In one of our recent retreats, one of the attendees stated she was seeing a therapist who was coming to understand PLRs (Pathological Love Relationships). While they did not have the complete gist of it, the very wise therapist noticed her poor overall condition.
The therapist assigned homework to her for the next 30 days in which she was to work on nothing else therapeutically except:
- Light exercise daily–yoga, stretching, or a walk, 3 times a day consisting of at least 20 mins each.
- The development of a sleep routine–in bed the same time (early) every night with relaxing rituals before bed.
- Eating healthy food she prepared herself (stay away from the drive-thru and boxed pre-packaged food).
- Do no further harm–stop talking about it to others, stop reading about it, etc.
She had begun these practices a few weeks before the retreat and was noticeably the person in the best emotional condition.
She was up early before retreat taking a walk and sitting in nature.
Between group sessions, she was lying down.
She was the first in bed each night, and ate healthy food choices where others were eating candy and gulping coffee and soda between group sessions.
Self-care presents itself to the therapist as someone who is already on the path to recovery with good groundwork from which the therapist can build.
