Self-care

Be kind to yourself

Worries, fear and anxiety can be crippling. We need to take time out to look after ourselves, to keep our minds and bodies as healthy and well as we can. 

If you decide to take time out to reflect on your journey and consider your options, or you’re waiting for our counselling, please remember to look after yourself in the meantime.

• Schedule time for yourself during the day
• Eat food that nourishes your body
• Listen to music that you enjoy
• Friends love you – reach out to them if you are struggling
• Create boundaries – remember you can say “No”
• Appreciate your feelings because they belong to you
• Rest when you need it
• Exercise your mind and body by trying some new activities

Written by a member of CSASS

Our team’s top tips
Our awesome team see first hand how self-care can help anyone who is struggling with day to day life. Here are their top tips:

• Do what’s right for your body and mind, don’t push yourself to do everything!
• Choose a positive mantra that you say to yourself every day. Mine is “I am good enough” and I’ve learnt to say it whenever I’m really low.
• Immerse yourself in nature, it is so therapeutic and calming
• Remember to take a break to breathe slowly and deeply – breathe in for 7 beats and out for 7 beats, repeat until you feel calm
• Keep a notepad handy. Write in it regularly even if you don’t feel like it at the time. It’s a great way to offload your mind and express how you’re feeling.
• Sleep, sleep, sleep! If anxious thoughts and ‘to do’ lists whirling around your head make this difficult, keep your notepad by your bedside. Get your thoughts down on paper to clear your mind.

Many of our survivors talk about the benefits of ‘Grounding’. This is a coping strategy designed to pull you back into the present, when you’re experiencing flashbacks or dissociation. Here are some grounding techniques – feel free to ask us about this anytime.

Women and Girls Network have produced this self-help guide that you can download and work through at your own pace.

Please let us know if you have any tips that have reduced your anxiety, made you feel calm, and generally helped you be kind to yourself.

Source: Rape Crisis England and Wales

Other Resources…

Caring For Yourself After Sexual Violence – This course will take you through different topics to support you in exploring how you care for yourself and process your own memories and feelings. In this resource, you will find modules of information and videos to watch as you work through the materials at your own pace.