Self-Care by Lavada Ferguson

Graphic-Hiking in the trees:)

lferguson8_ — 2023-10-24 19:47:14 UTC

Professional "Take Away" from Reviewing Resources

lferguson8_ — 2023-10-24 21:07:19 UTC

Wow! What great resources. I wrote many of them down so that I can refer back to them when I am in the thick of my career.

The biggest takeaway for me is that I now have a better understanding of the difference between wellness and self-care. Wellness is a conscious commitment to care for yourself. Self-care is a focus on one's physical, psychological, intellectual, social, and spiritual needs.

As teachers, especially as Covid was hitting our classrooms, we were told many times to "practice self-care". I honestly never really knew what that encompassed. I feel I have a much better understanding now.

I also learned that self-care is a professional obligation for those in the helping profession. To do this, I will need to identify and set goals, create an action plan, and implement that plan into my daily life.

Importance of Self-Care in the Helping Profession

lferguson8_ — 2023-10-24 21:14:42 UTC

As a member of the helping profession, counselors cannot afford not to take care of themselves. To meet the demands of the job, we should mirror self-care to how we take care of others. Wellness and self-care can be a buffer against empathy fatigue and burnout, so it is important to self-reflect often to make sure we are taking care of ourselves. Many counselors (and people in general) feel that self-care is selfish, but in reality, it is necessary. As the saying goes, "you can't pour from an empty cup".

Personal Self-Care Strategies

lferguson8_ — 2023-10-24 21:26:31 UTC

I have been in weekly therapy for the past (almost) two years. In therapy, I have learned that I need to practice self-care.

I currently use many self-care strategies and will continue to use them as I finish graduate school and go into counseling.

I set boundaries. I know my limits and do not agree to do things that will push me passed them.
When I am practicing self-care and I start to feel guilty or I begin to make a judgment about myself, I ask myself, "Whose voice is telling me that?". It is a reminder to stop self-judgment.
I set goals for myself and focus on them. This allows me to see that I am moving forward, even if only a little at a time.
Weekly, I work on 4 areas in my life. A. I work out at least 150 minutes/week. B. I cook dinner at home more than I eat out. C. I try to get 8 hours of sleep per night. D. I spend more time off of my phone than on it. Instead of "doom scrolling" for hours, I put together puzzles and read.
About every three months, I go on a trip. Sometimes it is a weekend trip and other times it is a week-long vacation. When I was in the classroom (teaching), I found that having something to look forward to kept me happy.