Self-Care Corner: Care Through Learning

When I started my Master's of Social Work a couple of years ago, I viewed trainings as simply something I needed to prepare myself for my work in the field — a box I needed to check, offering new skills I needed to acquire. What I didn’t anticipate was the way these trainings would become part of my self-care regimen.

The burden of the suffering around me has felt overwhelming at times — and when I don't feel adequately prepared to respond to the mental health challenges I'm faced with, this can take a toll on my own mental health. Whether you work in a helping profession or are in a personal role — a parent, spouse, sibling, friend, child of aging parents — any role where you are holding someone's pain and stressors, this may resonate. We seek out support and resources to ease this burden of suffering on those around us, because it helps us hold it as the people who are walking alongside them and want to see them through the challenge they are facing. While educating ourselves about what our clients and loved ones are going through, we can also take care of ourselves in the process. 

As I begin my final semester, I’ve been reflecting on how learning has been an important form of self-care for me. Learning about the range of challenges my clients may be facing helps me feel prepared to support them, which in turn eases my stress and reminds me to have self-compassion. Cypress offers a variety of trainings that help you get prepared to help others — and signing up is an important step towards taking care of yourself, too.

Explore our offerings here: cypressresilience.org/upcoming