Provider self-care is an important and ethical responsibility for all providers. Our training as behavioral health providers does not render us immune from stress and even symptoms of mood or anxiety difficulties. Many of us found that some of the self-care behaviors we relied on prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were suddenly unavailable. What can be done? Consider creatively applying the advice we give to our clients to ourselves. Listen as Andy discusses with Dr Carin Lefkowitz practical adjustments we can make to our self-care routines in the current environment.

Carin M. Lefkowitz, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Lefkowitz earned her M.A. and Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Widener University, with a concentration in cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• 13:50 : Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. “Don’t Feel Motivated? Play the Impossible Game”: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/get-out-your-mind/201903/don-t-feel-motivated-play-the-impossible-game
• 18:40 : Guided meditation by Kristin Neff -- Self-compassion exercise for therapists : https://self-compassion.org/guided-self-compassion-meditations-mp3-2/
• 28:55 : Self-care for Practitioners free e-booklet by New Harbinger : https://www.newharbinger.com/blog/professional/a-guide-to-self-care-for-practitioners-a-free-e-booklet/

Calls-to-action:

Choose one or two self-care behaviors you can prioritize for self-care

Try the Impossible Game to enhance your motivation

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