Empathy, like dignity, can be difficult to define but its absence is felt profoundly. Residents, families and co-workers can feel when they are not being treated with empathy. Tapping into the feelings and needs of others is certainly what called many of us to the helping professions.

We do these for our clients every day, so why not for ourselves? Empathic self-care means listening to one’s body (pain, fatigue), mind (trouble concentrating, irritability) and spirit (strained relationships, no sense of purpose). When the body, mind or spirit is trying to tell us something, we need to listen, trust, believe in ourselves and our innate ability to heal from the inside. 

SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH. 

After tapping in, we must act to reboot (vacation, rest), refuel (enjoy social connections, have fun), and revitalize (exercise, rest) ourselves. Most important, though, is allowing ourselves to release expectations and disappointments.