If the recent horrific events such as the Grenfell Tower fire, Finsbury Park, Manchester Arena and Borough Market attacks bring up feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and despair in you, you are not alone.
Personally I have felt all of these feelings, and I have been working with people who have also been deeply affected by the events.
These terrible incidents have left me wondering both personally and professionally – what can I do that will really help? My initial instinct is to offer to help in some practical or financial way, and luckily these days it is pretty easy to donate money and even to volunteer one’s services to people in need. But it’s not practical or possible for everyone to do this, and I am sure that there comes a point when victims of these terrible events just want to be left alone to process their feelings. So what then?
Well, I have been thinking a lot about my own self-care lately and how crucial it is if I am to be an effective Therapist. As some of you may already know, as well as being a Therapist I also work with animals, and this work has a wonderful effect on my mental health.
Alongside animals, I also include:
eating well
getting enough sleep and rest (they are two different things)
enjoying my hobbies
12 Step Fellowship
seeing friends
laughing
exercising my body and
meditating
as essential to my mental health. And by doing all of these things I am giving myself the best possible chance of functioning well on a daily basis. Which in turn allows me to be a good Therapist, partner, employee, daughter, friend and human being.
So, when I ask myself, what can I possibly do to help those less fortunate than me, I realise that first of all, I must look after myself. Only by giving myself the best possible standard of self-care, can I be a loving, caring, helpful and hopeful person; someone who is nice to be around in these difficult times.
And that’s what I believe is best for me and those around me.
That’s what I can do to help.
