Making a Self-Care Plan

As therapists and educators, our focus is on helping others, and this sometimes means that we don’t prioritize our own self-care. However, if we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we care for others? This concept is similar to thinking about an empty versus a full pitcher of water: if your pitcher is empty, you have nothing to pour in the cups of others!  At Communication Works (CW), we want to support our therapists and other professionals who teach, nurture and give constantly of themselves. To do this, we’ll be sending out resources and ideas geared toward increasing wellness and managing stress. As we approach a new school year, we can all benefit from a self-care plan. This article, Developing a Self-Care Plan, provides practical suggestions in six basic areas of self-care—psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual, at the workplace, and in relationships. It also offers ideas for following up and troubleshooting once your plan is in place. Article by Elizabeth Sautter, M.A., CCC-SLPSpeech Language Pathologist & Executive Director of Communication Works