THE FUTURE OF WELLNESS <strong>2022</strong>. From virtual reality and augmented reality to merged reality and haptics, the coming wellness metaverse will create vast opportunities for each sector of the $4.4 trillion global wellness economy. Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com / <strong>May</strong> <strong>2022</strong> / PAGE 20
WELLBEING AUTHOR – Sean Feast FCICM WELLNESS PLAYGROUNDS Whether it’s new or renovated bathhouses featuring hydrothermal bathing, large-scale wellness water resorts, or public parks where nature meets art and wellness, cities around the globe are suddenly making the pursuit of wellness accessible, affordable and inclusive. Communal bathing that hearkens back to European and Asian bathing cultures is inspiring an urban bathhouse renaissance around the globe. Additionally, sauna bathing is becoming more popular and playful—it’s less about being serious and silent and more about communal joy! Large event saunas have been opening outside of European sauna hot spots, with cities like Las Vegas hosting high-octane ‘Sauna Aufguss’ performances and London night spots offering private rooftop saunas adjacent to the rooftop bar. New public playgrounds that merge nature and art with wellness are transforming cityscapes—with new manmade beachfronts, scenic boardwalks, pop-up wellness classes, and even water sports becoming available in very unexpected places. NEXT-GEN NATURALISM For decades, the concept of progress has been about requiring humans to do as little as possible. We praise automation, reward the businesses who deliver convenience on-demand, and admire nature from a safe distance — glorifying it without respecting it. But the looming threat of global upheaval is forcing us to change our ways. As we collectively reckon with the fragility of our planet and the instability of our supply chains, we’ll see a long-overdue return to self-reliance. This self-sufficiency boom is already evident in the global growth of outdoor survival schools, foraging, homegrown produce, and TikTok #ecohacks. And it’s a trend that’s very much in line with the larger shifts towards back-to-basics wellness. Just as wellness is returning to the fundamentals, Next-Gen Naturalism requires a Marie-Kondo-esque simplification of one’s life and consumption, placing a refreshing focus on the natural world and ancient practices. It’s a no-frills kind of wellness that forces us to rethink how we use our natural resources, how we source our food, and ultimately—how we prepare for a shaky future. WELLNESS COACHING The world spends $8.3 trillion a year on healthcare, $4.4 trillion on wellness, but we can’t stem the tide of chronic diseases. Behaviour change is the toughest nut. So, why haven’t coaches devoted to helping people make healthy changes been at the centre of everything? They’re a no-brainer, they’ve been absent, but now the certified health and wellness coach (HWC) is finally here. In the Wild West of ‘wellness coaching,’ the future is new distinctions, because what a certified HWC does is utterly unique. They’re healthcare professionals trained in evidence-based, nuanced conversational techniques that get people developing the intrinsic motivation and confidence to hit realistic wellbeing goals. Unlike the 15 minutes doctors give you, they spend time: around 50 minutes a week for at least three months. Their approach is radically different from the ‘prescriptive’ model that rules both medicine and wellness. Doctors say exercise; wellness gurus say follow me on this path to weight loss or enlightenment. Motivation must be sparked from within. The need for such coaches will explode; rigorous training and certification programmes are now in place. Primary care startups and public health initiatives are shaking up medicine with ‘care team models, where this coach is as central as the doctor. There is a positive avalanche of digital health companies promising to revolutionise everything from chronic disease management to weight loss by automating ‘personalised health coaching’—and problems with all the coach-bots coding the human out of the process. Wellness resorts, working on the ‘a week can change your life’ models, have resisted HWCs, but that is set to change, with urban wellness centres opening up for more ‘everyday’ coaching. Certified HWCs will increasingly work with doctors, insurers, employers, physical therapists, fitness trainers, and people independently. Because they are the missing link. WELCOME TO THE METAVERSE The metaverse is happening; it isn’t a maybe. And thanks to a wide range of social forces, including the pandemic, the rise of the ‘Wellness Metaverse’ is inevitable. With wellness front and centre in consumers’ minds—and at the forefront of business and Government strategies around the globe—the world is seeking new technologies that can far better engage and impact the health of many more people. From virtual reality and augmented reality to merged reality and haptics, the coming wellness metaverse will create vast opportunities for each sector of the $4.4 trillion global wellness economy. To build a Wellness Metaverse, there will be unprecedented new synergies between the technology, wellness and health industries. Wellness sectors, including fitness, beauty, healthy eating, mental wellness, wellness tourism, wellness real estate, spas and workplace wellness are introducing new technologies and virtual worlds that deliver a far more immersive experience and radically transform how wellness is delivered to global consumers. And the entire world is paying attention. Fortune 500 companies are unveiling creative, disruptive new products and services that can improve people’s health and lives. The coming metaverse will move beyond gaming and health and wellbeing will be at the centre—it will prove one of its meaningful bright spots. And it’s a bright future where the wellness industry can play a leadership role. Adapted from the Global Wellness Trends Report – The Future of Wellness <strong>2022</strong>. The author would like to thank Cassandra Cavanah for her support in preparing this article. This selfsufficiency boom is already evident in the global growth of outdoor survival schools, foraging, homegrown produce, and TikTok #ecohacks. And it’s a trend that’s very much in line with the larger shifts towards back-to-basics wellness. Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com / <strong>May</strong> <strong>2022</strong> / PAGE 21
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