Why is self-care a radical act?

 

Our society teaches us that we are lucky to be in America and work ourselves to the bone. For people of color, refugees and other vulnerable communities, this work is compounded with the work of simply existing. Claiming space for self-care is both an act of resistance against this oppressive, capitalist mindset and provides fuel to resist racism and xenophobia.

 

Why do you offer some services but not others?

 

They may be limited, but health care and mental health resources do exist. There is no group dedicated solely to providing self-care resources. Our goal is to fill this gap by connecting people with resources that exist, and verifying they are safe spaces for all people, rather than duplicate existing efforts. 

 

If you are a mental health provider and would like to be on our resource list, please complete this form.

 

What is self-care?

 

This is a hard one to define, so we’re going to look to Wikipedia:

 

Self-care is considered a primary form of care for patients with chronic conditions who make many day-to-day decisions, or self-manage, their illness.[5] Self-management is critical and self-management education complements traditional patient education in primary care to support patients to live the best possible quality of life with their chronic condition.[1][5] Self-care is learned, purposeful and continuous.[6]

 

In other words, self-care refers to all of the things we do to take care of ourselves and keep moving. It can be as simple as making sure to get eight hours of sleep every night, or as intensive as making sure to get a weekly massage to relieve sciatica. It’s anything that a person does to take care of themselves.

 

Also here’s a cute illustration about self-care.

 

I have a really awesome idea for a workshop/service that I don’t see on your website. Who do I talk to?

 

Great! Reach out to us via the form below.

 

I’m not a part of your target group, but I really need some affordable care options. Where should I go?

 

The following list is far from comprehensive, but it’s a start.

• Oregon Health Plan (OHP) // low-cost healthcare resources

• Luke Dorf // low-cost mental health resources

• Working Class Acupuncture // low-cost acupuncture