LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Often, self-care is viewed as self-indulgence, but Michelle Creech argues that self-care is an integral form of self-respect.
“(Self-care) means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, so you can be well, you can do your job, help and care for others and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in the day,” Creech, a certified Recovery Support Specialist and a Recovery Support Services staff member at HRC said.
Creech has been working at HRC in Edgar County for more than five years. She provides mental health training on a variety of topics across the county.
“When you’re caring for others and doing things for others, it can cause a lot of stress in your life. A really important thing is self-care,” Creech explained. Creech describes self-care as “taking an active and proactive role in your own overall health and wellness.”
“It’s a framework for managing stress, life challenges, professional burnout and compassion fatigue,” she said.
Creech, a certified WRAP facilitator, teaches that self-care should not be viewed as something you only do if you have the time. Self-care also should not be viewed as a reward that can be gained once other tasks are completed; it should be an integral practice of everyone’s daily life for the fortification of emotional, physical and spiritual health and overall health and well-being.
“It’s an empowerment process that creates balance and equilibrium across our personal, social and work lives, an activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and wellness,” Creech said. “(Self-care) can improve your physical health. It can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It can boost your self-esteem. It protects your mental health leads to better relationships, improves your concentration, minimizes frustration and anger and increases happiness.”
The primary reason Creech teaches the value of self-care as a mandatory mental health practice is to counteract the body’s natural response to stress.
“Stress is how we react when we feel under pressure or feel threatened. It usually happens when we are in a situation where we don’t feel we can manage or control,” she explained. “(Stress) is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated or angry.”
The symptoms of stress can be low energy or fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite and changes in sleep patterns. Individuals dealing with stress can also experience more dramatic and threatening symptoms, including feelings of isolation.
“We don’t want to leave our house or be with others. We can have feelings of guilt and worry, hopelessness, thoughts of suicide and self-harm, excessive drinking or substance abuse or smoking,” Creech said. “You can get to the point where managing your situation on your own is not possible. It’s important to seek help … If you have loss of pleasure or enjoyment at work or in your personal life, if you have symptoms of depression or anxiety, those are red flags.”
Additional red flags Creech highlights include; trouble concentrating, increased mistakes or errors, loss of objectivity, forced isolation, hyper-emotional reactivity, relationship issues, insomnia or disturbed sleep and fatigue.
“You should know some of what your personal warning signs might be, and it might be something different than what I’ve mentioned too,” Creech said. “Everyone experiences stress to some degree, the way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall well-being.”
Other common effects of stress on the body include fatigue, headaches, skin irritation, breathlessness, frequent infections, tight muscles and muscle twitches. Stress can also lead individuals to make hasty decisions, have impaired judgment, nightmares, negativity and feel indecisive.
“Our body reacts by releasing chemicals in the blood to give us more energy and strength to cope triggered by a physical danger,” Creech said. “However, the response from in-depth, stress can be debilitating when there is no outlet for this extra energy, or when we find ourselves in a chronic stress response.”
The best way any individual can practice self-care and reduce the effects of stress in their life according to Creech is by practicing the five essential self-care strategies. The strategies include; sleep, exercise, eating, well, relaxation and connection.
Sleep
“Sleep is really important, a good night of sleep is essential for being healthy in your body, mind, emotions and spirit,” Creech said. “On average, people need seven to eight hours of sleep.”
Sleep disturbances can affect a person’s quality of life and work performance. Creech teaches the best ways we can improve our sleep are by creating a regular sleep schedule.
“I try to go to bed at the same time every night. I have a routine that I do that’s part of my self-care,” she said.
Creech suggests cultivating sleep rituals like drinking tea or journaling, limiting your caffeine and sugar, and utilizing relaxation practices, including breathing; listening to music and minimizing light or noise in a bedroom.
Eating
Eating well is essential for creating a healthy and well-balanced life, according to Creech.
“We cannot function without substance and to function optimally, good nutrition is needed,” Creech said. Her suggestions for better eating habits include replacing fast food with whole foods and grains, becoming aware of food sensitivity like gluten, dairy and soy, eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking plenty of water.
“I hate to drink water, so the sugar-free flavorings really help me to be able to drink,” she shared. “They’re cheap and they’re really good.”
Creech also emphasized the importance of not skipping meals, especially for individuals who tend to experience low blood sugar.
Exercise
“Getting adequate exercise is essential for overall health and wellness,” Creech said. “Physical activity for 20 to 30 minutes each day can help in reducing your body’s physical reaction to stress by relaxing tension.”
Creech also shared exercise and movement can help release negative thoughts, reduce anxiety and boost self-esteem.
“You can go to the gym or take fitness classes, take up yoga or tai chi, walking or hiking, take a dance class, try biking or swimming, weight or strength training, martial arts or even gardening,” she said. “I do chair yoga, and you’re sitting in your chair and doing 15 to 20 minutes of chair yoga. It’s very relaxing.”
Relaxation
Relaxation supports individuals on all levels, body, mind, emotion and spirit.
“(Relaxation) helps us integrate and absorb our life’s experiences. It replenishes mental resources and allows the body to recover,” Creech explained. “Making time to relax is essential for recovering wellness.” Creech’s suggestions for relaxation include, spending time in nature, walking, hiking, taking a hot bath, breathing exercises, meditation and mindfulness, yoga, reading, journaling, creative activities and listening to music.
Connection
“Connection is vital to anyone’s personal recovery and well-being, as well as the ability to perform our job duties,” Creech shared.
According to Creech, some people can cultivate connections through spiritual practices such as prayer, meditation or contemplation, or by participating in a communal group.
“Spiritual recovery, family and work, spending time with family and friends, accessing peer support or mentorship, even connecting with yourself through meditation, journaling and self-reflection,” she suggested. “Have some quiet time by yourself or have some fun with others.”
“The single, most common reason people give for not participating in self-care is lack of time,” Creech said. “Many of us have a lot going on but it’s imperative that we take time out every day for ourselves, even if minimally.”
One of the most important things a person can do to make self-care a priority in their life is to accept where they are and “exchange information and feelings with people who can validate you, clarify your personal boundaries that work for you and what doesn’t,” according to Creech.
“Self-care begins with you. So be kind to yourself, and enhance your awareness, education and experiences. Remember that self-care is all about you,” Creech shared. “What works for what works for one person may not work for another, but that’s the beauty of self-care routine.”
(Michelle Creech is a Certified Recovery Support Specialist and a Recovery Support Services staff member at HRC, serving those also served by HRC’s outpatient services. She enjoys working with children, teens, adults and veterans who are survivors of domestic violence, have substance use, grief, any type of mental health diagnosis or have survived any type of trauma. The following presentation was given to the Edgar County ROSC group in 2025. Creech is available for multiple, grant-funded mental health trainings. Contact her at 217-465-4118. )
