Body care for caregivers
At Retreat House Spirituality Center, many of us spend much of our time holding space for others. Whether we are a trained spiritual director, licensed professional counselor, chaplain or pastor - or anyone with the gift of companioning, it is necessary for us to hold space for ourselves.
Supervision and regular self-care practices are essential. Hayley Banteaux is a spiritual director as well as a licensed professional massage therapist (LPMT) as well as a Retreat House ministry partner. She offers recommendations on how to take care of our bodies when doing this work.
“Energy is powerful, and we can receive a lot of energy from others.
Think of our neck area. In our type of work, we are helping to carry the cross of others. We must tend to areas of the neck and back to clear than energy.”
Practices to consider:
Sit. Breathe. Notice your body. What holds tension? Place your hands there and see what comes to you. This could be your shoulder, your arm, etc. Recognize it. Place your and there. Acknowledge out loud. Affirm it. Ask it what it needs.
Get in water. Water absorbs. Consider purchasing a stool for your shower. Sit under the water and let it cleanse you. Do a contrast therapy - turn on the water from hot to cold.
Wet a hand town. Microwave it for two minutes before places on your neck. According to Banteaux, moist heat helps much more than heating up a pack.
Go lay down on the Earth.
Consider tapping.
To learn more read A beautiful flow of energy: Hayley Bantaux.
Image credit: Emily Turner Watson