We Are Biopsychosocioethicospiritual Beings

I learned this term from Dr. Jake Porter, NCC, CSAT, CMAT, CDWF, CCTP. Dr. Jake is the Founder and President of Daring Ventures Counseling, Coaching, and Consultation. He is a national board-certified counselor, professional coach, and expert in the fields of trauma and relational dynamics. He is the creator of Couple–Centered Recovery, a model that places the primary attachment relationship at the center of the recovery and healing process.

Daring Ventures – Heal Trauma. Recover from Addiction. Brain-based Holistic Treatment.

We are complex beings made up of four parts: biophysiological, psychosocial, ethical, and spiritual.

Biophysiological: This is our physical body and material context.

Psychosocial: This is our identity and is woven together through relationships.

Ethical: This is about how we act in relationships with others and our expectations of how others treat us.

Spiritual: This is about our purpose and fitting into a larger story beyond ourselves.

These dimensions work together and affect each other. For example, addiction is a biophysiological issue that impairs a person's capacity to function in other areas of their life. Conversely, healing in one area can lead to healing in others.

As we move up the list, there is a building of capacity to heal and find meaning and purpose in life. Our physical bodies influence our psychosocial identity, which then impacts how we make ethical choices and find spiritual purpose.

In trajectory down the list, these dimensions provide meaning in our lives. Our purpose in life comes from something beyond us, and our spirituality helps us answer questions about that purpose.

"Is there a God?", "Will you answer to Him?", "Does He have a purpose for you?", "Are you a part of something much larger?" The answers to these questions affects how you interact with the people around you (ethical) which impacts your identity, (psychosocial) and affects what you do with your body.

If I have an addiction and I'm not sober (biophysiological issue), but I'm trying to answer ethical, identity, or spiritual questions in my life, my capacity to do that work is limited. Steps I take to get sober and stop my acting out behaviors will set the stage for other meaningful lasting work I do in other parts of my life.