As a support person, it’s always important that you take care of yourself, and taking care of yourself is something we emphasize in the HAVEN Training. After a year of public health crises and displacement for many students and disruption for many faculty and staff, we recognize that you might be finding yourself in a supporter role more than you have been in the past.
Thus, it’s extra important that we create opportunities to take care of ourselves. After providing support to a survivor or anyone else, you too may find you could use a little care. Process your feelings with others (not the survivor) and know your limits. You don’t have to be available 24/7 and you shouldn’t offer to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable. Part of supporting others includes taking care of ourselves, knowing and respecting our limits and boundaries.
Confidential resources available for staff and faculty to help you process your feelings include the Employee Assistance Program (877-314-5841), the Gender Violence Service Coordinators , the University Ombuds Office (919-843-8204).
British Instagrammer, Hannah Daisy (@makedaisychains), founded the campaign #boringselfcare which reminds us that taking care of ourselves isn’t always facemasks, bubblebaths, and glamour. Taking care of ourselves is often unglamorous and boring – like acknowledging and respecting our boundaries, and that’s okay. Some examples Hannah provides are picking up our prescriptions from the pharmacy, taking a deep breath when we want to react, or even doing the dishes.
What have you done to take care of yourself recently?