Self-care may sound like an indulgent day of relaxing by the pool sipping lemonade, but it’s vital to our well-being. This act of self-love includes everything from mental health to financial security. While trauma-informed yoga is one way to deepen your self care journey, I’d like to offer as many options for you to explore as possible.
Self-care for trauma survivors is even more important for healing. All survivors deserve a plan that suits them. Let’s dive into the true meaning of self-care, and how you can incorporate more into your life.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care may seem like activities meant for luxury, but it’s actually vital to your longevity and quality of life.
According to the World Health Organization,
“Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote their own health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”
Basically, self-care is about honoring your health and well-being. This study estimates patients only spend 0.01% of our time a year with healthcare professionals. The rest is on us to make sure we keep our stress levels low, seek help when we need it, and stay healthy.
Self care for trauma is even more important. Taking care of yourself is a supportive way to cope with the aftermath of sexual trauma. You are not alone in your experience, and I welcome you to explore support options if you are unsure where to begin.
Self-care is not selfish. In dark times, it’s the strongest act of self-love.
The Eight Areas of Self-Care:
It’s important to know the different areas of self-care to avoid overwhelm and have the best chance of developing a successful self-care plan. I welcome you to take your time as you read these, knowing it’s okay if you’re not doing all of these perfectly – none of us are.
It’s about awareness and possibly seeing where you can focus your attention. Even if your goal is to explore self-care for trauma, these areas are still beneficial to help ease stress surrounding your healing.
Physical
Physical self-care is anything to care for your physical body. This may include:
- Proper sleep
- A healthy diet and proper hydration
- Physical exercise (running, hiking, yoga)
- Maintaining healthy hygiene habits
- Seeking emergency care
Emotional
Emotional self-care is important to managing stress, understanding your emotions (and emotions of others.) Activities to strengthen this area may include:
- Setting boundaries
- Journaling
- Practicing compassion toward others
- Allowing guilt-free rest
Personal/Mental
Personal or mental self-care includes activities you find stress relieving, grounding, or bring you to the present moment. This could be:
- Practicing mindfulness
- Reaching personal goals
- Spending time on hobbies
- Sparking your creativity
- Limiting screen time
Social
Social self-care is important for feeling connected and gaining a sense of belonging. This includes:
- Spending time with friends and family
- Exploring professional support
- Instilling healthy boundaries
Professional
Professional self-care is about creating a meaningful, low-stress work environment. Ways to improve this area are:
- Taking breaks
- Proper time management
- Organization
- Feeling appreciated at work
- Setting healthy boundaries with work loads
Environmental
Environmental self-care is where we spend most of our time, like our homes and place of work. Ensure your environment is:
- Safe
- Healthy
- Organized
- Stable
Spiritual
Spirituality connects us to a higher purpose. This can be a religious preference or a connection with something other than yourself. Ways to strengthen spiritual self-care are:
- Meditation
- Spending time in nature
- Retreats
- Journaling
- Yoga
Financial
Financial self-care is important for stress management and creating a sense of security. Ways to improve this area are:
- Organization
- Budgeting
- Savings
- Responsible investments
This list may seem overwhelming, but you’re probably already doing a lot of these already! It’s not about being the perfect, but about creating balance.
It’s never selfish to take care of yourself.
How to create a Plan: self-care For Trauma
I invite you to follow the steps below for creating a self-care plan that works for you. You can adjust this any way you see fit.
- Rate each category from the list above on a scale of one to ten. One is a self-care habit you are comfortable with and ten is a habit you feel needs work.
- Go down each item and assign a number (no need to stress on the perfect number).
- Review your list and pick one or two habits you feel need the most work.
- Add these items to your schedule.
- Devote the next month to your new habit. Slip-ups are normal and it’s all part of the process.
- Repeat as often as you like.
Helpful Tips for Success
- Set reminders on your phone, calendar, or place sticky notes
- Start small with something you know you can make a regular habit
- Get a friend involved to hold each other accountable (if appropriate)
- Go easy on yourself
You may notice the numbers change each time you do this exercise. This is normal, and action creates motivation. Soon you’ll have a self-care routine in a place that suits you.
Self-Care Important Factors
It’s important to note that self-care isn’t the same for everyone. Similar to healing from trauma, prioritizing self-care is a nonlinear journey. There are other factors to consider, like:
- Culture
- Poverty
- Disabilities
- Health
- Location
It’s okay if some of the self-care items listed above aren’t available to you. This is a generalized list, so it’s important to cater to what works for your goals. The more you tweak it to fit you, the better your results will be over time.
Self-Care After Sexual Trauma
If you’ve experienced sexual trauma (or any type of trauma) and this list seems like way too much, it’s okay. The most important thing you can do is to practice compassion toward yourself. I welcome you to explore any support you need and try again another time.
It can feel impossible to put ourselves first after trauma. How do we navigate the aftermath, same life problems and self-care? There is no one-size-fits all approach, but here are some tips that may help you get started or inspire other ideas:
- Start small (even making the bed is a victory)
- Pick a self-care habit you love but haven’t done in a while (seeing friends, reading, sports)
- Try a creative outlet (painting, coloring, knitting, music)
- Remind yourself there is no right emotional reaction to trauma. You are allowed to experience your feelings.
- Rewrite an old routine to include more rest
- Surround yourself with quotes, photos of role models, or anything that encourages you
- Identify if you are using unhealthy coping mechanisms. (Self-harm, substance abuse, reckless or impulsive behaviors). Reach out to a resource, friend, or loved one for support.
Sources to create this list: RSVP (Rape and Sexual Violence Project) and RAINN.
If you are unsure where to start, I invite you to explore support options.
Yoga for Self-Care
How can yoga support self-care for trauma? This practice may seem like nothing more than a workout, but the effects of yoga go much deeper, and can actually help support you on your trauma-healing journey.
I welcome you to read helpful research behind trauma-informed yoga and how it’s different from your regular yoga class. This research highlights the effects of this practice with trauma healing. Here are a few common themes related to self-care for trauma you might find in a trauma-informed yoga class:
- safety
- self compassion
- kindness to yourself
- boundary work (a huge part of self-care!)
- healing your mind-body connection after trauma
- prioritizing rest
Overview
Self-care for trauma isn’t about indulging in selfish acts. It’s about taking care of your body, mind, spirit, and life. When you take good care of yourself, you show yourself love.
For those who have experienced trauma, this can sometimes feel impossible. If you keep showing up, doing just the tiniest acts of care (like brushing your teeth), you show yourself that you’re worth it. Because you are.
Self-care is not selfish. In dark times, it’s the strongest act of self-love. Take Care.
