Seven self-care tips for practitioners and patients

By Katherine Shagoury

Providers must have a self-care practice, or start one immediately, says Victoria Maizes, MD, who spoke at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium Annual Conference in New York City last week. Start with a self-assessment in seven key wellness areas: movement, mind-body, food, environment, relationships, sleep, and spirituality. Practitioners need to be honest about their physical activity, diet, stress management, environmental exposures, sleep, relationships, and spirituality, specifically what areas need to be improved.

Once a provider has addressed their own health and self-care, then they can turn to their patients and adequately offer programs and practices in each of the wellness areas. Maizes encourages providers to explore resources available in their communities that they can refer their patients to, whether that be community gardens or public park services.

The following highlights the seven wellness elements and how practitioners can improve these areas for themselves and for their patients. Click here for more information.