Self-Care Padlet by Erin Watts

Spending time outdoors

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 01:54:00 UTC

I love to spend time outdoors. It helps me to recharge, reconnect with myself, and recenter.

Reading

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 01:59:12 UTC

Taking time to have my mind step away from the problems of the day/week and to focus its energy within a story. Has helped me to stabilize my thoughts and allow my mind to stop and take a break.

Baking/Cooking

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 02:02:48 UTC

It allows me the freedom to be creative and helps me to express myself. During the holidays I often bake for others as well as to teach my daughter, it allows me to give a way to express myself and give back to others.

Manicure and/or Pedicure

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 02:07:18 UTC

I am a giver and seldom choose to do something for myself. While I don't do this nearly enough, I can take myself to get a pedicure or a manicure, which makes me feel good about myself and releases much of what I have taken on when I was at my previous campus due to the high stress we where all under, myself and two others would go out at least once a month for lunch and pedicures.

Pouring from an empty cup

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 02:50:03 UTC

While I was aware of burnout and compassion fatigue, what I was not aware of was secondary trauma and its impacts on "helpers." In examining these three aspects and how they can impact "helpers," it is acutely apparent that the mental and emotional toll of their day-to-day work can take its toll, and if the "helper" does not take steps to ensure their own mental/emotional health they will less effective in there roles as a "helper."

Secondary Trauma

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 02:53:36 UTC

Secondary Trauma was a new concept to me, yet one that explains many things that I have encountered in my professional and personal life. As we go through this course, this is something I feel I will become more acutely aware of and something I think I will need to learn to safeguard myself from so that I can help my students and staff best.

Tap-in/Tap-out

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 03:03:13 UTC

As an Athletic Trainer, we are taught to self-care, but it is always in the background and on our own time. Reading about creating a Tap-in/Tap-out procedure for you to have the ability to recharge or recenter after a trying session or event was a fantastic revelation to me as it allows you, the "helper," the chance to be your best for the next person.

Strong Supportive Network of Friends

ewatts2_ — 2023-10-30 03:16:24 UTC

This one is going to be a struggle for me. I know we will be following up on using these techniques throughout the school year. I am becoming acutely aware that when things become mentally or emotionally taxing, I withdraw from everyone to focus internally and handle things on my own. This is why I am choosing this as a technique because I am hoping that the need to follow up on this will help hold me accountable as well as help me to work past this, and create a healthy support system for myself.