This morning started like mornings that are familiar to me. I woke up with a little bit of anxiety. Not abnormal, somewhat expected since The Self Care Boutique is launching soon, and I launched a full-time psychotherapy private practice eight months ago. I have oblong heating pad (I think it’s filled with buckwheat, not sure) pop it in the microwave drip some peppermint oil on it (it helps me to breathe), and meditate in bed until I feel better. Sometimes I do a guided meditation, or I’ll do a meditation where my focus is simply my breath and breathing. This usually takes anywhere from 10 or 20 minutes. If I fall back to sleep, I’m perfectly okay with that too, because I usually wake up feeling like a million bucks. Today, like some days wasn’t that easy. I began to tackle my task for the day usually that helps, but not today. I don’t like not feeling like myself. So, I began to check in with myself, and realized I needed a little extra attention today. I called to get a massage and the next available time was hours away. A massage therapist can get all my money just about any day of the week and right now Thai Massages are my everything!
However, I needed to do something in the meantime. I ran a hot bath, hot water helps to get the blood flowing, added in some bath crystals from The Self Care Boutique that include rose and peppermint oil (I tell you the official name a little later), lit some candles, took a little ashwagandha, lit my favorite incense, and turned off the lights. I know it’s a lot a smell, but I have the nose of hound. It is not uncommon for me to smell a perfume and tell you the oils used to achieve the fragrance. Yeah, it’s that serious. Ok, back to the story! For me, all these scents and experiences equate to relaxation. After my bath, I took a shower and it is something about the initial stings of the cold water that bring you back to reality, but the reality is different once you’ve calmed your mind and body. For me, I feel like myself again!
I am in a profession and field (social/human services) that self care is a key to longevity, yet people in this arena; therapist, social workers, case managers, educators, just to name a few are less likely to practice self care on a routine basis. I love what I do, so I do what I need to do out of respect for the gift that I have been given of being a psychotherapist. With all that being said, The Self Care Boutique isn’t something new to me, it is scents, textures, knowledge and experiences that have been curated over the years through my personal experiences that I want to share with you. We all struggle with mental health at some point or points in our life, but it is how we learn to manage is key! We must build a toolbox of self care options. I know what it’s like to have no tools, and I know what it’s like to build a toolbox. I’ve tried things that weren’t familiar to me until they have become staples in my every day journey. When you experience products from The Self Care Boutique it is my hope that you encounter feeling a calmness, peace, and self-compassion. Through The Self Care Boutique, I am sharing some my most prized possessions in my toolbox with you! I hope they are as helpful to you as they are to me. Be sure to check out The Self Care Boutique at http://www.theselfcareboutique.net
Insightful Psychotherapy Services 