323CHaPtEr 14
Mindful Self-Care
Because no matter the challenges we confront...
There is no escaping this reality,
no matter what others, or we, try to say about it.
If we don’t care for ourselves,
we’ll be limited in how we can care for others.
It is that simple.
And it is that important—
for you, for others, and for our planet.Daniel Siegel (The Mindful Therapist, 2010, p. 3)MINDFUL SELF-CarE aND SELF-rEGULatION
At their core, mindfulness and yogic approaches are pathways to self-care (Cook-Cottone,
2015; Herrington, 2012; Hyde, 2012; Jennings, 2015). Self-care, as a contemporary practice
is defined as the daily process of being aware of and attending to one’s basic physiologi-
cal and emotional needs, including the shaping of one’s daily routine, relationships, and
environment as needed to promote self-care (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Norcross & Guy, 2007).
As well said by Rechtschaffen (2014), “Caring for yourself is always a good idea” (p. 20).
Essentially, self-care is the foundation of physical and emotional well-being (Cook-Cottone,
2015). Without self-care, we can become susceptible to exhaustion, emotionally and physi-
cally burned out, fatigued, and depleted and unable to give of ourselves (Herrington, 2012;
Jennings, 2015; Sutterfield, 2013). Jennings (2015) explains how she knows when she is in
need of self-care. It is when her thoughts turn negative, she feels unappreciated, and she
notices that she is slipping into guilt trips or blame (Jennings, 2015). The key is to see this for
what it is—you need self-care—and not believe the burnout stories you are telling yourself.
Self-care is associated with positive physical health, emotional well-being, and mental
health. Steady and intentional practice of self-care is seen as protective by preventing the
onset of mental health symptoms, job/school burnout, and improving work and school
productivity (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Figure 14.1).
It is just as important for school personnel and caretakers to engage in self-care as it
is for the students (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Harper, 2013; Norcross & Guy, 2007; Sayrs, 2012;
Shapiro & Carlson, 2009; Siegel, 2010). Those specializing in the neurobiology of the brain