What is self-care?
Why all the fuss and why is it so important?
Self-care is often something that many of us do not prioritise in our everyday lives, yet it is a crucial element of our health and wellbeing and affects everything that we do and the quality in which we do it. Setting a foundation of self-care will determine how we wake up each day, how we interact with others, how we feel about ourselves and the level of quality we bring when supporting others in our family or work roles.
It is the quality of care that we bring to ourselves that determines the quality we are able to bring to others and to all that we do.
It is this quality of care that builds our foundation that allows us to stay calm instead of being in overwhelm. It allows us to respond rather than react, to see the big picture and be able to think more clearly. It is this foundation that allows us to make supportive choices that will affect our health and wellbeing.
It is important that we see self-care as an essential part of our ‘everyday’ and not a luxury that we will get around to one day…
As Kerrie Cox and Yasmin Lang started to look more closely at the challenges and roadblocks that constantly come up, preventing people from taking better care of themselves, it became very clear to them that there needed to be a series of comprehensive self-care manuals specifically developed for people working in industries providing support to others.
​
These manuals would not only share a true way of navigating through all the challenges that come with supporting others, but would also provide an understanding & practical ideas to help build a solid foundation of self-care, resulting in less overwhelm, less stress, improved health, vitality and joy in everyday life.
Kerrie & Yasmin founded True Universal Care which has become the foundation for creating and delivering powerful ‘industry specific’ self-care manuals & workshops.
The Universal Self-Care Manual for Carers
‘Your toolkit to self-care’
This inspirational manual has 24 chapters covering many challenging topics. Within each chapter there is a wealth of information and guidance that can make a profound difference in every carer’s life.
The positive shift that can take place in a carer's life will have an enormous impact on their physical and mental health, improving the quality of care they are able to bring to themselves and the person or people they care for.
This resource has been developed to provide carers with their very own toolkit that is specific to the challenges they face in their role as a carer.
The strategies and support in this manual will be invaluable for carers to access whenever they need support, whether they are a full-time carer, part time carer or are in any form of a caring role.
The manual is filled with information, suggestions and strategies that can help carers overcome some of the many challenges they face each and every day, and it provides them with a true understanding of the importance of the quality of self-care they need to allow for themselves. They will also be encouraged by the true-life examples that are shared within this resource.
The manual supports carers with an understanding on how they can develop their own self-care plan, and how true self-care can positively impact their life, their health, vitality and their connection with themselves, the person they are caring for and all others. It will open the way for them to feel more joy in what they do, and for them to feel into and see the true gift that they give as a carer.
Meet The Authors
The women behind True Universal Care
Kerrie Cox
Kerrie is qualified in Mind Body Nutrition, Psychology of Eating and is a holistic health coach. In her field of expertise she has had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people from all walks of life.
She has also had the pleasure of developing and presenting a series of Self-Care Workshops (contracted by a not-for-profit organisation) supporting people in caring roles. Through these 2-hour workshops, care givers learned the value and importance of self-care, how to prioritise their needs, the power of thought and observation, the positive impact of tapping into their natural body rhythm and simple strategies that were specific to their many different stressful situations.
Kerrie has gained valuable experience through presenting practical workshops on self-care and has been involved in many in-depth discussions about the many challenges faced every day by those in care giving roles, allowing her a depth of knowledge to be shared in the self-care manuals, offering undeniable and compelling reasons why true self-care must be the number one priority for all people in a caring role.
Kerrie also facilitates health & wellness and self-care workshops for a variety of industry groups and businesses.
To connect with Kerrie, visit True Body Connection.
Yasmin Lang
Yasmin presents from her own experience, depth of understanding and support that she has known and lived while supporting others over the past 30 years. She is able to share a way of caring that not only brings joy and vitality (rather than coming from a place of constant exhaustion), but also supports carer givers to develop more meaningful relationships with all those around them.
Yasmin is qualified in Grief Counselling and has worked in palliative care nursing and as a counsellor for Lifeline. She has organised and run carers support meetings and continues to provide support and body work through massage therapy to a wide variety of people in care giving roles.
​
To connect with about Yasmin, visit Innermost Harmony.
Get your copy
"This book is important for not only those who care for others but also those who care for themselves."
"It provides you opportunities to develop the skills to implement new ways of living."
"The many examples throughout provide you with a sense that you are not alone and that others also have the same challenges that you may be facing."
$35AUD
plus postage
What people are saying
A word from our readers & workshop attendees
Anyone at any time can become a Carer and there is nothing that can prepare you for the unrelenting demands of caring 24/7. It can be exhausting, highly demanding and often challenging, meaning carers rarely find time to care for themselves. Having established a charity to provide wellness programs for carers to support their physical, emotional and mental health, I see many carers that are burnt out and on the verge of health crisis breakdown. It is essential that carers understand self-care so they can sustain their own well-being ongoing, otherwise they will not function as efficiently for themselves or the loved one they are caring for. The Universal Self-Care Manual for Carers is highly informative and full of practical advice to support carers to navigate the unknown and take time to care for themselves. The manual is a valuable resource for carers which I highly recommend.
Ronnie Benbow
Founding Director ~ The Carers Foundation Australia
As both a carer and a support worker I have found this manual deeply supportive in understanding the importance of caring for myself and the quality in which I offer care to others. The tools and topics covered make it a valuable resource in the caring relationship, inspiring me to take a more loving approach with myself and my personal and professional roles as a carer.
Nichole R
Carer, Murwillumbah NSW
The Universal Self-Care Manual has helped me see things differently and explore other options living through this mutual experience with my husband of being a carer and being cared for. I have learned through the information presented in this manual to take time to look after my own health, and because aged care staff now come early, I actually have made time for hydro-exercise for balance and mobility 4 times a week, which I had never done before. I have also learned that my chronic pain issues can be relieved with yoga, stretch and stress release exercises. I am now less uptight and more relaxed around my quadriplegic partner. And, when things don't go to plan, I don't bottle it up and push on, but can now negotiate and accept the best way to go on for us both.
My husband is also enjoying more space because I am looking after myself, which has supported him in being less uptight. Because he was trying so hard to help me, it used to make it harder for me to do tasks (roll, lift, dress, change). He is now more caring, and I feel this could be due to my ability to let go and observe/negotiate rather than react. I am his equal, I do not have to push 24hrs a day to control everything, I now know I can do my best for him while looking after myself.
Marilyn P
Carer, Ballina
The Universal Self Care Manual for Carers truly reflects and illustrates the barriers carers can face, and the ways in which they can be overcome or adapted to. This manual is important for not only those who care for others but also those who care for themselves. Yasmin and Kerrie have created an incredibly useful tool with their years of experience as carers which will support other carers as they care for both others and themselves.
R Speed
Registered Nurse, Melbourne VIC
What is being offered in this manual allows you to understand self-care and what your level of self-care is. It explores areas such as supporting your body through eating well, highlighting being present, promoting ideas such as allowing you to take ‘stop moments’ and not becoming emotionally drained. It helps you look at some of the challenging aspects one may have to face such as stepping back when you can no longer care for and/or support yourself and the person you're caring for in their transition prior to death. Even in looking at these sometimes difficult issues it guides you to reach out to your local resources to help. This carer’s manual provides you with opportunities to develop the skills to implement new ways of living, such as by giving you exercises to do and highlighting processes that may be beneficial to help you implement change. The many examples throughout the manual provide you with a sense that you are not alone and that others also have the same challenges that you may be facing. It is something I will continue to use and revisit as each time I re-read a chapter I am learning something new.