Written by Candice Perry

Self – care is for everyone. It is an act of self – compassion. It is a practice that goes beyond bubble baths and pedicures (although those are terrific ways to relax and feel taken care of!) Everyday self – care involves the routines and habits we develop to take care of ourselves holistically.  Taking time to socialize with friends and family, nourishing ourselves as best we can and taking time for movement and rest are all daily practices that support our physical and mental well – being.

What are the benefits of taking time and making the effort for self – care? There is evidence that daily self – care habits can prevent more serious health problems down the road. For example, daily oral care prevents gum disease, which can contribute to tooth loss and potentially impact our cardiovascular health. Nourishing food helps to boost our immune system, so that we can fend off infection more effectively, as well as making us feel more energetic and can be preventative for more serious illness.

Self – care is holistic. The physical habits we practice contribute to our mental health. For example, daily movement during the day can help us sleep at night, which makes us feel sharper and in a better mood the next day. When we feel better emotionally, we might have more energy to practice those physical habits that make us feel better, so it becomes a positive feedback loop.

The isolation of the COVID – 19 pandemic challenged us individually to get creative in meeting our self care needs. We are now challenged to prepare to re – emerge from isolation while adjusting to make the world around us a more understanding and inclusive place where everyone can have their needs met.

Self- care practice is an ever evolving practice and systemic barriers such as poverty and racism, or experience violence and trauma can make it more difficult to practice self – care.  As we re-emerge and re-build, we can practice self – care to keep us energized and grounded and systems can work to transform to break down barriers that impede self care.

Small acts everyday can help to build a self-care practice. Anything like giving yourself permission to rest, to decide to sit out of specific activities that take your energy without rejuvenating you and doing things or spending time with people who give you joy are all part of self – care.  Everyday self-care practice for everyone.

Written by Candice Perry

July 24 is International Self-Care Day. An international campaign to encourage everyone to participate in wellness and preventative health practices. Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre is honoring self-care throughout the month of July. We explore the seven pillars of self-care which include Mental Well-being, Movement, Nourishment, Hygiene, Informed Health Decisions, Harm Reduction, and Informed Decisions about self-care products and services. We will also look at ways we can practice self-care, barriers to achieving quality self-care, and how communities and our larger society can recognize and remove barriers and support individuals to practice self-care.

Self-care practice cannot replace quality health care, nor can it prevent all injury or illness. However, self-care practice can empower us within our health and well – being through regular habits that support us to feel better physically, emotionally, mentally, and to feel more fulfilled in our relationships with others close to us and even in our relationships within our communities. Self-care practice is a holistic way of taking care of our whole being and throughout our campaign you will become familiar with each pillar of self-care and how they interact with the others. For example, if we do things that support us physically, like making efforts to eat as healthily as we can most of the time, and regular body movement, this can support us physically, but also mentally. Our sleep can improve, which can also influence how we feel mentally as well as physically. Regular self-care measures support our overall wellness.

Measures taken to reduce the spread of COVID – 19 over the last year and a half turned every piece of health advice on its head. Before the pandemic, doctors were warning us against the dangers of isolating ourselves behind our screens. Throughout the pandemic we have been advised to stay home, not see anyone physically, and interact through virtual contacts. In some cities for periods of time, people were ordered to stay in their homes and were not even allowed to go to parks for periods of time, eliminating the ability to enjoy the outdoors and opportunities for body movement. Many people have experienced the stresses of lack of access to food through restrictions that impacted how and when we can shop, lack of opportunities for body movement, the loneliness of quarantine, and instability and loss of income. It has been a challenge to practice self-care in non-social ways. Now that the world is moving closer to re-opening, we have an opportunity to re-imagine how we can be aware of the barriers that can prevent or get in the way of self-care and take steps to make self-care available to everyone.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month – a time to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault in our community.

Sexual assault is one form of sexual violence. Sexual violence occurs when one or more person forces or manipulates someone else into any unwanted act of sexual nature either physical or non-physical without their consent. It can happen to anyone of any age or gender and happens in all communities. Sexual violence includes but is not limited to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation.

Survivor’s Hope is acknowledging Sexual Assault Awareness Month through several activities throughout the month including:

• Day of Action – Tuesday, April 6, 2021 – Wear teal to show your support for survivors of sexual violence.
• Denim Day – Wednesday, April 28, 2021 – Wear denim to take a stand against victim-blaming.
• I’m Here for Your Cards – We created a series of cards that loved one’s can give (either in person or virtually) to survivors of sexual violence to let them know that a loved one is available to provide support.
• Shifting from Stigma to Support: An Introduction to Trauma and Substance Use – Online Seminar – Manitoba Harm Reduction and Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre are providing an online seminar exploring the connections between trauma including sexual assault trauma and substance use through a harm reduction lens.

For more information regarding SAAM and the activities we have planned check out our SAAM page.

As always, Survivor’s Hope Crisis Centre is here to offer hope and healing through support and education for individuals who lives have been impact by sexual violence in the Interlake Eastern Region of Manitoba. Through our SARAH program

• 24/7 support is available for those who have just experienced sexual violence through local hospitals and RCMP detachments.
• Free individual counselling is also available for those 16 years and older who has experience sexual violence.

For more information regarding our SARAH program check out our SARAH page.