Functional Wellness Assessment
The Starting Point
The Functional Wellness Assessment (FWA) is the primary entry point into the Somatic Self-Care System™ (SSCS) and represents the Gather phase of the system.
It is designed for individuals who are ready to take a closer look at what they are currently experiencing and how those experiences are showing up in everyday function.
You may come to the assessment with persistent or changing symptoms, sensations or body signals. You may have already had medical evaluations or testing that did not fully explain what you continue to experience. Or you may simply want a more organized way to understand how your body is responding, functioning, adapting and recovering.
You do not need to provide your complete medical history to begin.
Previous evaluations, diagnoses, testing, treatments or other healthcare information can be included when they are relevant to what you are currently experiencing. The focus of the assessment, however, is on your current experience and function — what you are noticing, when it happens, what changes, what affects everyday life and what you would like to better understand.
Rather than focusing on one symptom alone, the Functional Wellness Assessment creates a structured starting point for gathering the information needed to begin seeing the broader functional picture.
What the Assessment Gathers
The Functional Wellness Assessment focuses on information that is relevant to what you are experiencing now. This may include:
- Current symptoms, sensations and body signals
- When experiences occur and how they change
- Daily function and activities that may be affected
- Movement, physical demand, rest and recovery
- Sleep, energy and functional capacity
- Relevant routines, responsibilities and environmental influences
- Existing self-care practices and supportive strategies
- Relevant previous evaluations or healthcare information you choose to share
- Areas you would like to better understand
- Your goals for observation and self-care
The purpose of gathering this information is not to diagnose a symptom or determine its medical cause.
It is to begin organizing what you are experiencing so that timing, changes, relationships and functional patterns can be viewed more clearly.
When the Assessment May Be Helpful
The Functional Wellness Assessment may be helpful when:
- Symptoms, sensations or body signals continue even after medical evaluation
- Testing has been normal or inconclusive, but you are still experiencing changes in how you feel or function
- Symptoms involve more than one area of the body
- Your experiences seem connected but are difficult to organize
- Symptoms or sensations change throughout the day or under different circumstances
- Movement, position, physical demand, rest, sleep, stress or everyday routines appear to influence what you experience
- Recovery, energy or daily function has changed
- You want a clearer way to observe and communicate what is happening
- You want to better understand how your body is responding, functioning, adapting and recovering over time
What You Receive
The information gathered through the Functional Wellness Assessment is organized into a Personalized Educational Summary (PES).
The PES represents the Organize phase of the Somatic Self-Care System. It takes what was gathered during the assessment and creates a structured functional overview of what you are currently experiencing.
The Personalized Educational Summary may include:
- An organized overview of current symptoms, sensations and body signals
- Relevant changes in everyday function
- Timing and circumstances surrounding what you experience
- Functional relationships or patterns that have become visible
- Areas that may benefit from closer observation
- Existing strengths and supportive practices
- Questions for continued observation
- Potential areas of focus for an Individual Support Plan (ISP), when appropriate
- An organized summary you may choose to use when communicating with your healthcare providers
The PES does not diagnose the cause of what you are experiencing or provide medical treatment recommendations. Its purpose is to take the information you have gathered and make the broader functional picture easier to see.
What Happens Next
Following the Functional Wellness Assessment, your Personalized Educational Summary is reviewed with you during a PES Review Session.
This is where we look at the organized picture together — what stands out, what has already been evaluated, what appears to change, what may deserve closer observation and what questions remain.
From there, the next step depends on what was identified.
Some individuals may have enough information to begin applying what they have learned independently. Others may benefit from a period of structured observation to see what happens over time. An Individual Support Plan (ISP) or Functional Self-Care Plan (FSCP) may also be appropriate depending on the individual's needs and areas of focus.
When continued observation is useful, the Somatic Self-Care System provides a structured way to observe changes in everyday life rather than trying to remember everything at the next appointment.
There is no obligation to continue beyond the Functional Wellness Assessment and PES Review. The assessment can stand on its own as a way to gather, organize and better understand your current functional picture.
Important Notice
The Functional Wellness Assessment is a structured functional observation and information-gathering process within the Somatic Self-Care System™.
It does not diagnose medical conditions, determine the medical cause of symptoms, prescribe medical treatment or replace evaluation, diagnosis or treatment provided by qualified healthcare professionals.
When observations suggest that something may deserve further medical evaluation or discussion, you may be encouraged to bring those observations or questions to an appropriate healthcare provider.
Ready to Begin?
If you are ready to delve more deeply into what you are experiencing, you can begin directly with the Functional Wellness Assessment.
You do not need to complete a Welcome 15 first. The Functional Wellness Assessment is the primary entry point for individuals who are ready to begin gathering and organizing their current experience and looking more closely at the broader functional picture.
👇👇 Begin with a Functional Wellness Assessment