Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

324 • Part IV: MINDFUL SELF-CarE FOr StUDENtS aND tEaCHErS

and behavior agree. For example, Siegel (2010) emphasizes the significance of attending to
the development of your own inner life in order to do your job well. Self-care allows you
to bring a healthy and positive presence to your work, in addition to bringing resilience
to your life (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Siegel, 2010). I like to think of it this way: Consider that
you cannot give what you do not have (Cook-Cottone, 2015). A teacher who presents as
overworked, exhausted, depleted, and overly self-sacrificing, even if not articulated, does
not inspire. Siegel (2010) says it this way: “Caring for yourself, bringing support and healing
to your own efforts to help others and the larger world in which we live, is an essential daily
practice—not a luxury, not some form of self-indulgence” (p. 3).
I first developed the self-care scale for use with a yoga-based eating disorder prevention
program (Cook-Cottone, Kane, Keddie, & Haugli, 2013a). The initial version of the
scale addressed nutrition, hydration, exercise, soothing, rest, and medicines/ vitamins.
Appropriate for use with children of middle school age and above, the scale assesses self-
care behaviors including eating healthy foods in moderation, drinking enough water,
exercising at least 1 hour a day and not to excess, engaging in relaxation and rest behaviors
throughout the day, and taking medicines prescribed and not taking those that are not
(e.g.,  alcohol). Like the Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS), the children’s self-care scale allows
for an assessment of self-care behaviors across domains.
Self-care practice is self-regulating (see Figure 14.2; Cook-Cottone, Tribole, & Tylka,
2013; Herrington, 2012). Self-care, mindful, and yogic practices can provide a foundation for
self-regulation. Self-care is the thing to do now in order to feel better later. Ironically, many
people say that they will take better care of themselves and do healthy things such as yoga
and mindfulness once they feel better emotionally. Conversely, school personnel and stu-
dents should engage in self-care, yoga, and mindfulness practices as a foundation for feeling
better (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Cook-Cottone et al., 2013b). Emotional regulation is inextricably
linked to physiological stability and homeostasis (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Cook-Cottone et al.,
2013). Daily self-care practices can enhance physiological stability and support emotional
regulation (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Linehan, 1993). You are happier and feel better because you
do the self-care work.
To be a self-regulated teacher means you know that you are offering the students the
very best version of yourself. Childress and Harper (2015) remind us that being of service in
the field of mindfulness and yoga is the intentional sharing of our own practices. This should
be done within the context of conscious relationships with others that are supported by
ongoing personal reflection and inquiry (Childress & Harper, 2015). Mindful self-care goes

INTERNAL

Cognitive

Emotional

Physiological

EXTERNAL

Family

Community

Culture

MINDFUL

SELF-CARE

FIGUrE 14.1 Mindful self-care.

Source: Cook-Cottone, 2015; used with permission.