The number of people who practice healthy behaviors regularly is alarmingly low,leading to chronic diseases that have become a primary cause of death and disability in the U.S. Transitioning your approach and focus from “illness” to “wellness” can produce results that are significant and worthwhile for society and for you. During this presentation, you’ll find out more about what health promotion and wellness are, and how you can incorporate health promotion and wellness into your practice, regardless of practice setting.

Course Objectives:

• Unnderstand and differentiate between the terms health promotion and wellness.
• Identify and apply the health promotion and wellness screening/history taking aspects of patient examination.
• Appreciate the burden of chronic disease in the US.
• Understand how to achieve effective behavior change with patients/clients in physical therapist practice.
• Recognize legal, liability, and documentation issues involved in providing health promotion and wellness services.

Dr Bezner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Texas State University. Bezner teaches, conducts research on physical activity and provides service to the university community. She received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch, her master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University, degree PhD in health education from the University of Texas and a DPT degree from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Prior to joining Texas State in August 2014, she was Vice President of Education, Governance and Administration at the American Physical Therapy Association and prior to that, senior vice president for PeakCare, Inc, a health care technology firm, where she managed the development of a wellness and prevention software and video library aimed at employers to assist in decreasing health care costs associated with illness and injury at work.