Self-Care After Trauma
Self-care is about taking steps to feel healthy and comfortable. Whether it happened recently or years ago, self-care can help you cope with the short- and long-term effects of a trauma like sexual assault.
Physical self-care
After a trauma, it’s important to keep your body healthy and strong. You may be healing from injuries or feeling emotionally drained. Good physical health can support you through this time. Think about a time when you felt physically healthy, and consider asking yourself the following questions:
- How were you sleeping? Did you have a sleep ritual or nap pattern that made you feel more rested?
- What types of food were you eating? What meals made you feel healthy and strong?
- What types of exercise did you enjoy? Were there any particular activities that made you feel more energized?
- Did you perform certain routines? Were there activities you did to start the day off right or wind down at the end of the day?
Emotional self-care
Emotional self-care means different things to different people. The key to emotional self-care is being in tune with yourself. Think about a time when you felt balanced and grounded, and consider asking yourself the following questions:
- What fun or leisure activities did you enjoy? Were there events or things that you looked forward to?
- Did you write down your thoughts in a journal or personal notebook?
- Were meditation or relaxation activities a part of your regular schedule?
- What inspirational words were you reading? Did you have a particular author or favorite website to go to for inspiration?
- Who did you spend time with? Was there someone, or a group of people, that you felt safe and supported around?
- Where did you spend your time? Was there a special place, maybe outdoors or at a friend’s house, where you felt comfortable and grounded?
If you want to talk about sexual violence with a professional ready to help, send an email to: help@asistentavictime.ro
We give voice and power to victims of sexual violence. We see the effects of our interventions in communities facing sexual predators. We approach all cases of sexual violence that come to us with empathy, depth and professionalism.
If you have an urgent question, we encourage you to use our available resources promptly, you can contact us via phone, chat or email.
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If you want to talk about sexual violence with a professional ready to help, we are here.
