Module 4 - Practicing Self-Care

Module 4 - Practicing Self-Care

3 Lessons

LESSON 1: Effects of Stress & Self-Care Techniques

Opening (5 minutes)

PPT-4 p.1Welcome learners to Module 4: Practicing Self Care

>Return the graded Module 3 quizzes<

In this module, you’ll learn about how to take care of yourself – and why it’s so important that you do!

PPT-4 p.2Lesson Objectives (Review learning objectives with students)

1. Identify physiological and psychological effects of stress.
2. Identify various stress reduction techniques and their benefits.
3. Describe at least two ways to get physical exercise.
4. Describe at least two ways to get mental exercise.

1. Practitioner As Client Model (5 minutes)

PPT-4 p.3Insights From the Experts

>Referring to slide, ask a learner to read the quote aloud<

The correct use of body mechanics can help the longevity and successfulness of their business or career. It can make or break them. I’ve been practicing massage for over 25 years, and with the correct use of body mechanics, I am still going strong.- Sandy Fritz, Health Enrichment Center Inc., Lapeer, MI

>Engage learners in a short brainstorm session, addressing the questions below<

What are examples of correct body mechanics?

What are additional ways to engage in effective self-care, so that you too can continue to thrive in your career as a massage therapist year after year?

Self-Care. In our eagerness to take good care of our clients, we sometimes forget to take good care of ourselves. The truth is, though, you have an obligation to yourself to take good care of your body, mind, and spirit. As you do so, you’ll become stronger and more effective as a massage therapist and less prone to injury.

This is what we’ll be focusing on in this module – how you can manage your own self-care. This, you’ll discover, is truly the foundation to thriving both professionally and personally.

Good self-care will also benefit your clients. By practicing good habits you will be a role model for them. Any suggestions you offer about body mechanics, nutrition, exercise, and finding balance in their lives will have more credibility if they can see that you practice those things yourself.

As you know, massage is a physically demanding profession. Your lifestyle habits – what you eat, how much you exercise, how much water you drink, your height/weight ratio, your attitude toward life, and your resiliency – all affect your physical and psychological ability to do the job.

Effects of Stress (25 minutes)

Reference text pp. 84-85

What is stress exactly?

>Acknowledge all answers<

Let’s start by defining it. Here’s the definition of stress found in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary:

“A force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist body or body part. Especially the intensity of this mutual force commonly expressed in pounds per square inch.”

Here’s another definition: “A state resulting from a stress; especially one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium.” In other words, to be under stress is to be out of balance.

A certain amount of tension is necessary in life. It helps us achieve peak performance levels, keeps us curious about life’s challenges and how to meet them, and gives life pizzazz. Too much stress, especially over time, is not good for us – and ultimately chips away at our ability to be our best.

Let’s face it – a certain amount of stress is unavoidable. But if you just allow stressors to pile up and then try to deal with them after they’ve arrived, that’s like noticing a leak in your kitchen ceiling and coping with it by simply putting a bucket on the floor to catch the drips.

You could have avoided the stress of a leaky roof altogether 1) if you had anticipated that your roof, like your body, mind and spirit, needs regular routine maintenance, 2) if you had actually performed that maintenance when it was needed – for instance, by getting the roof inspected annually and getting new shingles every 20 years, and 3) if you had set aside the funds for such repairs.

That’s not to say that by planning ahead we can control every aspect of our lives – far from it. Nor are we responsible for everything bad that happens to us. Coworkers quit, clients move away, someone rear-ends our car…Life is risky business.

But, we do have some control over how much stress we experience through the choices we make. The first strategy for dealing with stress is to construct a life in which stress is minimized. Then, you’ll have the energy to deal with a crisis if and when it happens.

So, let’s play a game…

>Introduce group exercise<

PPT-4 p.4This is Stan, the new massage therapist. He doesn’t have a care in the world…

How could we add some stress to Stan’s life? To get a handle on how to decrease stress in our lives we’re going to add stress to Stan’s. We get to be masochists for a day.

Let’s think up some actions Stan could take – or avoid – and the consequences of these choices. The scenarios don’t need to be far-fetched to create stress; the decisions we make every day can have a direct effect on the amount of stress in our lives.

Let’s look at various areas of Stan’s life as a massage therapist, starting with his finances. Money – or lack of it – can certainly add stress. Imagine, for example, that Stan avoids paying the bills for his massage practice. He just doesn’t like doing it, or he never gets around to it. What might be the consequences?

If Stan avoids paying his practice bills, these are the stresses he might experience:

His massage oil vendor stops selling to him.

He pays late fees.

Creditors hound him.

His credit rating decreases.

The bank won’t loan him money to expand.

His family gets mad at him.

His utilities get turned off.

