WELLNESS COMPASS MODEL OF WELL-BEING

The Wellness Compass Model of Well-being is a dynamic way of thinking about the holistic nature of health, both physical and mental. Just like a mobile, all eight areas of well-being are interconnected—whatever impacts one area of our lives (positively or negatively) will affect the others.

Many influences compete to guide our lives, often without realizing it. By choosing a compass to guide us in making healthy decisions in all areas of our lives, we are better able to experience wellness and wholeness.

The Wellness Compass offers guidance in eight interconnected areas, divided into four sections:

HEART:

  • Handling Emotions. Expressing and receiving emotions in a healthy way.

  • Healthy Relationships. The ability to create and maintain healthy, life-giving connections with others.

MIND:

  • School & Work (Vocation). The ability to get the most out of employment, educational, and volunteer opportunities.

  • Organization. The ability to keep track of and make good use of possessions, money, and time.

STRENGTH:

  • Care of the Body. The ability to build healthy habits and practices regarding our physical well-being, as well as the ability to end unhealthy ones.

  • Stress Resilience. The ability to deal positively with the adversities of life.

SOUL:

  • Rest & Play. The ability to balance work and play and to renew oneself.

  • Spirituality. The development and practice of a strong personal value system and a meaningful purpose in life.

Wellness Compass resources are designed around the belief that healthy communities can grow when community members have opportunities to participate in safe, authentic conversations, celebrate the joys of life, and receive support around the challenges they face.

 HOW IS THIS ALL POSSIBLE?

Ab and Nancy Nicholas are the people who make the work of the Wellness Compass Initiative possible. Their generosity funds the creation and distribution of all our materials, as well as the training and support that we offer at little or no cost. 

While Ab passed away in 2016, we continue to honor his legacy in everything we do. Nancy continues to be a friend and faithful supporter of our work.

We could not do what we do without their support.

 OUR TEAM

D. Scott Stoner, LMFT - Executive Director

D. Scott Stoner, LMFT,  has been a family therapist for over forty years in Chicago, Milwaukee, and now Madison, WI.  He is the co-director, with his wife, Holly Hughes Stoner, of the Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation, and together they have created the Wellness Compass Initiative. Their focus is on creating preventative wellness materials for adults, families, and teens. Scott is also the creator of the national Living Compass Wellness Initiative.  Scott lives in Wisconsin with Holly and has three grown children and two grandsons.

 

Holly Hughes Stoner, M.Ed., LMFT - Director of the Wellness Compass Initiative and Wellness Circle Facilitator

For thirty years, Holly Hughes Stoner, M.Ed., LMFT, was a public school teacher in Illinois and Wisconsin. Additionally, she had a K-12 tutoring practice for over thirty years in Milwaukee and is currently in practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Madison, WI. 

Holly has also co-authored The Wellness Compass Workbooks for Adults, Parents, and Teens, as well as our other wellness materials, with her husband, Scott. Together, they also co-direct the Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation and create the Wellness Compass weekly column and podcast.  Holly lives in Wisconsin and has three adult children and two grandsons.

 

Carolyn Karl - Program Director, Trainer, and Wellness Circle Facilitator

Carolyn Karl is the Program Director for the Wellness Compass and Living Compass Initiatives. For over 20 years, she has worked in congregational ministry with youth, families, and in recognizing and building intergenerational connections. Carolyn facilitates our Teen, Adult, and Parent Wellness Circles, creates and leads trainings, and connects and supports those who use our materials. Carolyn lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Steve, and has recently become an empty nester, with three newly “adulting” children in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas.

 

Robbin Brent - Director of Publications and Resource Development

Robbin Brent serves as Director of Publications and Resource Development. She also owns and manages R. Brent and Company, which she established in 1993 as a publishing and consulting company, producing and publishing a wide array of books and resources for enrichment, education, and inspiration. Robbin is also a certified Enneagram teacher in the Narrative Tradition, hosts individual and small-group discernment conversations, and is passionate about filming, editing, and writing about life-giving events. She has two grown sons and a handful of grandchildren and lives, works, and plays in Tennessee.

 WELLNESS PROGRAMS & RESOURCES

 The Wellness Compass Initiative creates and produces a variety of wellness programs & resources. Click the photos below to learn more.

 WELLNESS RELATED LEARNING

 Education is a priority for us at The Wellness Compass Initiative. See below to learn about our educational wellness offerings.

LIVING COMPASS

Communities of faith, of all creeds and denominations, were early adopters of our Wellness Compass resources. This led to the creation of Living Compass and the creation of resources that focus specifically on the integration of spirituality and wellness. We offer a variety of resources for adults, teens, parents, and families that are being used by faith communities around the world.  

Facilitator Guides and training videos are available for all the resources.

Sign up for Your Weekly Wellness Compass, our written column, to receive weekly guidance for navigating your week ahead with clear attention and intention.