What are the best practices for developing a self-care plan after a critical incident?

1 What is a self-care plan?

A self-care plan is a personalized and proactive strategy that helps you manage your stress and enhance your resilience after a critical incident. It includes activities and habits that promote your physical, mental, emotional, and social health, such as exercise, relaxation, hobbies, counseling, or spirituality. A self-care plan also helps you identify your needs, strengths, and resources, as well as potential triggers and challenges that may affect your recovery. A self-care plan is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but a flexible and evolving tool that you can adjust according to your situation and preferences.

2 Why is peer support important?

Peer support is the process of providing and receiving emotional and practical assistance from people who have similar experiences or backgrounds. Peer support can help you cope with a critical incident by reducing your sense of isolation, validating your feelings, sharing coping strategies, and enhancing your self-esteem. Peer support can take various forms, such as informal conversations, group meetings, online forums, or buddy systems. Peer support is not a substitute for professional help, but a complement that can facilitate your access to other resources and services.

3 How to find and offer peer support?

To find peer support, you can reach out to people who have been through a similar critical incident, or who work in the same field or organization as you. You can also look for peer support programs or networks that are available in your area or online. Some examples are the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), or the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). To offer peer support, you can listen empathically, share your own experience, provide practical information, or refer to other sources of help. However, you should also respect your own limits and boundaries, and avoid giving advice, judging, or minimizing the other person's feelings.

4 What is supervision and why is it necessary?

Supervision is the process of receiving guidance and feedback from a qualified professional who can help you reflect on your work and improve your skills and knowledge. Supervision is necessary for anyone who works in a stressful or challenging environment, especially after a critical incident. Supervision can help you prevent or address burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, or ethical dilemmas. Supervision can also enhance your professional development, competence, and confidence. Supervision can be individual or group-based, formal or informal, and can involve different methods, such as case reviews, role plays, or reflective exercises.

5 How to access and benefit from supervision?

To access supervision, you can contact your supervisor, manager, or employer, and ask about the supervision policy and procedures in your organization. You can also seek external supervision from a professional association, a training institution, or a private practitioner. To benefit from supervision, you should prepare for each session, be open and honest, ask questions, give and receive feedback, and apply what you learn to your practice. You should also evaluate the quality and effectiveness of your supervision, and communicate your needs and expectations to your supervisor.

6 How to integrate peer support and supervision into your self-care plan?

To integrate peer support and supervision into your self-care plan, you should consider them as essential components of your recovery and growth after a critical incident. You should also balance them with other self-care activities that suit your needs and preferences, such as physical exercise, relaxation techniques, hobbies, counseling, or spirituality. You should also monitor your stress levels, mood, and behavior, and seek additional help if you notice any signs of distress or impairment. Finally, you should review and revise your self-care plan regularly, and celebrate your achievements and progress.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?