The importance of self-care can never be overstated, especially as we head toward the winter months where days are shorter, weather is colder (in some parts of the nation), and stress levels are raised during preparation for the holiday rush. Massage Today asked massage therapists about their favorite self-care practices to help keep them at their best—both in and out of massage therapy sessions.

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Self-Care Strategies for Physical Health

Leisa Bellmore

Self-shiatsu on the hands, which is helpful for improving sleep, is a good way for practitioners to prevent overuse injuries. I take a few minutes to do this before every busy clinic day, and it warms my hands up and keeps them feeling great.

Veronika Marie Campbell

One to two minutes of gentle whole body nerve glides really helps me keep my body mobile so I don’t have pain after working with my hands all day.

Rob Kelly

I generally use stretching as my self-care technique.

Nancy Dail

Good body mechanics and self-care principles have kept me in practice for 48 years. I personally do Qi Gong.

Jill Burynski

Self-care should be the foundation of our practices and lives so I can’t choose just one! We can’t pour from an empty cup! My top three are massage (of course!), yoga, and mountain biking. For me, this trio combines time in nature, cardio, strength training, stretching, mediation, and recovery.

Self-Care Strategies for Mental Health

Noel Poff

Find a quiet and roomy space, set a timer for however long you have, and then allow your body to do whatever it wants to do. The trick is to not get in the way of that with what you think you ought to do.

Buddy Hammonds

I have a very busy brain that wants to work on everything, all at once. This is compounded by two newborns at home. Everything is busy—both inside and outside my brain. It’s easy for me to get lost in my thoughts and tasks. My meditation practice helps me to slow down, center, and keep lines of communication open with myself.

Nina Cherie Franklin

Aside from being physically active, of course, one self-care practice I personally love is deep breathing. This is something I’ve learned to do whenever I feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. Taking just a minute out of every waking hour to breathe can do wonders for your mental health and mental fitness. Believe it or not, that 60 seconds of stillness can help calm your mind, clear your head, reduce tension, relieve stress, and even help you fall asleep. I simply focus on taking slow, deep, even breaths and, almost immediately, my mood changes.

Dale Alexander

When working with complex cases, I find requesting divine assistance to be most useful. In short, meditation and prayer.

Winona Bontrager

The best thing I do for myself every day is write down five things I am grateful for. It has changed my life.

David Lobenstine

At the start of every session, before I come into my treatment room, I make myself pause at the door. I notice my feet against the floor and I follow my slow exhalation all the way down to empty. If I prioritize my own body, and feel at ease in my own body, then I know my session will be better!

Jarrod Fritz

It’s a two-part answer: Mindfulness and gratitude. Being aware of what you are doing and what’s around you while being grateful for every moment.

Felicia Brown

Besides getting regular massage and exercising, I love spending time outside and taking photographs of wildflowers and nature.

More on Self-Care

Keeping Self-Care a Priority