What is BioPsychoSocial? It sounds crazy, but simply put it is a way of viewing the interconnectedness of our multifaceted lives.

The Biopsychosiocial model was first described in 1977 by psychiatrist George Engel. Engel realized that the sum of our parts had a much larger impact on our over-all well being.

We all inherently know this. Our work life coincides with our home life, which coincides with our kids lives, and if we are lucky, coincides with our personal lives. Outside factors of an increasingly interconnected world only adds to the pile of information, or psychological input we process on the daily.

Looking at the the individual factor is important, but we also need to include the environment in which we function. If we understand the layers of a persons relationships with everything around us (detailed in the diagram above), we begin to see the broader picture of the ecological perspective. (Brehm; 2014, Fisher, 2008)

Once we start to develop a broader image of all the factors that influence our lives, only then can we begin to narrow down the factors we need to change to accomplish our desires and goals.