Self-care has become a term that we use a lot to talk about what we do to maintain a positive balance within our mental health. Although this is an essential process, now more than ever we find ourselves at the confluence of a number of traumas, stressors and anxieties. This has resulted in people feeling like they are struggling, isolated, hopeless and more. Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist Erin Wiley, MA, LPC, LPCC believes that there is a necessary synergy between for our mental and physical health during the pandemic. She believes that, “Self-care can help us remain emotionally stable and healthy during stressful times.”

She shares 5 Self-Care Tips To Begin Practicing Now for Increased Well-Being:

1. Work to better understand and manage our emotions.

2. Take care of our physical health (sleep, exercise, nutrition).

3. Maintain and nurture relationships.

4. Find ways to calm down that are enjoyable and healthy.

5. Work on developing healthy daily habits that will keep us on track with regular self-care.

Learning to develop encouraging self-talk as opposed to shaming self-talk can make a big difference in creating and maintaining new healthy habits, Erin adds.

“Now more than ever we should be adopting and practicing sound mental health habits,” Erin recommends. “Being able to manage emotions at times of high stress is a great predictor of resiliency. In times of stress people tend to go into survival mode, and they struggle to maintain healthy habits.” She fundamentally believes that we need to develop encouraging self-talk as opposed to shaming self-talk can make a big difference in creating and maintaining new healthy habits.

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