Micro Moments of Self-Care
The idea of micro dosing or micro experiences has entered the lexicon of our current culture. I read articles about using substances like mushrooms, marijuana and LSD in micro doses to help with treatment resistant depression or PTSD. The idea of these practices is to use small amounts or doses of the substance while under the supervision of a medical doctor and therapist. With this team, the person engages in therapy. Using substances in large amounts for long periods of time can lead to disastrous health issues and consequences in the body and for a person’s mental health but according to the research, small amounts are showing some really good benefits.
From these articles, it got me thinking about how we can do this as social workers. How can we find these moments of healing from our hard and challenging work? Over the past few months I have started to be more intentional in creating micro-moments between clients or between tasks to I can reset my brain and calm my body while moving throughout the world. I have found these moments to be restorative and helpful in releasing the heaviness of the stories of my clients, the heaviness of the weight of oppressive systems and just being able to set some limits and boundaries for myself.
These practices are not meant to fix or change anything since there is much larger work to be done in the world but just to have some ease and relief. Small practices can help us be more aware, feel more settled and provide more space with which we can launch into the bigger work with clients, our own needs or the work within systems that need major changes.
Some of these practices including taking a bathroom or food breaks between sessions with clients, tasks or meetings. Others include movements, play, sensory experiences including an orientation exercise, moving or stretching our bodies or even using the breath to be in the present moment. These tasks are easy and simple but so powerful! To be our best versions, we need to care for ourselves in ways that are supportive and on-going. Self-care does not need to be a one and done but can be these small micro moments of relief and joy. Just like we see in the research on micro-dosing, we can find relief and healing in a similar way.
I am working on writing 31 of these practices in a book that any social worker or therapist can use each day. I hope to have this book out next year for sale through my website. When we are social workers and therapists; caring for people is a gift and one I am amazed by on a daily basis. It can also be a gift that causes heaviness and harm if we don’t take care of ourselves in even small ways. Self-care does not always need to be a large or involved experience or practice but can be a small movements or practices that keep our needs in mind while honoring the needs of others. It can create small spaces to be present with whatever we need or what is needed by working with our clients.
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