Being a helper, you are a heart centered practitioner.
You are motivated by your value of service to support those who are struggling, overwhelmed and feeling utter despair about their situation.
Your innate ability to empathize and uphold your clients’ best interest is a tenant to your service provision.
Stories being shared with you about tragedy, pain and heartbreak are whispered to you because someone else trusts you to hold space for them out of love, kindness and compassion.
What about you?
How do you take care of yourself when you are wading in troubled waters alongside your client?
Taking care of you is a necessity.
It’s putting on the oxygen mask before stepping in to helping someone else.
Receiving your own support through therapy and coaching guides you to see things you may be too close to to see.
For instance, I was speaking with one of my coaches this week about some choices I was considering. What she reflected back to me was how my face curled up and my eyes squinted in disgust when I spoke about choice A.
Even though my brain was rationalizing going with it, my body had a different response.
Receiving this reflection of how my body clearly said no, was such a gift to me. It gave me clarity on what to do with choice A.
Movement is another powerful way to connect back with yourself. This doesn’t have to be high impact (it can also be!). Dancing, singing, walking around barefoot in the grass (one of my client’s favorite things to do). Throw on a favorite song and have a dance party on a Tuesday afternoon!
I’m a runner and I treasure how the body mind connection shows up on every run. I gain insight into questions I have for myself and the miles reveal the answers. Afterward, my body feels lighter and more content because I gave it the space I needed to clear out cobwebs and allow more ideas to come in.
If you feel those options aren’t in your reach, you also have your breath.
Breath is involuntary movement, it is life itself. You have it every moment of every day.
Becoming aware of your breath and feeling your body rise with each inhale and fall with each exhale, you are in the moment and honoring yourself.
Another client of mine shared how she goes back to the box breathing exercise I shared with her.
I’ll share here.
Find a comfortable seat or lay down and close your eyes, if you feel safe to do so, or just look down towards the ground.
Take a deep inhale through your nose and out through your mouth.
On your next inhale, breath in from your nose for a count of four, hold at the top for a count of two and breath out through your nose for a count of 4 and hold at the bottom for a count of two and repeat.
Feel free to repeat for 5-7 seven breaths.
Observe how your body feels through each inhale and exhale. What shows up for you?
Journal, share with a trusted friend who has your best interest or a colleague who can also relate to what you’re going through.
Connection to others starts with connection with ourselves.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to send me a message it it feels too vulnerable to be seen right now.
You’re worth it to be seen and heard.
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