Give Yourself the Best of Yourself Not What is Left of Yourself
Reflecting on the privilege of having a neurobiology professor become a mentor, one piece of advice they always expressed was to remember that, “In order to give your best to others, you must first give your best to yourself.”
A big aspect of the identities of healthcare workers and caregivers is their love and desire to take care of others—but that love and desire can become all-consuming to the point that personal self-care is put on the back burner. While days are fulfilled with the satisfaction and pride of helping, healing, and taking care of others, it would be remiss to hide from the fact that days are also filled with long hours that are physically, mentally, and emotionally draining.
We had the pleasure of interviewing healthcare professionals, ranging from mental health, surgical, and nursing professionals and gained insight on how they practice self-care. What we learned above anything: that self-care is not only essential but will look different for everyone. It is imperative to find what practices work best for you as it will make you not only a better professional, but person as well.
In talking with mental health professionals, we discovered that bringing work home can be one of the hardest parts of the job. While it cannot be avoided completely, they shared self-care practices that not only helped with this struggle, but in turn helped them become better therapists and counselors. A student well-being advocate shared their self-care regimen that includes regular exercise, occasional meditation, lots of walks and hikes in nature, and time spent with family and pets. Other mental healthcare workers and professionals in the medical field have suggested that committing to a good nutrition, talking to a therapist, keeping a gratitude journal, and using positive-self talk (especially at work) are practices that have greatly improved and maintained their mental health as well as their perspectives on what it means to take care of themselves. It also ultimately led to them rediscovering an excitement and passion for their work in healthcare.
It is also crucial in identifying what is best for your mental health. In talking with a chief medical officer and general surgeon, we learned that it is imperative to identify signs of declining mental health as well as being our own advocates and finding those who will support our mental health decisions. This can look like communicating with bosses, employee advocates, and family members to not only come up with a plan to maintain mental health but to ask for help, as this is a battle not meant to go at alone. Advocating for yourself and asking hospital systems, private practices, and your company what programs they provide to support the mental health of their professionals is not something you have to earn, it is your right.
In talking with surgical professionals, we were moved by their humility and honesty as they described burnout as one of their toughest mental health battles. They worked their whole academic careers and lives to get to this professional point—how could they not be happy? Burnout can manifest in feelings of guilt, uselessness, anhedonia, insomnia, and distraction. While it is important to track these feelings, it is important to take the time to discern why you are feeling this way and what solutions will help. The self-care practices shared above are a beneficial option, but in talking with a NICU nurse turned oncology nurse, self-care practices can also include changing fields, scenery, and colleagues. This nurse expressed that working in the NICU was her dream field since she began nursing school at the University of Virginia. Over a few years in the NICU, this nurse found that she was less present outside of the NICU and less excited to go to work each day. The patients she lost and saw struggling seemed to hide and steer her away from the patients she saved and saw succeeding. She lost her love of being a NICU nurse. “How could I leave and where would I go?” “Will I make an impact somewhere else?” These were some of the questions she asked herself, but little by little she found the strength to identify what she needed—and that was a change in scenery. Now, two years as an oncology nurse, she has more flexible hours, more time to spend with her husband and their two dogs, and feels excited to go to work.
“If you don’t give yourself a break, you will be broken.” Practicing self-care is something healthcare professionals must prioritize so that they continue to find fulfillment, passion, and success in not only their careers, but their personal lives as well. You are worth it. You are deserving of the care you give to everyone else.
New Seasons
Your mental health may vary as new seasons come and go. While spring and summer can represent a new beginning for some, they can also evoke a range of unfavorable feelings in others. Continuing to invest in yourself, practice self-care, and be gratitude can be a great start to overcoming those challenging emotions.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, practicing gratitude and self-appreciation techniques can help the reduction in depressive symptoms. Practicing gratitude methods can also reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety. A single act of thoughtful gratitude can make a big difference.
Start participating in gratitude acts. Start with a journal. Write it all down in a notebook or pad. It is helpful to jot down a few things you are thankful for each day. It can then develop into something therapeutic as you make observations and reflections that can make you feel appreciative when you are having a hard time. Make a list of things that made you smile, or write about four things you are grateful for and utilize every day.
Invest into you. Make the greatest decisions for your mental well-being and look for support systems that can help you feel better and heal. Seek out for professional help as well.
At Invisible Wounds Therapy and Wellness, we understand that mental health and wellness are crucial components of overall wellbeing. We offer services for individuals who struggle with trauma and anxiety.
Our therapists, Rebecca Schaffner, Eygpt Buie, Adria Grey, and Zacharia Kabia are here to help you on your healing journey. All therapists’ have special training in anxiety or trauma treatment.
We prioritize your healing journey. Our team of therapists: Rebecca Schaffner, Eygpt Buie, Adria Grey, and Zacharia Kabia are here to offer support.
Rebecca’s Specialties:
First Responder Issues
PTSD
Anxiety
Egypt’s Specialties:
Anxiety
Depression
GREEK (sorority/fraternity) trauma
Adria’ Specialties:
Depression
Anxiety
Military Trauma
Zacharia’s Specialties:
Substance Use Disorders
Trauma
Mood disorders
Start your journey to a healthier and happier life.
The Holidays
The holidays may bring up old wounds that haven't quite healed for some people.
Trauma is the emotional, physical or cognitive reaction as a result of a distressing or disturbing situation that you may have experienced. Trauma is defined as "an emotional response to a traumatic incident," or anything that has caused a negative impact.
