Self-Care: A “Comic” Approach to a Serious Matter Jen Miller, Director, WELL Stacey Grady, Mental Health Educator, WELL

Just as peer students offer support to others, they need to find it for themselves….

“Telling Tails” What are some things you do to maintain wellness as a peer educator? What campus resources have you utilized to help maintain wellness? Identify various types of support/ wellness (i.e. emotional, social, etc.).

A video on stress…

Self Care, Setting Boundaries, and Referral Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify your support needs. 2. Request support. 3. Establish a culture that promotes self-care. 4. Set limits.

What is support? The Oxford dictionary describes support as: carry weight of, prop up, keep from falling or sinking, enable to last out, give strength to, encourage, endure, supply with necessaries, lend assistance to, back up, encourage.

Interpretations of Support  emotional support  physical and practical support  financial support  professional development  task-focused problem-solving support  community support  social support

What do we mean by self care? 1 Self-care is a part of daily living It is the care taken by individuals towards their own health and well-being It includes the care extended to their children, family, friends and others in neighbourhoods and local communities Most care in life is self-care 1. Department of Health (2005). Self Care – A Real Choice: Self Care Support – A Practical Option. London: Department of Health.

Self care includes... … maintaining good physical and mental health …meeting both social and psychological needs …preventing illness or accidents …caring for minor ailments and long-term conditions …maintaining health and well- being 1. Department of Health (2005). Self Care – A Real Choice: Self Care Support – A Practical Option. London: Department of Health.

Let’s Talk About Stress…

Stress: Outside World Individual

Assumption: Stress is Bad !!!!!!

B Belief A Antecedent C Consequence

95% of what we worry about… has less than a 1% likelihood of ever occurring

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t --you’re right.” Henry Ford

CRITICAL TO SELF CARE: ASK for support EXPECT to need and receive support ACCEPT support offered

“ Many people believe that support is something that you give to someone you feel sorry for or that it means propping up someone who would fail unless you were there to give him a boost. But that's not the way I see it. Support is the boost you can give someone who can help himself but who needs a partner to open a window or push aside a roadblock.” Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's

Support and Advocacy Includes:  work in partnership  listen and communicate  empower individuals  consider options for resolution  create independence through empowering  identify accountability and responsibility

Offering support does not include: Letting responsibilities and commitments suffer to help another Taking responsibility for the actions of another Judgments Taking things personally Working outside scope of REACH

Know Your Resources Student Affairs Case Manager Student Affairs Case Manager 381 Highlander Union Building The WELL The WELL 248 Highlander Union Building (UCR-WELL) Counseling Center Counseling Center Veitch Student Center Campus Health Center Campus Health Center Veitch Student Center many more…

Talk about stress? Debrief after programs? Know that “StressBusters” can come to your meetings Have fun! Does your group..

Self Care Includes Setting Boundaries Defining… - Line or set of parameters which indicates the limits of an area or territory. Boundaries are self-created limits for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a health sense of separateness from others. These boundaries offer protection, recognition and a sound sense of self. - A balance between safety and objectivity, and between care and distance. (Salvo, 1999)

More on boundaries… Essential leadership skill Many ways for people to trample on your boundaries Not enforcing boundaries causes: 1.Decreased productivity 2.Wasted time and efforts 3.Unnecessary drama 4.Increased stress 5.Negativity

Ways to appropriately assert boundaries: Be upfront about your role Don’t ever promise to keep a secret Don’t begin to do things outside of your role Don’t bend the rules or make exceptions Don’t let anyone “guilt trip” you Make statements about your abilities

SCENARIO: You, as peer educator, are at a suicide awareness event. Close to the end of the event another UCR student comes up and asks to talk you privately about his own personal experience with suicidal thoughts. …What is your emotional reaction? …How does your body respond? …What are your first thoughts? …Right away there is an opportunity to start thinking about boundaries

Summary: Keys to Maintaining Wellness and Self-Care Identify your support needs. Request support. Establish a culture that promotes self-care. Set limits.

Questions?