Taking Care of Yourself When Taking Care of Others
Supporting someone you care about can be stressful or confusing. It’s important to remember to take care of yourself so that you can show up for others.
It’s important to remember to take care of yourself so that you can show up for others. Read on for a few tips from Shane, a family peer supporter, to help get you started.
- Accept and allow support. Reach out to your friends and family to talk about what you’re going through. Remember, it’s okay to not be okay.
- Focus on what you can do. It’s common to want to try to change your loved one and spend a lot of energy on it. If things don’t go as planned, you may feel lost or guilty. The best gift you can give yourself is self-compassion — you are doing the best you can!
- Set small and realistic goals. Sometimes it’s easier to take small steps. If you and the person you care about do not agree on what to do, remember to be patient with each other and do one thing at a time.
- Join a support group. It can help to talk to people who are going through similar experiences. You can validate, encourage and share strategies with each other.
- Foundry is here for you. If you are a family member or caregiver of a young person ages 12-24, consider connecting with Foundry about groups, counselling or family peer support. Whether it’s on the phone, online or in your community, Foundry is here to meet you where you are.
Remember, whether the person you are supporting is accessing Foundry services or not, you can receive support too!