Having just had a week off over the Easter break I was doing some reflection on taking breaks from therapy work and the impact on myself and my clients. Some clients worry about breaks, some clients need crisis intervention support in place and some clients ask how their sessions impact on me and celebrate me taking the break.

Nothing is out of bounds in therapy, all feelings are valid. If a client worries they cannot cope during a planned break then we discuss it and what additional support they might need. If a client feels abandoned by me taking a break then we explore what abandonment means to them, set very specific boundaries around when I will be back in touch and ensure that their next session after the break is booked in before I go away so it is sat safely in their calendar.

I really enjoyed my week off from my usual schedule but I am also really looking forward to getting back to it next week.

So, what does your self-care look like? Do you take time out each day to fill your cup? Do you indulge in avoidant behaviours or unhealthy coping mechanisms? Do you find time each day to be present? Do you read? Do you exercise? Drink? Take drugs? Pamper yourself? Keep busy so you don’t have to sit with painful thoughts or emotions? Eat even when you’re not hungry? Berate yourself for NOT exercising or doing something productive? Binge-watch Tv? All of these are coping mechanisms after a fashion. None of them are ‘wrong’ but are you aware of them?

Self-care is often touted as a hippy mindfulness exercise, but it is VITAL, without self-care we burn out. Self-care does not have to be a week off, it doesn’t have to be expensive or particularly dignified. It just has to be for you and help you to regulate.

What are you going to do today that is kind to yourself? What self-care are you going to put in place to ensure that you won’t burn out? Remember, you have to put your own oxygen mask on before you help others with theirs.

~ Lisa