HIRAETH

 Hiraeth Ideology

Hiraeth Model of Holistic Health, Learning & Development ©

‘Hiraeth’ (pronounced 'Hirr-eye-th') is a feeling term in the Welsh language with no literal English translation. Hiraeth is a longing, yearning or calling to journey home to a place of belonging or wholeness. This feeling stimulates connection to self, others and the environment.

Hiraeth is the drive fuelling human development. The service user is sat firmly in the driving seat. The professional is the passenger to encourage, support and guide the driver: a Person-Centred approach. The goal is a functional balance between feelings, thoughts, behaviours and sensations within the context of our lives.

The Hiraeth Model  ©

This Hiraeth Model is embedded within Multiple Intelligence (Howard Gardner), emotional intelligence (Daniel Goleman), narrative and ecopsychology principles. The key: ‘drivers’ are initially affirmed in their individual levels of intelligence / functioning. These ‘competencies’ are sometimes hidden but are always present somewhere in the five spheres within the Hiraeth Model. This affirmation is the foundation of self esteem. Thus empowered, drivers journey on to explore and integrate other less developed levels of intelligence / functioning.

This Model underlies and conceptually unites each service outlined herein.