On November 28, 2018 ten representatives from 8 grantee organizations gathered for a grantee teleconference focused on self-care. Led by Mary’s Pence board member Rita Lampe, MSW, LCSW, attendees discussed their views, practices, and challenges regarding self-care. Our grantee partners are all doing intense, challenging social justice work on a daily basis. Their level of commitment often means that self-care for staff and volunteers is neglected. The teleconference offered the opportunity to share resources and suggestions for self-care strategies among grantees. As one attendee stated, “this helps us to remember how important it is to do simple things to take care of us.”
Having a teleconference on self-care came from requests at the conclusion of Mary’s Pence September 2018 grantee retreat. The retreat offered time for rest and relaxation for attendees in a beautiful natural setting in Farmington, Minnesota. After a few days observing self-care at the retreat, attendees requested assistance from Mary’s Pence to help incorporate more rest and relaxation in their day to day lives. Highlights from the teleconference included sharing resources like apps that promote self-care and discussing the importance of experiencing joy each day, in addition to the importance of saying no.