“Women are stretched thin in trying to take care of others while juggling work, at-home schooling, finances, and other concerns, and we’re seeing personal well-being take a back seat,” says Sarah Carstens, LCSW, LCADC, Clinical Manager of the Women’s Program at the Eatontown site. “It’s astounding how so many women are having trouble meeting basic needs like getting enough sleep and adequate nutrition during this time.”
In working with patients in Princeton House’s Emotion Regulation track—which helps women build self-compassion as they approach the difficulties they are experiencing—Carstens stresses the importance of first caring for the physical self. The creation of a baseline of self-care can in turn reduce vulnerability to the more intense negative emotions.
It can be incredibly hard to have self-compassion during this time, especially for those with perfectionist tendencies, but one key is recognizing that the pre-pandemic “rulebook” of what needs to be accomplished on any given day is no longer realistic.
To stop the cycle of emotional distress, Carstens suggests helping patients to:
Ask themselves if what they’re doing is working for them in the present time. Very often, the answer is no.
Imagine what it might be like to do things a little bit differently, even if that means simply getting up five minutes earlier to start the day with a mindfulness activity.
Begin to slowly shape things within their grasp and notice the differences in what’s working.
Be mindful of the way emotion is experienced in the body, and explore coping skills to match. For example, if a bodily response to anger is muscle tension, deep breathing may not be enough to help regulate that emotion. Instead, a more physical release such as intense exercise may be needed.
Try engaging the five senses—from using aromatherapy to wrapping up in a blanket warmed in the dryer.
Look for balance and delegate when appropriate. For example, children in middle school may be able to prepare their own lunch or help with laundry.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to coping,” adds Carstens. “Even for our staff, the challenges and complexities of this time are not lost on us. We try to build flexibility into virtual treatment sessions and consider individual circumstances so that the ability to access care isn’t another stressor.”
Article as seen in the Spring 2021 issue of Princeton House Behavioral Health Today.
