Self-Care and Its Importance for Relationship Intense Fields
Self-care is incredibly important for new members in the counseling field, and overall for any field that is relationship intense. A relationship intense field is any field that requires the practitioner to form a strong relationship or bond with their client in order to complete their job. Examples of these positions are; nurses, counselors, teachers, healthcare providers, or social workers. Self-care is a part of creating a healthy relationship with the self as well as living a healthy life. Looking after oneself and taking care of oneself mentally and physically leads to improvement in all areas of one's life-- professionally and personally. Self-care reduces stress and anxiety, boosts self-esteem, and builds resilience against difficult situations. (Healthcare, n.d.)
Self-care is not selfish. It is similar to the instructions given on an airplane-- place the mask on yourself before helping others. A person is no use if they can not breathe themselves. Self-care is about taking care of personal needs before helping others. A person can not teach someone else to take care of their emotions if they are not doing so first. Self-care is fulfilling a person's own basic needs. They are not being selfish, they are being proactive. Self-care leads to being open and honest with others. It allows room for growth, sincerity, and empathy. Selfishness creates a pit for isolation and negativity. (Is Self-Care Selfish?, 2021)
To those new to self-care, there are many simple tasks that lead to big differences. One way to practice self-care is to incorporate regular exercise into one's routine. Exercise helps reduce stress as well as improves physical help. Another way to incorporate self-care is to incorporate gratitude practices. This includes activities such as journaling, mindfulness practices, and gratitude jars. Gratitude practices help one reflect on experiences or people that they are grateful for. It helps incorporate positivity into one's routine. (What self-care strategies work for you?, n.d.)
Another major resource when utilizing self-care is having a support system. Nurturing relationships with family, friends, and others provides a support system that is ongoing. This system provides a perspective of self as well as provides a safe space to express ideas and stresses. These relationships are important day to day as well as while one is particularly struggling or in crisis. This support system is an important emotional safety net that provides a space for self-care. (Skovholt, 2016)
References
Healthcare, B. (n.d.). What is self care and why is it important? Retrieved from https://www.bmihealthcare.co.u...-why-is-it-important
Is Self-Care Selfish? - Restorative Counseling Chicago. (2021, January 22). Retrieved from https://rcchicago.org/self-care/
Skovholt, T. M., & Trotter-Mathison, M. (2016). The resilient practitioner: Burnout and compassion fatigue prevention and self-care strategies for the helping professions. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
What self-care strategies work for you? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://headspace.org.au/heads...and/new-blog-post-3/
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