Therapists have therapists. What is to be said? Wise therapists have some form of professional that they can turn to for their own needs. Let’s call it professional self-care of the soul.
Our souls need to be able to be heard and assured. We need to explore our interactions and pamper ourselves. It is also good professional ethics, as it keeps us from making huge mistakes.
I’ve spent time thinking about the care and watering of our hearts and souls over this past week. At the end of a particularly difficult session, my therapist made it a point to ask me about what I’d be doing the rest of the day. Our conversation was different because of the work we both do. The result of my process that day was that I became aware of how long it took to calm my heart and let the results of the session work inside of me.
What can we do to exercise self-care in times of need? This seems to be something that people need to learn, and so I’m going to list things.
Free Stuff
I’m suggesting free things because self-care shouldn’t stress you out. If money is an issue, trying to pay for something will make it counterproductive.
I’m not suggesting things to pay for because you’re going to have your own personal favorites (mine is sushi).
The list below is meant to trigger ideas:
- Listen to music
- Enjoy a garden
- Binge-watch an old favorite show
- Watch your favorite movie series
- Read an old favorite book
- Stay in bed longer, but get up and take the day slower if needed
- Observe nature from where you are
- Find a pair of shoes to dress up your feet
- Do something fun with a scarf in your hair, or with what you’re wearing
Why Do We Need to Care for Ourselves?
Why wouldn’t we want to show ourselves the compassion that we show to others? Self-care enables us to know our bodies and minds better. Self-care is also an important component of a balanced life. I posted about a holiday that I took to Wales, and along with it the hitches that come with my travel experience. When friends found out that I hadn’t done anything for myself in years, the push was on to get me to holidays.
The first Saturday, I crashed on the comfiest lounge I’d sat on. The exhaustion of ten years of caretaking, and not feeding my spiritual, emotional, and social needs, sent me into a sleepy state of being. I didn’t understand the depths of needing to get away from it all. I’d done too many “staycations” and not enough real holidays. I returned replenished and ready for a new chapter in my life.
Self-care is about allowing ourselves to claim our inner strength and acknowledge that we need to feed all of the self. Self-care is about being brave. Self-care is not for wimps. Another way I practice self-care is to keep a lovely supply of scented candles in the home. I’m presently burning three in different rooms of the house.
Candles allow me to imagine the sea and smell different types of air: the pumpkin of fall and the fresh breezes of the spring season. It’s about the candles and the scent. They are a spiritual practice that I love.