He has to file for bankruptcy.

Even his dog doesn’t like him.

Continue the discussion by directing the learners to think up actions or inactions that would add stress to other areas of Stan’s life: practice management, self-care, and professional relationships – and whatever areas you and the learners come up with. Discuss the stressful consequences of those actions or inactions.

>Have some fun!If the conversational pump needs priming, use the tips below<

Allow 15 minutes for the exercise.

Adding Stress to Stan’s Life

Area / Action or Inaction / Possible Stressful Consequences
Financial / Avoids paying bills / Pays late fees; creditors hound him; credit rating drops; decreased ability to borrow; troubled family relationships; utilities turned off; credit accounts closed; bankruptcy
Avoids collecting money owed to him / Loses out on the interest he could have earned had the money been in his savings account; unable to pay his bills; clients begin to take advantage of him
Charges too little / Expenses exceed income; doesn’t make a profit; becomes discouraged about the field of massage therapy
Practice Management / Doesn’t invite clients to rebook / Books drop; income drops
Doesn’t market his practice / Business doesn’t grow; insufficient income
Allows massage supplies to dwindle / Doesn’t have supplies necessary to do the job; decreased quality of service; drop in client satisfaction
Purchases cheap, unreliable equipment / Frequent massage table breakdowns; inability to work; drop in client satisfaction
Doesn’t have backups for important equipment / CD player/iPod breaks and he can’t play music during massage sessions
Skips a meal / Irritability; low blood sugar; decreased effectiveness
Forgets to rest / Irritability; rigidity; forgetfulness; decreased client satisfaction
Skips regular doctor’s appointments / Risks illness or injury
Professional Relationships / Ignores gut feelings about inappropriate client behavior / Risks his psychological and maybe even personal safety
Plays the Blame Game / Alienates coworkers and clients
Too passive / Allows clients and coworkers to take advantage of him

>Draw group exercise to a close<

Great job! Stan is a wreck now! From one minute to the next he’s tearing his hair out, feeling enraged, or yearning to go home and pull the covers over his head.

If he’s under this kind of stress, his body, mind and spirit may be negatively affected.

What are some possible physiological effects of chronic stress?

Answer: Concentration problems, digestive problems, headaches, high blood pressure (associated with heart disease and strokes), memory problems, migraines, muscle tension, sleep disturbance, susceptibility to injury, weight loss or gain.

And, what are some possible psychological effects of stress?

Answer: Anxiety, depression, decreased sense of humor, general reduction in quality of life, irritability, lack of focus, relationship problems, reduced feelings of pleasure and accomplishment, rigidity.

>Ask a student to lead the class in a stretch<

Self-Care Techniques (10 minutes)

Reference text pp. 85-90

Stress is not bad per se; the real key is how we manage the stress.

In addition to stretching, like we just did, what are some ways to reduce stress? What would you suggest to someone who is overwhelmed and totally stressed out? What would you suggest to Stan to help him reduce his stress levels?

>Acknowledge all answers. Write them on the board
under the heading “Stress Busters”<

Look for: Anticipating and consciously eliminating stressors from one’s life, breathing exercises, calling a halt, journaling, meditation, physical exercise, planning ahead, proper nutrition, seeking guidance from a supervisor or friend, seeking professional help, sharing one’s feelings, sleep, spiritual/religious practice, yoga, massage.

The first and foremost stress reliever is rest. A nap or a good night’s sleep allows the body’s natural healing powers to kick in.

Another great way to manage stress and get back on track is by adding ritual to your life. Find a special place where, every day, you meditate, or pray, or write or listen to music, or plan your day – in other words, do whatever is meaningful to you. Creating and practicing such rituals can calm you and help you feel grounded.

A tip that comes from the 12-step program is to “Call a HALT.”

>Write “HALT” on the board<

If you’re struggling with something and it’s not going well and you’re feeling overwhelmed, stop and ask yourself, “Am I hungry?”

>Point to the “H” on the board<

Angry?

>Point to the “A” on the board<

Lonely? Or tired?

>Point to the “L” and “T” on the board<

If the answer is “yes” to any of these, stop what you’re doing – call a HALT. Take care of that need before proceeding with whatever problem you’re trying to solve. Get something to eat, or take a few breaths to let the anger dissipate, or reach out to a friend or family member, or get some sleep. Then go back to your problem. Life will look a lot better – and seem a lot more manageable.

Any other ideas on how to effectively cope with stress?

>Acknowledge all answers<

Before we continue our exploration of self-care techniques, let’s first recall the Wellness Wheel activity we did in Module 2. What are the six areas of well-being identified by the Six Dimensions of Wellness model?

Look for: physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, occupational.

