As pediatric therapists, we care so much about the health and well-being of our clients. Our jobs can be so rewarding but also stressful. You can only begin to be truly helpful when you care for your own emotional well-being too and practice good self-care. Read this post to learn about 3 quick and easy tips for self-care even the busy therapist can do. Perfect tips for getting you ready for your teletherapy sessions or for some reflection when they’re done.

This year has been different as most pediatric therapists were thrust into a virtual model of hands on care.

This alone brought up a multitude of emotions to work through both personally and professionally. 

In addition to the stress of navigating the new landscape of teletherapy, you also had to adapt to the threat of COVID-19.

Needing to figure out school or work options for your own family and adapting to changes in social relationships were just a few of the challenges.

Now, 11 months into 2020 and 9 months into this novel Coronavirus Pandemic, you may feel like it is all just too much.

So now what?

What does it mean to stay in the present moment?

Meditation teachers, like Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, teach about the power of being present.

It is in the present moment where you will be able to cultivate resources to counteract the stress and pressure coming down on you.

I know the feeling. 

And being in the present is not always pleasant.

It’s sometimes the discomfort you might feel when someone is forcing you to walk down a dark hallway. 

You look down that hallway and there is something inside of you that is shouting, “NO!”

You feel your heart race; you hold your breath.

You are hypervigilant looking all around.

Listening for every sound, ready to attack or run.

When you get to the end of the hall and you turn the light on you see it is safe.

You feel better and you can move forward with more ease and freedom.

Often going into an unfamiliar situation “feels” scary.

Why is it important to stay in the present moment?

Present moment awareness allows you to “assess the scene” and determine if you are safe.

This is exactly what we ask of the children that we work with, right?

Our entire goal of the therapy session is to help the child learn to regulate the sensory information.

And for what purpose?

Why does this matter?

It matters because, only when the child is in a calm and alert state is the child ready to learn and progress toward their goals.

What about you?

What happens when you are not in calm and alert?

Stress, anxiety, overwhelm, reactivity creep in, right?

And when you feel this way, you feel stuck.

You feel like you can’t function.

You feel like you can’t even think.

At this moment, you are NOT well regulated!

How can you stay in the present moment?

The amazing thing is that our brains and Central Nervous System are neuroplastic!

Taking 2 seconds to stop and take a breath and gather information from your senses will provide you with information if the threat you are perceiving is real, or just that, a perception.

You have the opportunity to change and to respond differently to sensory information and environment. 

You do not have to live in a state of perpetual survival and protection.

Below are 3 action steps to help you move forward and return to your “normal” self and return to calm and alert.

If you are feeling stressed out by all of it right now, before your next therapy session begins, try these 3 quick and simple steps. 

3 quick self-care tips for therapists

1.Noticing

How are you feeling today?

What is going on within your current internal and external environment?

Where do you feel a sense of tension?

Where do you feel a sense of worry or overwhelm?

Is it hiding in your voice?

In your hand movements?

Are you feeling distracted? 

By noticing where you are at, you will begin to sense when you are modeling calm and alert and when you are not.

2. Reflective questioning

Once you notice what you are feeling, then you can ask yourself questions like, Why do I feel the need to rush this visit? 

Why am I feeling so much tension in my shoulders today?

The point of reflective questioning is not to stop, ignore or even change what you are feeling, but rather your relationship to it.

Be curious about the feeling. 

Notice yourself noticing these feelings and thoughts. 

I do this often when I am trying to complete my daily notes or evaluation reports. 

I often find myself clenching my toes against the ground or getting distracted with social media.

Is it that I am lazy or trying to procrastinate?

I am indeed avoiding my work. 

I find writing daily notes monotonous and redundant and often frustrated that I have so many to do.

Avoiding my notes by scrolling social media is only a short-term distraction, they are still there. 

It would be better for me to acknowledge my frustration with my daily notes. 

Say the frustration out loud or write it down. 

This way you can get the thought out of your head and really face it. 

Try this!

Get out a scrap of paper and a pen.

Think about something that is bothering you in your personal or work life.

Or an emotion that you feel when you think about this thought. 

Write it down. In my example above, I would write “I am slow at writing notes.”

Say it out loud.

Now hold that paper at arm’s length and read it again out loud. 

Next, set it in front of you and walk backward 10-15 steps. 

Now read it again out loud.

What are you sensing as you read it?

Lastly, fold up the paper and place it into your pocket. 

It will stay with you in your pocket for the remainder of the day. 

That thought is not in control of you. 

You are able to walk around with it without it impacting your day. 

3. Connecting ideas

Reflecting on these questions for even 1-2 minutes can help you create space between stimulus and action.

When you create space, then you are able to begin to think!

When you create space, you are allowing room to process what is really happening instead of reacting to it.

Try this exercise!

The next time you begin to feel anxious, notice those feelings and thoughts.

First, take a breath in.

Then, as you exhale, twist your neck and trunk toward the right, reaching both arms up toward the ceiling.

Follow your hands with your eyes, move up and away.

Inhale and exhale, moving your hands to your chest.

Repeat this movement sequence to the left and back to center. 

How do you feel now?

More clear?

More objective with your thinking?

Taking a breath and creating some space between this feeling and your next reactive thought, will help you grow your window of tolerance for this uncomfortable feeling. 

It will help you stay “in” calm and alert. 

It is in a space of calm and alert where you can easily access the knowledge you have. 

It is in a state of calm and alert where you can see the solutions to your problem.

Your ability to self-regulate and bring yourself back into calm and alert is the answer to the stress and anxiety you are feeling.

You’ve got this!

Because stress is only good in short, finite bouts.

It is maladaptive for it to be your chronic state of being.

You have the power within yourself to cultivate this resource.

You have the inner strength to grow your resiliency.

And it begins by noticing, reflecting and connecting your sensory experiences with thoughts and actions that move you closer to your goal, just as we do with the kiddos we treat.

I believe in you, because I have developed this resiliency in myself and you can too!

Thank you to Christine Robenalt for this guest post!

Christine Robenalt, P.T. MPT, is a pediatric physical therapist in Colorado.  After graduating from Marquette University in 2001 she began to work across all practice settings.  It was at the V.A., in 2010, when she started using telehealth.  As an early adopter of telehealth,  she started working with virtual schools in 2012. In 2015, as the Director of Telehealth, she developed and implemented a telehealth program  for a pediatric home care company.  As part of the Early Intervention Colorado Telehealth Work Group, she contributed to the current Colorado Telehealth Training Program for Early Intervention Providers. Currently, she manages the Early Intervention and School Aged Telehealth Interest Group on FB and has a private practice as well.  She is most interested in getting all children the therapy services they need even when faced with barriers like, location, lack of specialty providers, family schedules and in the case of the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. 

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