title: Wholeness and life patterning: unitary foundations for a healing praxis.
abstract: Unitary appreciative nursing is a healing praxis that is grounded in an evolving theory of wholeness and life patterning. The theory regards people as having the potential for transforming their health through participating knowingly in change focused on appreciating their wholeness and life patterning. In unitary appreciative nursing, people generate their own knowledge through appreciation and participation in the wholeness of life patterning. This knowledge facilitates and advances their flourishing and well-being in a healing praxis. The conceptual presuppositions and theoretical propositions that were generated or affirmed arising from a healing praxis are clarified and explicated with women who have experienced abuse and despair.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Greensbaro, School of Nursing, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA. richardcowling@uncg.edu
authors.forename: W Richard
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Cowling
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Swartout
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D004645:Empathy; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006694:Holistic Health; D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009742:Nursing Theory; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D013561:Symbolism