands over my head, he | | | | of life, and to have all of these parts in relative |
| began to sing a native song. I felt respectful, | | | | balance. |
| present, and open, but to be honest, I didn't | | | | Burnout is caused, in part, by living a life out of |
| expect anything beneficial to come of this. Doby | | | | balance. Thus, burnout can be addressed from |
| sang for another five minutes or so, and then he | | | | any of these four aspects with the intention of |
| was done. | | | | regaining balance. Many of us have learned how to |
| He announced, "Your spirit had left you, and I put | | | | focus on the physical dimension. Or, we might |
| it back."Â I was astounded. What sort of | | | | attend to the mental aspect of life by entering |
| thing was that to say? I felt no different. I almost | | | | cognitive therapy and rethinking some of our |
| laughed, but I didn't want to offend this kind man. | | | | approaches and attitudes. Concentrating on the |
| After all, he was only trying to help me. | | | | emotional aspect, we could look to relationships |
| I thanked him and left. What an interesting | | | | for support and perhaps start writing in a journal |
| experience, I thought. As I began seeing patients, | | | | to better understand our feelings. However, the |
| my skepticism and amusement quickly turned to | | | | aspect most neglected, the one most seriously |
| marvel. I was back! I was able to address each | | | | out of balance and in need of recovery in our |
| patient and problem with the natural sense of | | | | busy, modern world is that of the spirit. It is the |
| compassion and creativity I had known before. At | | | | key component of the wellness circle. Traditionally, |
| the end of the day, I was still energized. I felt | | | | the spiritual aspect is considered the foundation or |
| wonderful! | | | | essence of life. I had worked on all of the other |
| Unfortunately, over the next few weeks I began | | | | areas in my life, yet I still was unable to break out |
| to feel less energetic and increasingly irritable. I | | | | of my burnout until the traditional healer "replaced |
| knew I couldn't keep seeing the traditional healer | | | | my spirit."Â It was at this point that I |
| over and over. I needed to find some way to | | | | realized that if I could nourish and develop this |
| nourish and develop my spirituality. After much | | | | area of myself, I could be truly well. |