Self Care While Supporting Survivors
Survivors are often supporting survivors, even when they don’t disclose. Taking care of yourself in the process of supporting others is monumental. It’s important to continue with your regular activities and stick to a schedule. Check your feelings of not being there to “save” your friend/family member/associate from assault.
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Tips on how to support yourself when you are supporting a survivor:
- Pace yourself and maintain your boundaries.
Say no when you need to. This supports yourself and the survivor. - Be mindful of what kind of support you offer.
You’ll need to offer what you can sustain, or the survivor may feel like they are too much/regret they disclosed at all. - This is a long battle.
Change will not happen overnight.
Extra tips if you are a survivor yourself:
- Know that you can disclose your survivor status if you want to. But you are by no means required to.
- Take breaks when you need to.
- Return to your center by taking deep breaths.
- Reach out to someone who may have supported you through your hard moments with sexual assault.
If you don’t have a support network, you can ask for help from someone you trust. - You don’t have to explain when you have flashbacks or dissociate.
- Breathe as much as you can.