Self-care is a key area of focus for any practitioner. It’s also one of the aspects of our professional life which can be so easy to overlook.
Afterall, we present an image of calmness for all of our clients every day, even when our own minds may be racing at a million miles an hour.
So, what can we do to ensure we remember to reflect on our own learning and practice?
Well, I know practitioners who keep a small jotting book next to their bed. Every night, they write down those wonderful (large and small) positives which they’ve ratcheted up during the day.
Taking time out is something we actively encourage our clients to do. Our culture encourages ‘grabbing’ a sandwich lunch and munching it at your desk.
Even as practitioners, it can be easy to overlook the importance of taking a full hour for lunch.
It’s a precious time and one where we can have a reasonably healthy bite to eat before heading off for a 15-minute walk so we can enjoy our own peace and tranquility.
Sharing small and beautiful moments we see on a walk can be the type of useful light conversation which helps establish rapport.
And, of course, the final 20-minute part of our break could focus on listening to the CD.
Keeping our own stress bucket levels nice and low, combined with a dollop of positive, constructive thinking are key components for a spot of TLC for ourselves.
It’s also why supervision is so important. Not only does it provide you with an opportunity to ‘unpack your own box,’ but, of course, it also allows you to approach any issues you may have recently faced in a positive and constructive manner.
Discussing a situation with a supervisor and agreeing on an appropriate way forward is a crucial part of keeping your practice fresh and well managed. It allows clients to continue to have confidence in your abilities.
And it allows for the quick dissemination of all the latest thinking and updates on techniques employed in the therapy.
As we head towards January, this time of the year is a crucial moment for all of us to focus on the goals we want to score in 2022.
Spending a bit of time out to focus on what we want to achieve over the course of the next twelve months is an important part of planning for any therapy practitioner.
Perhaps you’re looking to spruce up the website? Well, January is a good time to re-launch your online profile. Have a think about writing some copy and remember to keep your paragraphs nice and short (it makes it easier to scan read).
Websites don’t have to be fancy, and you don’t need to spend a fortune on making them look good. That said, it’s surprisingly easy to overlook some of the simple rules of getting it right!
So, make sure your contact details are all there! It sounds obvious but a surprisingly large number of people forget to include their location.
By the way, if you work from home but do not wish to give out your home address then you can always use a correspondence address.
Lots of companies can provide this service for you. Just make sure they’re also happy with you advertising the address online (some charge extra for you doing so).
A logo for your professional membership and a photograph of you are also basic ‘must haves’ for any therapist. A simple landing page is better than nothing at all, and, sometimes, simplicity is exactly what a client is looking for!
We hope you have a pleasant month.