Re-conceptualizing Self-Care

Abstract

Although it is widely acknowledged that those in helping professions, such as counselling psychology, have a higher risk of experiencing burnout, little is done to prepare counsellors-in-training, or to encourage practicing counsellors to develop a proactive, and sustainable practice of self-care. My thesis is an exploration of my own understanding of the term, “self-care”, grounded in a concrete, lived experience by way of a non-traditional, manuscript-style document. Using a mixed methodology, I incorporate literature reviews of peer-reviewed articles, as well as autoethnographic practices that employ aspects of heuristic inquiry, a/r/tography, my own journaling, and the results of open-ended interviews with family members and friends. My thesis is an attempt to share my ongoing shift in understanding of “self-care”, moving from seeing self-care as discrete, reactive actions, to seeing self-care as a holistic shift in mindset and way of being. Additionally, I have noted that there are many factors to be considered when attempting to develop practices of self-care, including the roles that internal components of the self, sociocultural factors, and the greater community all play. In terms of its place in the counselling profession, deeper discussion is necessary to highlight the importance of self-care, and to create strategies to encourage self-care at all stages of the professional arc. By making this personal experience public, I hope to facilitate further conversation about the complex concept of self-care, possibly inspiring others to embark on their own exploratory journey of what self-care might mean, and look like to them.