Happy New Year! I hope your year has been off to a great start! Here's to hoping I can keep up with posting more regularly on here this year.
Our word of the year here at PCIT, Inc. is consistency. Defined as being regular, unchanging in nature, steady, standard, or acting in the same way over time. As a PCIT Therapist, I teach about the importance of consistency throughout PCIT treatment. In the early stages of PCIT I have families focus on being consistent in showing up for sessions. Throughout PCIT, I emphasize the importance of completing daily homework to practice skills and strengthen the parent-child relationship. In the latter stages of PCIT consistency is key in teaching young children compliance.
If consistency is such an important aspect in PCIT, it should also be an important factor in our daily lives. Consistency in self-care is one area I know I plan to focus on in 2024. "Relax more in 2024."
I read an article last fall from the Child Mind Institute describing how self-care for parents is essential in preventing burnout when caring for children with special needs. (https://childmind.org/article/fighting-caregiver-burnout-special-needs-kids/). It talks about basic self-care like getting enough sleep, exercise and time away from taking care of children. Something that stood out to me was about setting boundaries and asking for help with specific things.
This made me think of PCIT when we focus on a specific skill to coach on throughout a session, or being specific in our praises or commands. If I can focus so specifically on being consistent in PCIT surely I can be consistent with increasing my self-care. Right?
Sometimes sharing a goal with another person can help hold you accountable and have an ally and a support in the process. Here's to being vulnerable in 2024 and sharing my goal of relaxing more and more specifically being consistent with self-care. So I'm looking for ideas... what do you do to unwind and practice self-care in your life?
I'd love to hear what your goal is for 2024 and how I can cheer you on!
Katie Smith, LCSW- Certified PCIT Global Trainer, mother of littles, and self-care newb