Taking care of ourselves when we are taking care of others can be a challenge.
We often don’t think about our own needs, yet caring for ourselves can be the greatest gift we can give to others.
When we fly, the safety instructions we’re given include putting the oxygen mask on ourselves before putting it on our children. How counterintuitive is that? And yet, that’s exactly what we need to do in order to ensure that we are capable of caring for our children.
It’s the same when we are caring for people we are responsible for helping, whether that be a psychotherapy client, an accident victim, or a child who has been abused.
Putting ourselves first is not selfish; it’s actually an act of love. If you think about it, wouldn’t you rather your surgeon be well rested and free from stress when performing a delicate operation on your brain (or any other part of your body)?
Getting adequate rest, eating well, exercising, and freeing our minds from anxiety can help us be at our best when dealing with those in need.
And isn’t that what they deserve?
I’ll share an exercise that I use with my students in the next blog entry.
Hope Makes Healing Possible!
Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW
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