Stress and Trauma
The stress or trauma around the holidays is not just about the money and/or gifts. Holidays near the end of the year can be particularly unpleasant for victims of abuse because they frequently trigger painful memories and may worsen symptoms that potentially can negatively affect family dynamics. Stressors may resurface at this time of year due to the numerous emotions associated with gatherings and customs.
Setting up a support system before the holidays is an essential first step in managing high emotions. While your past trauma is beyond your control, you may be able to recognize your emotions, identify your triggers and find helpful ways to combat those prior to engaging in a potentially upsetting situation. You may also want to plan for a “safe person” to spend time with prior, during and/ or after spending the holiday with friends, family, or on your own.
To battle emotions of sadness, trauma survivors may need extra encouragement to exercise self-care during this time.
Loneliness
It's common to experience loneliness during the holiday season. Because loneliness is an emotion, you don't have to ignore it just because it makes you feel awful. All of our emotions provide us with useful information. Even if it might not be the most enjoyable situation, learning to be present with, observe or “sit with” it could teach you more.
Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal is a terrific way to be aware of your emotions. It may also be a cathartic release, which can help you focus on how you want to take care of yourself.
Mental Health and Nature
Any traumatic event will have an effect on a person's mind as well as their body. Everyone responds to trauma in different ways and deals with trauma in various ways. In the end, therapeutic techniques can direct you toward your healing. Many times, trauma impacts and interferes with how people operate in their daily lives, leaving people confused of how to truly recover from it. Always put your mental health first. A few methods to start the healing process are to seek professional help, practice self-care, and surround oneself with a safe and healthy environment.
But, what if, the healing process didn’t look so tradition such as sitting in a therapy room or practicing self care?
According to the American Psychological Association, nature offers a number of advantages that can significantly enhance mental health.
With present-moment awareness and a sense of being rooted in our body and connected to our surroundings, nature can help us find our grounding. Being in nature or even just watching natural scenes makes you feel better and less stressed, angry, or afraid. Not only does being in nature improve the mood, but it also benefits physical health by lowering your blood pressure, heart rate, muscular tension, and stress hormones.
In addition, nature provides us with pain relief. We are drawn to nature sceneries because we are genetically predisposed to find trees, plants, water, and other natural elements captivating, which helps us to forget about our suffering or discomfort.
Exposure to nature has been linked to a number of advantages, from taking a stroll through a city park to going on a day hike in the wilderness. These advantages include better attention, less stress, better moods, a lower risk of developing psychiatric disorders, and even increases in empathy and cooperation. The majority of studies to date have been on green areas like parks and woods, but now scientists are starting to look into the advantages of blue spaces, or locations with views of the ocean and rivers.
So, next time you find yourself overwhelmed, reacting to a trigger or feeling un- well, go for a stroll in your neighborhood, look at a YouTube video of the ocean or wild flowers, sit on your porch and listen to the sounds of nature, the birdsong. Enjoy!
Benefits of Mindfulness for Trauma and Anxiety
The concept of mindfulness entails being present and more aware of life, your here- and- now moments, as it unfolds.
Focusing on the present moment with intention and accepting it without passing judgment is the practice of mindfulness. Currently, mindfulness has been discovered to be a crucial component of stress relief and general well-being.
A benefit of mindfulness is the ability to recognize and control your emotions. Your capacity to exert control over your own emotions is referred to as emotional regulation. It will also increase your “window- of- tolerance” (link to post) so you may have an easier time letting difficult thoughts, emotions or situations roll off your shoulder.
Trauma and Mindfulness
Those who have experienced trauma can benefit greatly from mindfulness. A person's ability to self-regulate, cultivate self-compassion, and develop present-moment awareness can be negatively affected by a history of trauma, however, cultivating a mindfulness practice can aid in the recovery from trauma. Hence, your ability to regulate your emotions in the here-and-now due to triggers, for instance, will allow you to enjoy your present moment rather than feeling hostage by the fight, flight, freeze or fawn responses (See our Facebook or Instagram for more information on normal trauma responses).
Anxiety and Mindfulness
Although it may seem impossible to avoid anxiety, mindfulness techniques can dramatically improve psychological, cognitive, and physical health as well as help people deal with their anxiety.. It may help individuals put anxiety in its” proper” perspective and reduce its influence in their lives. When faced with situations that cause anxiety, mindfulness has the power to turn off or control emotional reactivity. It enables people to pause, view the situation for what it is vs. with unhelpful emotions or thoughts which may exacerbate that anxiety.
Mindfulness Practices
Pause. When you walk up in the morning, quiet your busy thoughts and refocus. Pay attention to your surroundings. Take notice of the sunlight piercing through your window, the quietness of the room, or the smell of breakfast coming from downstairs. Start your day with a pause.
Breathe. Focus on your breathing. Remember to breathe deeply. In order to swiftly reduce anxiety, exhale more slowly than you inhale. The 3-4-5 breathing method is effective. Simply inhale for three counts, hold your breath for four, and then exhale for five.
Gratitude. Make a gratitude list or journal as a simple yet effective technique to improve your wellbeing. Simply put, daily log the blessings in your life. Take a moment at the end of each day to think back on what you are grateful for.
Try this: Take a moment to find any object that you can easily hold in your hand (a pen, your phone etc). Now, imagine you are sitting with a friend, but this friend has no senses, they cannot see, hear, smell, taste or feel ANYTHING. Try to describe this object in your hand with as much detail as possible, using all of your senses and all adjectives you could possible think about. Give yourself at least 8min, using a timer. Afterward, ask yourself how this felt, how your body and mind are feeling compared to the beginning of this exercise.