All the way back in 2013, the wellness sector was valued at $3.36 trillion (GWI, n.d.f). Then, just a couple of years later in 2015, that number had swelled to $3.72 trillion (GWI, n.d.f). Part of the reason for that stunning 10.6% growth was an increased understanding of the benefits that prioritizing wellness can have. More and more people now understand how important it is to prioritize physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness, and this increased awareness can be traced back to one very important organization: the Global Wellness Institute (GWI).
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) is a leading non-profit organization in the wellness industry with the mission “To empower wellness organizations by facilitating collaboration, providing global research and insight, triggering innovation, and advocating for growth and sustainability.” (GWI, n.d.f). It accomplishes this through four important pillars: industry research, wellness initiatives, rountables, and wellness evidence.
Whether you choose to make use of its extensive research and data or simply benefit from the increased number of clients who are interested in their wellbeing, the efforts of the Global Wellness Institute will have a positive effect on your career. Keep reading to discover how the four pillars of the Global Wellness Institute are positively impacting wellness professionals all over the planet.
The Institute Produces Industry Research Useful to Professionals With Wellness Counselling Training
One of the key pillars to the Global Wellness Institute is to conduct extensive research. It produces its own in-house research for wellness businesses and professionals, as well as provides support to other bodies conducting research on various wellness topics. Sought after by journalists, academia, industry leaders, and many others, this research serves as a trusted resource for further inquiry, both educational and scientific, into the expansive wellness industry and the positive impact it is having (GWI, n.d.c).
Among this extensive research is a recently released report on wellness lifestyle real estate and communities. Other topics of inquiry over the past year have included the future of wellness at work, the global wellness tourism economy, and more. All of the Global Wellness Institute’s research is free and accessible to the public, so students in wellness counselling training can make ample use of it during and after their studies.
A Multitude of Initiatives Fuels Varied Conversation About Wellness Around the Globe
The Global Wellness Institute also encourages conversation about various forms of wellness through its many industry initiatives (GWI, n.d.d). These initiatives focus on different dimensions of wellness, with some focused on the promotion of massage therapy and its healing benefits, while others examine the importance of helping people thrive mentally. The Global Wellness Institute even has a couple of initiatives promoting wellness in specific regions, as well as initiatives focused on generating awareness of local wellness traditions and practices.
An example of such an initiative is the Digital Wellness Initiative, which the GWI is currently preparing to launch (n.d.b). This important initiative is meant to serve as an interdisciplinary think tank dealing with the healthy use and adoption of technology. The aim of this new initiative will be to bring together diverse viewpoints from wellness, technology, healthcare, and government to form a holistic approach to various dimensions of the digital world with regards to ethics, citizenship, mindfulness, nutrition, and education.
The Global Wellness Institute is starting a new Digital Wellness initiative
Conversation Is Also Fostered Through the Global Wellness Institute’s International Roundtables
International roundtables serve as an additional pillar forming the foundation of the Global Wellness Institute’s work (GWI, n.d.e). Once again, these roundtables are interdisciplinary, meaning they bring together individuals not only from wellness but also from business, medical science, technology, hospitality, media, and more.
Recently, the GWI’s Beauty Meets Wellness Initiative hosted a number of roundtable discussions on the topic. Aims were to “(1) identify the intersection between beauty and wellness, (2) create a new narrative which defines well beauty, and (3) generate evidence-based information and resources which help reposition beauty as a positive and dynamic contributor to the health and well-being of consumers worldwide” (GWI, 2017).
The outcomes of such and similar roundtables can help to create bridges between wellness and other industries, as well as foster important discussions about the role of wellness and how it positively impacts people all over the world.
The Wellness Evidence Website Offers a Useful Research Portal for Wellness Students and Professionals
The website WellnessEvidence.com is the GWI’s final pillar. A beneficial resource for students earning a wellness counselling diploma, this educational resource was launched to make a multitude of medical information on wellness approaches accessible to all.
It can be used to research data from clinical studies and evaluate approaches such as yoga, acupressure, and more (WellnessEvidence.com, n.d.). In fact, students can use this rich resource to examine definitions of a practice, consult featured medical studies, discover recommended research databases for further exploration of a topic, and even use it as a pathway to seek out studies currently in progress.
For those interested in a career in wellness, the support and advocacy provided by the Global Wellness Institute makes all the difference.
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Works Cited
GWI (2017). London Roundtable & Interactive Forum Summary – September 25, 2017. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54306a8ee4b07ea66ea32cc0/t/59f099639f8dcee391a6dfad/1508940142696/GWI+Beauty+Meets+Wellness+Rountable-World+Cafe+Summary-London+Final+09-25-2017.pdf.
GWI (n.d.a). About Us. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/about-us/.
GWI (n.d.b). Digital Wellness Initiative. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/digital-wellness-initiative.
GWI (n.d.c). Industry Research. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/industry-research/.
GWI (n.d.d). Initiatives. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/initiatives/.
GWI (n.d.e). Roundtables. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/roundtables/.
GWI (n.d.f). Statistics & Facts. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/press-room/statistics-and-facts/.
WellnessEvidence,com (n.d.). Evidence-Based Medicine Portal for Wellness Therapies. Retrieved on February 13, 2018, from http://www.wellnessevidence.com/wellnessevidence.
