My school was the subject of a single traumatic event when a tornado swept the area. It indiscriminately destroyed homes. Leaving families, which meant my students were homeless. They were living in shelters, motels, hotels, or camping grounds. My drive to and from work was reexperiencing that trauma with them. It was like this for over a year. The reminders remain there as some homes were never rebuilt, and the lots stand empty. The response from the counseling department was valiant, but as I learnt from experience and the course resources, some things cannot be fixed.

Making sure you eat well, get enough sleep, meditate, exercise, and maintain a support system is self-care.

I am currently struggling with some of this. I have a great support system and generally eat well. My sleep schedule is set, but I sometimes struggle to adhere to it. Usually, when I am overwhelmed with responsibilities, I struggle to find enough time to accomplish tasks. Exercise has fallen off the map. I need to get back to it, even if it is walking a mile a day and practicing 15 minutes of yoga.

My most useful tool is journaling. I intend to continue to participate in an online self-guided self-exploration tool that uses art to unpack your inner self.

I find myself using the airplane analogy often. It's a great reminder. Counselors have to be mindful to do no harm. It is ethically wrong to continue to service someone if you are not fit to perform the job. If you are not taking care of yourself, are you really fit to do so?