7 Ways Therapists Show Self-Love

Thanks to a lot of marketing, many of us spend a lot of time, energy and money making sure to “show love” to the people in our lives with gifts, flowers, special dinners and so on. And while the opportunity to pause and show our love to our partners or families may feel good to many of us, at Parent Wellness Group, we like to encourage you to honor your relationship with yourself as your number one priority. Showing yourself love has a way of multiplying the love you can share with others, so here are a few ways our clinicians love and care for themselves.

7 Ways Therapists Show Self-Love

1. Time alone. “One way I love myself is by setting intentional time away from my family and home each week to do something that I enjoy-whether it's meeting up with a friend for coffee, going to a pilates class, reading a book at a cafe, or taking the dog for a long walk by myself and listening to a podcast- just taking some time outside of my space and from my family without feeling bad about it.  Doing this helps me stay in touch with myself and my interests, and connected to others who I enjoy ---and gives me the space to return rejuvenated so I can not only be more engaged with my family but also feel more at ease and calm within myself.” - Amy Corbett

2. Permission to do less. “I show myself self love when I give myself permission to opt out of all the to-do's so I can be engaged in the activity I choose whether it be rest, eating, connecting, or watching a show.” - Emily Harlan

3. An intentional break. “I show self love by giving myself time. It might be a minute or two in the bathroom to take some deep breaths or thirty minutes between ending working and picking up my son. We are always doing so much and managing so much it’s important for me to take time to slow down.” - Marie Motley

4. Meeting your needs. “I show myself love by scheduling purposeful and intentional time getting my needs met (rest, exercise, friendship, music, delicious food, etc) I do this in a way that also teaches my family that getting your needs met in a purposeful, intentional and healthy way is important and that asking for help in making that happen is a vital skills that we all need to develop.” - Gretchen Herter

5. Creating space. “I show myself love through creating a space to read with a cup of tea at night before going to bed, taking a yoga class, and trying a new hobby.” - Erin Sandler

6. Boundaries. “I love myself by saying no to someone without explanation. Eating lunch away from my computer or phone. Going for a short walk outside. Giving myself permission not to respond or react to something right away.” - Sarah Harmon

7. An early, quiet morning. “Lately, showing love to myself has looked like getting up before my kids and having some quiet time in the morning alone. There have been many stretches of time where I needed the sleep or some exercise more than the quiet, but right now, it feels like just what I need. A loving commitment I have to myself is to keep checking in so that when I need something else out of that time, I'll be ready to pivot.” - Ali Schmitt

Our hope for you is that loving yourself feels easy and that you can honor your needs to be the best version of yourself. If you are struggling to show self-love, schedule a consult and learn why you are worth loving and how therapy can help get you there.