| Survivors in recovery find getting through some days | | | | keeping, repairing clunkers, carving. What do you do? |
| more difficult than others. Having strategies for living | | | | What are you drawn to? |
| will help you not to be stuck in the lows. I know | | | | 7. Socialize. Don't isolate. Get together with others. |
| because I am an abuse survivor. | | | | Have no one? Join a support group. Go to a yarn |
| 1. Spiritual practice. Rely on your spirituality daily. Have | | | | shop and learn to knit or crochet, and hang out there. |
| none? Explore developing your own. Here are | | | | Take a class and make the effort to talk with one or |
| possibilities: praying, listening to nature, practicing | | | | two people. Ask someone to go to coffee. What are |
| yoga, belonging to a 12-step group, participating in | | | | your ideas? |
| worship services, meditating on sacred writing, or | | | | 8. Seek and accept support. Don't try to go it alone. |
| keeping a journal. | | | | Doing that only serves to keep you in the lows, |
| 2. Self-care. Care for yourself physically, mentally and | | | | deepens depression, and worsens abuse symptoms. |
| emotionally. Practice good hygiene, be tender with | | | | Take care of your medical needs. Let your provider |
| your nutrition, have a fitness program, be | | | | know that you are a survivor, ask for help with |
| self-affirming and self-forgiving. | | | | depression. Seek professional counseling. There are |
| 3. Home-care. Clean and uncluttered living space | | | | professionals, such as therapists, social workers, or |
| contributes to a sense of self-worth. Having | | | | psychologists, who specialize in abuse recovery. |
| difficulties in this department, take one small doable | | | | Finding professional help may be the most important |
| task at a time. | | | | step you take in your healing journey. Join a support |
| 4. Work. What work do you do to pay the bills? We | | | | group. |
| are in hard economic times. Perhaps you are one of | | | | I am an abuse survivor and these coping strategies |
| millions who lost their jobs. Temporary jobs are | | | | help me to progress in my recovery. There were |
| better than none. How is it with you? | | | | times in my life that I had poor hygiene and didn't |
| 5. Service. Volunteering is healing, and gets us out of | | | | much care how I looked. I tended to isolate and |
| ourselves. What might you do? Possibilities: have a | | | | depression was a constant companion. My spiritual |
| neighbor who is house bound? What might you do to | | | | practice and the professional care I receive supports |
| be helpful without being over-involved? | | | | me in healthy living. I'm well along in my healing |
| 6. Creativity. Using your creativity helps your inner | | | | journey. Let me know how you are doing. |
| healing. Possibilities: gardening, painting, knitting, bee | | | | |