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EXPLORING THE ROLE OF SOMATIC EDUCATION IN EXPERIENTIAL WELL-BEING DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor o f Philosophy in the Graduate School o f The Ohio State University By Darcy Lynne Lord, M.S. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2002 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor William Taylor Professor Fiona Travis College of Education Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 3049078 Copyright 2002 by Lord. Darcy Lynne All rights reserved. u m T UMI Microform3049078 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. Alt rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17. United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by Darcy Lynne Lord 2002 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT This inquiry indicates that Experiential Well-Being can be positively impacted through embodiment practices. It was argued that many in the U.S. are experiencing a lack of well-being, and that the field of psychology has addressed the concept of well-being but with two limitations: I) the studies have been correlational and have not focused upon increasing the experience of well-being, and 2) the concept well­ being has been viewed as solely a cognitive/emotional construct. The field of somadcs, which highlights theory and practice of the mind-body-spirit connection, holds the potential for addressing well-being while moving beyond these two limitations. Utilizing the theoretical assumptions of somatics. a more integrated approach to well-being was proposed- This holistic perspective of well-being was called Experiential Well-Being (EWB) and was defined as the personal experience, or perceived sense of wholeness or wellness, satisfaction and contentment in the areas of mind, body, and spirit. It was hypothesized that Somatic Education, a four week embodiment practice that combined elements o f hatha yoga, qigong, and stress- reduction, could positively impact participant EWB. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Based upon participant observation, interviews, and evaluative surveys it was concluded that participant concepts o f well-being were holistic in nature, expanding beyond the mental domain to include physical and spiritual aspects as well. Thus, participant perspectives of well-being paralleled the newly introduced concept Experiential Well-Being. It was also concluded that Somatic Education did play a role in increasing participant well-being particularly in terms o f their perceived sense o f relaxation, stress-reduction. mental clarity, and increased energy or vitality. Another important participant experience was an almost ineffable feeling of being lengthened, less constricted, or more free. Though participants viewed Somatic Education as positively affecting their well-being, the effects o f the classes were short-term, lasting a few hours to one week. Thus, a main conclusion of the study was the need for ongoing practice as well as education of the general public to create a common language/experience in order for somatic practices to impact EWB on a larger scale. m Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I could not have completed this projected without the love and support of many individuals. I am grateful for you alL 1 would like to thank my advisor Sy Kleinman for introducing me to these amazing, life-affirming philosophies and practices. I thank you for your gentleness of spirit and for your wonderful wisdom. You are a gift to us all. I want to thank Bill Taylor and Fiona Travis, my other committee members for the wisdom I received through their ideas and classes, and especially for trusting me enough to allow me the freedom and creativity to pursue topics of study that not only matter to me, but make my heart sing. 1 literally could not have completed this dissertation without the love, friendship, support, encouragement, laughter, and feedback I received from my dear friends and wise colleagues, Maryanna Klatt and Jennifer Strickland. I think we are the definition of a successful writing group. I love you guys and am indebted in so many ways. Thank you both. I also wish to thank my wonderful mom, Betty Lapp, who has always seen me larger than life, and my amazing sister, Denise Lord for always being there with answers to my questions. They have known from the beginning that I could iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. successfully finish this task. As you both know, your knowingness literally helped create my successful path. You two have been my spiritual support without which this process would not have been the joyful. God-guided adventure that it was. I love and thank you both beyond w ords. And lastly, to my dear husband and sweet love, Jeff Loudensiager. I thank you for your loving and generous spirit, for supporting and loving me beyond what I could dream possible, for always believing I could do this, and for your eternal patience in my process. You are my rock and my best friend and I completed this in great part because of your faith in me. My love and gratitude for you is beyond words. 1 love you and thank you from the bottom of my very full heart. v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. VITA December 15,1965 ------------------- Bom—Columbus, Ohio 1990------------------------------------B.S. Psychology. The Ohio State University 1996.----------------------------------- M.S. Counselor Education, University of Dayton 1997 - 2001--------------------------- Graduate Teaching Associate, The Ohio State University FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field; College of Education vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments -----------------------------------------------------------------------------iv vfrfl | { | | , i............. j... i. v Chapters: 1. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 LI Well-being crisis---------------------------------------------------------------- 1 13 Chapter overview ___ ..._____________________________________ 2 13 Well-being - psychological perspectives_______________________ 3 13.1 Limitations of psychological perspectives. _______________ .4 13 3 Dualism: Philosophical underpinnings. ---------------------------- 5 13 3 Well-being and the mind-body split ____________________ .6 1.4.1 Somatics and phenomenology. _________________________ 8 1.43 Pragmatism and somadcs. ------------------------------------------- 10 1.43 Basic assumptions. _________________________________ 11 1.5 Expanded definitions of well-being __________________________ 3 8 13.1 Experiential Well-being._____________________________ 28 1.53 Well-being - somatic perspectives. _____________________ 29 1.6 Objectives. .............................................................51 1.7 Limitations ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 32 1.8 Overview of chapters. ______________________________________ 33 2. Review of literature: ______________________________________________ 35 2.1 Well-being - psychological perspectives________________________ 35 2.1.1 Correlates of well-being______________________ 36 2.13 Limitations of psychological perspectives ________________ 42 23 Spiritual well-being_______________________________________ .44 23 Intersections of somatics and spirituality _______________________ 46 2.4 Somatic