Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), an American psychologist, developed a theory of motivation based on a five-tier model called the Hierarchy of Needs..

Hierarchy of Needs and Wellness

According to Maslow, our basic physiological needs must be met before we can be motivated to address needs at a higher level. So how does this relate to wellness? If you follow Maslow's model, you must have food, shelter, and safety needs met before you can focus on meeting emotional needs. If you have an unsafe environment, you will not be motivated to increase your emotional wellness until your safety needs are met. Your need for environmental safety takes priority over emotional needs. Click on the model below to learn more about Maslow's five-tier model.