Taking care of one another is "always important and doubly important during the pandemic,” said Amy Lindsey, a James psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist (PMHCNS-BC)who works with patients and the staff. “That’s what’s gotten us through this – teamwork and our relationships with the people we work with.” In this episode, Lindsey describes the Brief Emotional Support Team (BEST) program that more than 700 members of the James team have taken. They learn the basics of how to take better care of themselves and their colleagues using wellness, mindfulness and meditation techniques. “Stress can build up over time, so it’s important to acknowledge that it happens, or it could take a toll,” Lindsey said. She also describes a simple method one of her mentors used to reduce stress and be more present. “Before she enters a patient’s room, she’ll take a few seconds, while she sanitizes her hands to reset and take a few breaths,” Lindsey said. The cumulative effects of these mini-meditations, repeated a couple dozen times a day, is considerable and leads to better and more effective interactions with patients. “Everything we do is all about care of self, colleagues, patients and the community,” Lindsey said. “I think people understand that to care for someone else, you have to be okay.”