Self-care tools

A few months back I attended a great training on the neurobiology for trauma-informed care offered by Dr. Julie Rosenzweig, and she pointed us to additional resources around self-care.

As a woman who wears many hats (and quite a few that are demanding), self-care is something I'm always working on, learning about and wanting to share with others in my world.  Certainly yoga and meditation is a major part of my self-care plan. One of my life goals is to share this with others who would benefit from these tools and face barriers to accessing yoga.  As woman who has experienced trauma herself, not to mention the inter-generational trauma experienced by my people, self-care is not just some nice buzzword created by academics.  It's a survival strategy that has helped me develop resilience. 

These resources come from the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, who created a self-care starter kit. So much good stuff there. 

If you want the quicky version, their info graphic is fantastic. 

Reiki and renewal in the forest

Every summer for the past several years I head to the beautiful Cascade mountains for healing time in August.  With my first degree in Reiki, I am now part of a warm and wise international group of healers who come together in the forest to connect, laugh and inspire ourselves on this path.  Just spending time in nature, without cell service and screens, is a time meant for renewal and relaxation.  Add in the reiki gathering to the mix, and you have a profound moment for healing. 

Part of the gathering included journaling in a sweet customized journal full of quotes.  Here is one that resonates for me about reiki.  "It is a method Usui revived from the Buddhist scriptures, a way of tuning into the reiki -- that's the Japanese word for the "universal force."