Bonus: The Countercultural Roots of Wellness Culture with Stephanie Alice Baker

Conceptual Beginnings

The concept of wellness culture first emerged in the late 1950s, largely remaining at a conceptual level until the 1970s. Stephanie Alice Baker highlights the significant influence of the counterculture era on the development of wellness culture. She identifies key movements such as civil rights, women's health, and the anti-psychiatry movement as foundational to the wellness industry's growth 1.

When you look at wellness culture, the concept emerged in the late fifties, initially in an article, subsequently in a book called high level Wellness. But it was very much left at the conceptual level.

--- Stephanie Baker

These movements challenged mainstream authority and sought alternatives to the corrupt establishments of the time.

   

Industry Growth

The wellness industry saw significant growth from the 1970s onwards, evolving into a multi-trillion-dollar global market. Stephanie Baker explains how the countercultural roots laid the groundwork for this expansion. She notes that the desire for alternatives to mainstream establishments fueled the industry's growth 1.

In the seventies, during the counterculture, a series of pioneers actually developed this concept of wellness and were very much influenced by the time.

--- Stephanie Baker

This period saw the integration of organic food, alternative medicine, and holistic health practices into mainstream wellness culture.