If you think about it, many of the commonly used and recommended self-care techniques are really ways of enhancing well-being in each of these six areas.

What are some techniques for centering yourself?

>Acknowledge all answers<

Look for, among others: meditation/prayer, relaxation techniques, walking, quiet time in beautiful setting, breath work, yoga, journaling, exercise, support groups, reading

What are some techniques for nourishing your body?

>Acknowledge all answers<

Look for, among others: meditation/prayer, relaxation techniques, walking, quiet time in beautiful setting, breath work, yoga, journaling, exercise, support groups, reading, receiving a massage

What kinds of exercise should we do to enhance our self-care?

>Acknowledge all answers<

Look for, among others: types of exercise include endurance training, strength training, and flexibility training

And, finally, what are some mind exercises to employ?

>Acknowledge all answers<

Look for, among others: include one or more senses in an everyday task; combine two senses; break routines

Self-Inventory (10 minutes)

HO 4-1Self-Evaluation.Now, I’m going to give you a moment to do an inventory to see how you’re doing. Here’s a checklist of suggested ways to effectively manage stress.

>Distribute Personal Self-Care Strategy Worksheet<

How many of these do you do on a regular basis? Check off the ones that apply.

Pair Share. Turn to a partner and share what you’re already doing to manage stress (based on the checklist).

>Lead a Pair-Share activity. Allow each to speak for 2 minutes<

Now, take a moment to explore which practices you are not doing. Of the other items listed, which additional one would you like to try? Or, is there something entirely different you’d like to try?

>Lead Pair-Share activity. Allow each to speak for 2 minutes<

Wrap Up (5 minutes)

>Go over homework<

Read pages 90-93. Begin with “Personal Self-Care Strategy” and read through the end of the chapter.

DUE DATE: Next class

To follow up on your discussion with your partner, I’d like you to actually do the self-care activity that you decided you’d like to try out. Be ready to report back on how it went for the next class.

HO 4-2Finally, to get you to think about becoming more strategic about taking care of yourself, you’re going to begin to develop your Personal Self-Care Plan, by filling out this Worksheet for Developing a Personal Self-Care Plan.

>Distribute Worksheet for Developing a Personal Self-Care Plan<

DUE DATE: Module 4 – Lesson 3

Invite and answer questions before moving on<

LESSON 2: Personal Self-Care Management Strategy

Opening

PPT-4 p.5Lesson Objectives (Review learning objectives with learners)

1. Identify strategies for stress management.
2. Identify strategies to prevent self-injury through the use of proper body mechanics and holistic methods.
3. Set self-care goals to better manage stress.

Developing a Self-Care Plan

Small Group Work. I’m now going to give you some time to report out on your newly tried out self-care activities.

Organize learners into groups of about 4-5. If you’d like, you can just ask learners to form groups with their tablemates.

Each learner reports out on how it went trying out his/her selected self-care activity.

Allow 10 minutes altogether.

Encourage any sharing out with the full group at the conclusion of the small group discussions.

Set Personal Self-Care Goals.

I also asked you to begin thinking about how to become more strategic about taking care of yourself by filling out the “Developing a Personal Self-Care Plan.” We’re now going to take this a step further by having a deeper discussion about setting goals.

All goals – even Personal Self-Care Goals – should include concrete measures of success – someone could see you doing it and agree that you accomplish it.

For instance, if your long-term personal self-care goal is to travel Europe by train for 4 weeks in the summer of 2012, in September of 2012 will you know whether you achieved the goal? Of course. You either went on the trip or you didn’t.

Goal setting involves breaking down goals into long-term and short-term goals.

An example of a long-term goal might be: “Travel Europe by train for 4 weeks in the summer of 2012.”

A short-term goal you might need to set to help you achieve this long-term goal might be: “Set aside $___ per month for the trip.”

So, with this in mind, I’d like each of you to set a couple of long-term Personal Self-Care Goal and then set one or two short-term goals to help you reach that.

>Direct learners to begin<

Take 5 minutes to jot down your long-term goals. Remember, goals can change as you change. They’re not vows. So don’t be afraid to write down whatever comes to mind. This is really just a free-form brainstorm.

Now, please turn to the person beside you and share the Personal Self-Care Goals you came up with.

>Direct learners in Pair Share activity – 2 minutes per person<

Now, I’d like you to pick one of these long-term Personal Self-Care Goals and with your partner, come up with some short-term goals you might want to set to help you to reach your long-term goal.

>Direct learners in another Pair Share activity – 2 minutes per person<

Did anything surprise you from this exercise? Were your goals different – or very similar – to your partner’s goals?

I suggest that you post your written goals in a place where you’ll see them often – on your refrigerator, bathroom mirror, etc.

Let’s do our stretch now – which also happens to be a great way to take care of ourselves!