Setting Self-Care Intentions: The Guide Women of Color Need

A psychotherapist provides tips for how to remain balanced during this unprecedented time

Dr. Bernasha Anderson
ZORA

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A photo of a black woman listening to music on headphones in her kitchen. She is feeling herself.
Photo: Westend61/Getty Images

AsAs a psychotherapist, I recognize the mental health costs that women of color pay with their mind and bodies every day due to experiences with racism, sexism, and trauma. We face compounded mental health costs given the recent Covid-19 pandemic. These current mental health costs may leave WOC feeling anxious, sad or depressed, lonely, stressed, and afraid.

Because cities and employers have begun implementing social distancing and quarantine measures, women of color’s mental wellness may be threatened as social isolation can lead to decreased mood and quality of life. Whether you’re living your best life and this pandemic has had minimum impact on your functioning, or you find yourself feeling overwhelmed as you juggle your multiple life roles (like supervisor, employee, daughter, mother, or friend), now may be the time to center your mental well-being by setting self-care intentions.

The setting of self-care intentions is a goal-setting approach to self-care that invites creativity and flexibility. This approach allows you to balance your self-care practice while fostering self-compassion. Our self-care intentions should shift based on our unique…

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