What is Wellness?
According the Global Wellness Institute, wellness is defined as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. This means that wellness is more than just about exercising or meditation. It is an ongoing process across different spectrums. The wellness paradigm focuses on proactive choices for wellbeing, rather than reactive, and works to understand how different areas of wellness affect each other.
Wellness is not a permanent state of being that can be achieved through a set of prescribed steps. However, by consistently engaging in awareness and proactive behaviors, you can move toward holistic health and wellbeing.
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The Dimensions of Wellness
Photo credit: Global Wellness Institute
Most models of wellness include at least six dimensions: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social, and environmental. These dimensions do not exist in isolation, but in balance with each other. Each aspect of wellness is part of holistic wellbeing and none is more important than the others. This guide will explore a few of these dimensions, as well as connect you with resources at St. Kate's and specific to university life.
How to Use this Guide
This guide is not meant to be an exhaustive list of wellness resources. Rather, this guide is meant to help introduce the concept of wellness and provide resources for some aspects of wellness. Use this guide to gain initial understanding, find books, videos, and resources for further learning, and find connection at St. Kate's to work towards wellness in your own life.
For life-threatening
For urgent mental health support, contact a mental health emergency resource such as:
For urgent physical health support, contact 911.
Physical wellness is not just about working out or eating the "right" diet. Instead, physical wellness focuses on nourishing your body through hydration, sleep, nutrition, exercise, etc. Physical wellness can also encompass illness prevention and chronic pain management. Physical wellness is interconnected to all other dimensions of wellness, so it is important to remember that physical wellness should not come at the cost of mental, emotional, or social wellness. Rather, these dimensions should be thought of as different aspects of the same goal: to help your body and mind feel nourished and energized.
The following links will take you to websites of common physical wellness apps. Although some of the apps have paid features, many have free resources available within the app as well.
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory bringing attention to the loneliness that many Americans face. Social wellness, defined by the Global Wellness Institute as "connecting and engaging with others and our communities in meaningful ways," is an important dimension of overall well-being. Neglecting this aspect of wellness can have detrimental effects on other areas of our life as well. However, it can be hard to know how to overcome feelings of loneliness or where to start in your social wellness journey. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Although social media apps can be detrimental to social wellness, technology can also aid in connecting us with others. Scheduling a ten minute phone call with a family member or friend or sending a text let someone know you're thinking of them can be a great way to connect. The following apps are meant to be used as tools for social wellness, but not meant to be the only source of communication with others.
St. Kate's has lots of club and organizations that you can get involved with! Check them out.
The Global Wellness Institute defines environmental wellness as "fostering positive interrelationships between planetary health and human actions, choices, and wellbeing". The National Institute of Health defines it as "what surrounds you each day in your home, work, or neighborhood, and the resources available to you". This dimension of wellness involves your surroundings, ranging from your home to your local community to your global community, and building positive relationships between yourself and your surroundings. Check out the National Institute of Health's Environmental Wellness Toolkit for some ideas about how to build a healthier living space, and read on for more tips on fostering your environmental wellness. For more information on environmental sustainability efforts, check out our Sustainability Guide.
Spiritual wellness, defined by the Northwestern University Religious & Spiritual Center and Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America, refers to “a sense of purpose and meaning in life, often connected to personal values, ethics, and beliefs, which can include a connection to something greater than oneself, and may or may not involve religious practices, allowing individuals to navigate life with a sense of inner peace and grounding”; essentially, it's about finding meaning and purpose in one's existence. The journey to spiritual wellness can consist of various practices, including practicing meditation or yoga, praying or taking part in organized religion, spending quiet time alone pondering the meaning of life, building awareness through journaling, serving your community, spending time in nature, and appreciating music and the arts. In addition to the resources located on St. Catherine University’s Center for Spirituality and Social Justice webpage, this box contains books, articles, podcasts, videos, and apps that may be useful tools on your pathway to spiritual wellness.
