Caregivers, this quote made me smile. I hope it does the same for you. The object of the post seems to be urging everyone to take some time off, which is a good message. I saw something else I'd like to share. When I present a training, the most well-received slides suggest a number of different strategies to promote self-care, manage compassion fatigue, stress or burnout symptoms, how to practice Psychological First Aid to others, or my favorite - next steps. I believe the reason participants mention these slides often is because the strategies listed offer choices. We are not cookie-cutter humans. This especially true of caregivers, personal or professional. Each one of us brings something very unique and beneficial to the caregiving environment. When we turn inward to refresh, revitalize, and rejuvenate, our needs are as varied as flavors of ice cream available to us on a summer day. I like to think participants will take some time and try different strategies on to see what fits most comfortably. The secret is to never give up. What isn't working today, can be a lifesaver tomorrow. Creating a "toolbox" full of coping skills to call on as the situation demands is always a Best Practice. Sharing our successes with others also helps to identify options. So, the next time you decide to give the beach a try, go do it. If it's too hot or too sandy, head for the mountains where the air is fresh and cool. The choice is always up to you.

Caregivers, given the challenging times we are going through, we might be facing a steep uphill battle to heal and return to a baseline wellness. The ups and downs of the past few years can impact our lives in the way we now perceive the meaning of life, our relationships and our sense of place. Negative patterns might have developed and created destructive and distressing elements in our lives, such as addiction, self-sabotage, and lack of control of our emotions. Experiencing these high levels of disruption can cause us to react in negative and harmful ways if we don’t tend to our threadbare bodies and emotions.
Each one of us must make the decision to do whatever is necessary to let go of past pain and suffering, and allow our lives to move forward in a caring, loving and kind way. We must reignite our passions in life, and accept that, in healing, we are whole once again. It takes work, but the rewards are well worth the efforts.
Our need to heal and recover is very real and has never been more dire and timely. Never has there been a more consequential time than now to introduce the Healing Arts into our lives.
In a nutshell, a Healing Art is a creative practice that promotes healing, wellness, self-regulation and personal change. The Healing Arts include art, music, writing & reading, meditation & mindfulness, dance/movement/drama, nature, gardens & gardening, pet therapy and culinary arts. Spending time engrossed in any of these activities translates to the self-care that enhances our sense of wellbeing and happiness. It is within these simple, yet profound, modes of human actions that we surrender our trauma and embrace the higher quality of life we were meant to live.
The Healing Arts are all encompassing, holistic. They engage body, mind and spirit in tandem. Healing Arts call into play the five senses that color our earthly presence: hear, smell, see, taste, touch. With these five senses at work, we heal naturally, both at the superficial level known as enjoyment and pleasure, but also at a deep life-altering cellular level.

​Caregivers, if you doubt that the beauty of the wilderness, nature in all its glory, is healing, consider the following quote from author Terry Tempest Williams. “Wilderness is an antidote to the war within ourselves. I return to the wilderness to remember what I have forgotten, that the world can be wholesome and beautiful, that the harmony and integrity of ecosystems at peace is a mirror to what we have lost.”
Was there ever a statement that hits at the core of what we have experienced during this pandemic? We’ve lost our world and our lives as we knew them. We've lost the beauty of our everyday rituals that keep us grounded and forward looking. We’ve lost the security of knowing that integrity and harmony still exist in the minds and hearts of those we expect to lead us. Simply put, we’ve lost our way.
Williams offers us a way back home. Nature, especially wilderness, beckons us to join in the beauty that is by definition, natural. Seeking out this truth leads to soothing our grief, returning to the roots of our wellbeing, and repairing the damage the pandemic inflicted on our body, mind and spirit.
The health benefits humanity receives from nature are well-documented. In her book "The Nature Fix," author Florence Williams takes it a step further. She wrote, “We don’t experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies also show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage with the world and with each other. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization.”
Next time someone recommends you take a hike, do it! Could be the best thing that's happened to you in a long time.

Caregivers, I live in Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, WA. We have a lovely little downtown district and the San Juans provide enough natural beauty to last a lifetime. Last Thursday, several of our historical district buildings from the late 1800's which housed 4 businesses and several offices burned to the ground at 4 am. Inspectors from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have arrived to investigate the cause of the fire. Needless to say, the community is in mourning. As I followed throughout the hours until the fire was extinguished, one thought continually surfaced. It is a quote Fred Rogers shared years ago. When he was a child whenever he was frightened by something he witnessed, his mother would address his fear with these words: Look for the helpers. Those words quieted his fear. I looked for the helpers and they arrived. Our Washington State ferries stopped visitor services and ferried firefighters and fire trucks from our surrounding islands - Orcas and Lopez, along with Skagit County fire department. Together with our San Juan Island firefighters they worked to stop the massive fire from devouring more structures on Spring Street, the heart of our town. All reports claim the owners of the buildings and businesses hope to rebuild. There are so many lessons to be embraced at a time like this and each one of us will take from it what we will. I'll stick with the helpers. They came and risked their lives and put their time, skills and talents to the best use possible. They thought of others before they thought about the danger to themselves. They made a difference. Just like all of you. Thank you for the caregiving work you do everyday. ​

​"Much of our suffering comes from wrong perceptions. To remove that hurt, we have to remove our wrong perception." Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022)

​Caregivers, I read this quote from the man who spent his life sharing his knowledge of love, understanding and compassion. I've never read one of his quotes without feeling he is spot-on. And this quote is no different, especially in regards to our world today. One of the questions I often hear when presenting a training is: how do I deal with someone who disrupts my life and creates drama wherever he goes? Often this question is in relation to the workplace environment. This is happening on a very grand scale today due to the challenges Covid has placed before us. Thich Nhat Hanh, who left us recently at age 95, offers deep listening and loving speech. In other words, communication that is open to empathy and compassion for another. He notes what he suggests is not easy, especially in our Western world where being wrong eats away at our self-esteem and causes shame. When all is said and done, we can't all be right all the time! Enter perceptions. We are masters at perception. We see the world from our own perspective and that usually leads us into trouble. If we are right, can everyone else be wrong? We tend to think so. The pressure we put on ourselves to condemn others for the purpose of being right creates high, high levels of stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. Changing this pattern takes time, effort and commitment to a universal truth - we are interconnected. To understand another is to understand ourselves. And that is worth all the effort.