How to Create a Self-Care Plan You’ll Actually Follow (Especially If You’re a Therapist)
Let’s be real: therapists are some of the worst at self-care. We preach it to our clients every day but somehow forget to prioritize it for ourselves. Sound familiar?
That’s why I sat down with Alexis Overstreet, LCSW and body-based mental health clinician, to talk about self-care that’s actually doable—and feels good to stick with. Whether you’re here for inspiration or continuing education for counselors and therapists (hello, CEs for therapists!), this is the kind of self-care conversation you won’t want to miss.
Let’s dive in.
Why Therapists Need a Self-Care Plan
You’d never wing it with a treatment plan, right? So why do we treat self-care like an afterthought?
According to Alexis, a self-care plan is essential because:
- It saves time. When you know what works for you, there’s no guesswork.
- It’s adaptive. What worked in grad school probably won’t cut it when you’re running a private practice.
- It offers a baseline. You need to know what “okay” feels like to notice when you’re not.
- It helps you respond, not react. Just like goal-setting in business, a self-care plan helps you monitor your mental health indicators and pivot as needed.
“We live in a digital world that our bodies were not built for. Self-care has to evolve with our environment.”
The Problem with Commercialized Self-Care
Let’s address the pink Himalayan elephant in the room: not all self-care is bubble baths and pedicures.
In fact, Alexis invites us to redefine self-care altogether. She points out:
- Maintenance (like skincare routines or walking the dog) isn’t necessarily self-care—it’s upkeep.
- Some “self-care” might feel more like obligation (hello, resentment).
- What counts as self-care for you might not for someone else—and that’s okay.
The big takeaway? Self-care isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation.
Start With Your Body
Alexis is a body-based clinician, which means her approach to self-care begins with the body’s wisdom. She encourages us to pay attention to:
- Stressors: The external stuff (like work or doomscrolling).
- Stress: How your body reacts to those stressors (tight shoulders, holding your breath, headaches).
- Body signs: What your body is whispering, saying, or yelling about what it needs.
“The self-care I needed in grad school isn’t the same as what I need now as a private practice CEO. And it won’t be the same when I retire.”
The H.A.M.M.E.R. Framework: A Self-Care Plan for Therapists
Alexis uses a six-part system to help people remember the foundations of functional self-care:
H = Hydration
- Drink water, of course.
- But also eat water-filled foods (fruits, veggies).
- And hydrate your fascia—your connective tissue—through movement and rolling.
A = Air (Breath)
- Shallow breathing = body thinks you’re under threat.
- Deep belly breaths calm your nervous system.
- Even just pausing to exhale with a “shhh” sound can do wonders.
M = Movement
- Your lymphatic system needs movement to function.
- 3 squats. A quick dance break. A 2-minute walk. It all counts.
- Especially crucial for therapists glued to a chair five sessions in a row.
M = Micronutrients
- Think Vitamin D, B12, iron—especially if your energy or mood is off.
- Have you had bloodwork lately?
E = Energy Patterns
- Notice when you’re sharpest and try to structure your day around that.
- Morning person? Save the heavier clients or business work for then.
- Running on coffee until 4pm and wine until bed? Time to recalibrate.
R = Rest
- The one we avoid most.
- But the one that determines everything else.
- Rest doesn’t just mean sleep. It’s downtime, decompression, silence.
“Self-care is work. But it’s work we’re allowed to enjoy. And it’s the kind of work that creates longevity.”
Tips to Make Your Self-Care Plan Stick
Creating a plan is one thing. Actually using it is another. Here’s how Alexis makes it doable:
- Make it visible. Put it in a Notes app, Google Doc, or even as a recurring calendar event.
- Stack it with goals. Tie your self-care review to quarterly or yearly planning.
- Start small. Pick 1–3 things to focus on each day—no more.
- Make it dynamic. Update your plan as life shifts.
- Remove the guilt. Some days you’ll scroll. Some days you’ll skip your walk. That’s okay. Just listen to your body and respond accordingly.
It’s Not a To-Do List. It’s a Relationship.
The goal isn’t to turn your self-care plan into another rigid checklist. Alexis reminds us that:
- Self-care is about awareness, not perfection.
- Listening to your body builds resilience.
- Your needs will shift with age, stage, trauma, energy, and season.
So, What’s Next?
If you’re a therapist, you probably need continuing education anyway. Why not get those CEs for therapists while learning how to care for yourself in a meaningful way?
This episode of Not Boring CEs with Alexis Overstreet is available to listen to for free—and if you want continuing education for counselors, social workers, and psychologists, you can grab your CE credits by joining the Not Boring CEs membership.
Final Thoughts:
Your body is always communicating with you. It’s time to start listening. Self-care doesn’t need to be perfect, elaborate, or expensive. It just needs to be responsive.
Whether you’re building a new habit, redefining what rest means, or taking 30 seconds to breathe deeply between sessions—you’re doing self-care.
And that counts.
Want more like this?
Subscribe to the Not Boring CEs podcast or join the membership to earn your continuing education credits while actually enjoying it. Because CE should be useful, engaging, and maybe even fun.