Spirit, Science, and Health: How the Spiritual Mind Fuels Physical Wellness by 
The Healing Power of Spirituality: How Faith Helps Human Thrive by 
The Power of Neuroplasticity For Pastoral and Spiritual Care by 
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by St. Kate's Counseling Center provides mental and emotional health services to students at no cost. They offer counselor meetings by appointment or drop-in crisis counseling and are available in-person or virtually.
The Counseling Center also offers Let's Talk, a free and confidential service where students meet with a counselor on a first-come, first-serve basis for 15-20 minutes to explore options for addressing a challenge or to see if counseling would be a good fit. Let's Talk is held Monday-Friday from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM in Library Room 127D. No appointment necessary.
More details and resources are available on the Counseling Center's webpage.
TRIO Support Student Services is an academic advising and holistic support program in the College for Women. It supports 140 students each year by providing academic advising, one on one support, and connecting to resources on and off campus.
Students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and meet one or more of the following:
Find more details and the TRIO application process at their webpage.
The Health and Wellness Clinic provides on-campus physical health resources. Services include Primary Care, Psychiatric Care, Women's Health, Sports Physicals, Travel Clinic, Nutrition Counseling, and Wellness Services. You can manage appointments, view immunization requirements, and find resources for sleep hygiene, alcohol education, sexual health, and more on their webpage.
The St. Kate's Library offers wellness activities several times during the semester. Check our calendar for dates and times for the following.
The Library also has therapy lights available for use during winter months to promote mental wellness during a time when seasonal affective disorder is common.
College is a unique time in a person's life and can introduce specific challenges when it comes to maintaining wellness. In addition to new academic challenges, students may face changes to their social life, undertake new financial demands, and encounter new environments which may change previously established mental and physical wellness habits. With new stressors and busy schedules, it can feel difficult to maintain wellness habits. However, prioritizing self-care can be hugely beneficial during this time. The following wellness resources are meant to specifically aid university students.
Academic wellness is not a typical dimension of wellness, but the stress of academic performance can affect many aspects of student life. Academic wellness is about learning, challenging yourself with new opportunities, and performing at your academic best without neglecting other aspects of your life. Being proactive with your studies can help prevent burnout and promote academic wellness. Check out the Tutoring and Learning Center and Student Accessibility and Accommodations as resources to help you on your academic wellness journey. The resources below can also help you navigate academia and build study habits.
Financial wellness is not just about "being rich". According to the National Financial Educator's Council, financial wellness is defined as "possessing the skills and knowledge on financial matters necessary to confidently take effective action that best fulfills an individual’s personal, family and global community goals".
Financial wellness is not a unique dimension to college students, but college does present unique challenges to financial wellness. It can be stressful to navigate tuition payments through financial aid or student loans, or learn financial literacy for the first time. Check out St. Kate's financial aid, the Money Management Program and the resources below, to help you on your quest towards financial wellness.
Mental wellness is more than just the absence of mental illness. According to the Global Wellness Institute, mental wellness is an active process that helps us to build resilience, grow, and flourish. It has several dimensions, including thinking, feeling, connecting, and functioning. Mental wellness intersects with other aspects of wellness such as physical, emotional, and spiritual. There are different pathways to mental wellness, which can be explored through self-care or with the help of a counselor or physician. In addition to the Counseling Center resources listed on this guide, this box contains books, podcasts, and apps that may be useful tools on your pathway to mental wellness.
The following links will take you to websites of common mental wellness apps. Although some of the apps have paid features, many have free resources available within the app as well.
The National Institutes of Health defines emotional wellness as “the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. Flip each card below for checklists on how to improve your health in each area.” According to the National Center for Emotional Wellness, the term refers to "an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of your emotions, and your ability to manage effectively through challenges and change." This dimension of wellness pertains to the extent to which you are in tune with your feelings, and involves cultivating an awareness of them that facilitates thoughtful action. Remaining in the present moment and adhering to a sense of mindfulness, without looking back too much into the past or the future, is also an important aspect of emotional wellness. Check out the National Institutes of Health Emotional Wellness Toolkit to learn more about strategies for improving your emotional health, and peruse the content of the accompanying tabs for more information on how to cultivate it.
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by 
Thoughts and Feelings by ©2024 St. Catherine University Library, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
