Foundations of Self-Care
These times of corona lock down are hard for most of us. We have less social contact. We forget to go outside; all the gyms are closed, and we stop exercising. Work is ever more demanding , and we are going ‘square-eyed’ from all the zoom calls we have to do. We can’t even take a few minutes out to get a coffee with a colleague, never mind a nice lunch-break at a local restaurant. It has been almost a year that we have been living in these strange times. Despite the vaccine, things do not appear to be changing any time soon.
So how can you take better care of yourself in these challenging times? This series of five workshops will give you practical hands-on tools and techniques. It will help you look after yourself better, and be a better role model for others.
In these session we will be working with a small group of 6 -12 people. You will have the chance to share your own experiences and to learn from fellow participants
Sessions
1. What good self-care means for you and how it can help.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you may actually need to stop and take some time to recognise your own self-care needs. . You may be so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs that you have forgotten about your own. You may be trying to do the things that others tell you are good for you, but they are not what YOU need to do. You may have become addicted to things that are less than helpful, and you haven’t even noticed it.
In this first session we will learn about the benefits of good self-care. We will then experience it for ourselves. We will use small group work, journaling, planning and partner work. There will be time to make a plan and help you identify specific things that can support you as an individual.
2. Creating a positive mindset for good self-care – handling the gremlins of negativity, shame, and guilt; and appreciate the benefits of taking better care of yourself
Too often you feel that other people’s needs are more important than your own. Maybe, you feel shame or guilt, or you tell yourself that you don’t deserve to look after yourself well.
In this session we will look at what might stand in the way, so that will can build a positive mindset. We will make space to hear those negative voices and then address and disarm them. We will use written exercises, journaling and partner sharing. We will learn new ways to be with these challenging parts of ourselves. we will learn to resource ourselves in the face of these challenges, and to stay positive in the face of set back.
3. Strengths and Resources for good self-care
This session will go deeper into how to build resources to support your self-care. You will explore your strengths and identify how they can support you to take better care of yourself. We will learn and share specific tools that can support good self -care. We will use small group work, self-reflection, partner work. You will come away with practical tools and resources to help you to take better care of yourself
4. Caring for yourself whilst caring for others, boundaries for self-care
It can be super challenging to make sure you also look after your own needs when you have to care for others. It can be hard to set boundaries without feeing bad or guilty. It is all to easy to fall into overwhelm, shut-down, or to act out of a sense of obligation, but then only feel resentful.
In this session you will learn to communicate more effectively, and to set limits when you need to. You will learn to give from good will more than from obligation. This in and of itself supports your own self-care. We will learn exercises that support good boundaries and prevent overwhelm.
5. Role modelling self-care. Sharing the benefits
Not only do you want to take better care of yourself, you also want to be a role model for others. First you need to learn to take good care of yourself and then to encourage and support others to do the same.
We will learn new tools and techniques to support this outcome, and share our experiences and learning. We will work in small groups and in diads.
Using self-reflection you will have the chance to consolidate your learning from all the sessions and make a plan going forwards.
Dates
Mondays: 1930 – 2130
September 13th, 20th, 27h, October 4th, 11th
Cost €150
Price includes:
5 online sessions
Access to recordings of all sessions
Private Facebook Group,
Workbook to support your journey between sessions
Email support between sessions
Finding your Wholeness 