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The big takeaways for me were the idea that self-care is not an extra, but a mandate. I had not thought of that before – like many women/teachers/mothers, I put my needs last most of the time. I had not thought fully about the fact that failing to take care of myself would constitute not doing my job, as it would mean I would be working under impairment. Another eye opener was the term “secondhand depression”. I knew compassion fatigue was something to be wary of, but I had not realized it could get so serious. All in all, these readings made me realize just how important self-care really is.

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Reflection on Importance of Self-Care in the Helping Profession

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Reflection on Importance of Self-Care in the Helping Profession

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I think all of the readings for the week reiterated how vital self-care is for those in helping professions, especially school counselors. If we want to help our students, we must make sure we are coming from a good place. We will not be able to think clearly in a crisis if we are impaired. I tell my friends all the time the idea of putting the oxygen mask on themselves first before their kids, but rarely do I apply it to myself. When I saw that analogy in one of the articles, it hit home.

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Identification & Description of Personal Self-Care Strategies

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Identification & Description of Personal Self-Care Strategies

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One thing I need to do is get more movement into my day. I will aim to do at least 15 minutes of gentle movement each day. I can do yoga, take a walk, or do an exercise video. Another thing I need to do is control my emotional eating. I can aim to eat something nourishing before I eat something that is less healthy. For example, yesterday I came home and stood in the kitchen and mindlessly ate cheetos straight out of the bag. I could have sliced an apple and eaten that with peanut butter first, then asked myself if I was still hungry for the cheetos. I do not want to restrict myself, just add a positive behavior to create reflection and pause.

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The common factor for both of my strategies is that they require me to pause what I am doing and check in with myself. I can pause and do some mindful movement, and I can pause to curb emotional eating. So often, I feel like I cannot take a minute, but that just leaves me more worn out and less effective in the long run. I need to shift my paradigm from thinking of a pause as a luxury to a non-negotiable.