What is micro self-care?
Life’s challenges can be overwhelming; everyone deserves a space to feel heard and supported. At Roamers Therapy, we provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and evidence-based environments to help you heal, grow, and navigate your mental well-being journey. As your psychotherapist, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
Micro self-care practices are small things we can do that help with managing stress, anxiety, and depression. Macro self-care practices tend to take up a lot of time and money, such as joining a gym, deciding to begin therapy, or taking a long vacation. Micro self-care practices, on the other hand, are various practices that are minimal, usually take a few minutes, and can be easily incorporated in our day-to-day lives. Some examples of micro self-care are calling a friend or loved one during your commute home, drinking water, finding reasons to smile (e.g., daily affirmations or photos), or taking in some daily sunlight.
What are the benefits of micro self-care?
Incorporating daily micro self-care practices can have substantial benefits in our lives. Once we have gotten into the habit of completing these small tasks, we may notice that we begin to feel energized and even happier on a regular basis. Micro self-care practices have been linked to burn out prevention, which is unsurprising when we consider the small ways where we receive energy (e.g., drinking water, eating, and sleeping enough). In addition to this, micro self-care practices are often less intimidating and more reassuring since they tend not to require extra time, effort, or planning. However, in order for micro self-care to work, consistency is key.
Find the Right Therapist in Chicago to Incorporate Micro Self-care Practices
The first step in incorporating micro self-care is realizing that self-care is not an option but an obligation we have to ourselves and one of the biggest acts of love we can do for ourselves. In order for micro self-care to work, we need to have intentionality and consistency. For example, drinking water is necessary for our mood and health, but we need to be intentional about how much water we are going to drink (e.g., buy a water bottle, refill the filter, etc.). In addition to this we need to be consistent, such as making sure to drink around eight glasses of water a day, every day. In order to be consistent, it could be helpful to set reminders for yourself or ask a friend to help keep you accountable. It’s important to know that starting new habits do take time in order to stick, so remember to keep trying even when you may forget.
At Roamers Therapy, our psychotherapists are here to support you through anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues, race-ethnicity issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, ADHD, Autism, or any challenges you encounter. Our psychotherapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance, and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gottman Therapy.
Whether you’re seeking guidance on a specific issue or need help navigating difficult emotions, we’re ready to assist you every step of the way.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule a session with our mental health professionals to begin your healing journey. To get started with therapy, visit our booking page.
First, decide if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket or using insurance. If you’re a self-pay client, you can book directly through the “Book Now” page or fill out the “Self-Pay/Out-of-network Inquiry Form.” If you’re using insurance, fill out the “Insurance Verification Form” to receive details about your costs and availability. Please let us know your preferred therapist. If your preferred therapist isn’t available, you can join the waitlist by emailing us. Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive intake documents to complete before your first session.
This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.
While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.