September 2021 Virtual Display: Self Care Month

An illustration of a woman with dark skin and curly hair. She is surrounded by plants and watering herself with a watering can.

Welcome to fall quarter! Clark College Libraries recognizes that the first week of classes can be stressful and September happens to be Self Care Awareness Month, so we’ve put together some self care resources to turn to when you are feeling overwhelmed. If you are in need of more resources specifically related to mental health, the Clark College Counseling and Health Center has a page of Mental Health and Wellness Resources, including crisis hotlines.

Follow the links below to check out some ebooks, videos, articles, and other digital resources. To access ebooks click the link next to “Get It Now At:” and sign in with your lab username and password. Some may have a link at the top of the page that says “Check for full text” instead. Non-Clark Libraries resources do not require a Clark Labs account.

Ebooks

The cover of The Mindfulness Teaching Guide. There's a photo of a pink and yellow flower on black rocks at the top of the cover.

The Mindfulness Teaching Guide: Essential Skills and Competencies for Teaching Mindfulness-Based Interventions by Rob Brandsma

The cover of Self-Care for College Students. Around the title there are doodles of cups, plants, books, and other college related things.

Self-Care for College Students: From Orientation to Graduation, 150+ Easy Ways to Stay Happy, Healthy, and Stress-Free by Julia Dellitt

The cover of Black Women's Mental Health. There's an abstract painting of three women above the title.

Black Women’s Mental Health: Balancing Strength and Vulnerability by Stephanie Y. Evans

The cover of Self-Regulation and Mindfulness. There are two doodled people on the title.

Self-Regulation & Mindfulness: Over 82 Exercises & Worksheets for Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder by Varleisha Gibbs

The cover of Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness. There are some water color hummingbirds and part of a person, you can see their hair and one hand.

Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness: How to Stay Sane and Live One Step Ahead of Your Symptoms by Ilana Jacqueline

The cover of Headcase: LGBTQ Writers and Artists on Mental Health and Wellness. There's an abstract painting of a person's head below the title.

Headcase: LGBTQ Writers and Artists on Mental Health and Wellness by Stephanie Schroeder and Teresa Theophano

Outside Resources

Articles

5 Self-Care Practices for Every Area of Your Life

“Self-care describes a conscious act one takes in order to promote their own physical, mental, and emotional health. There are many forms self-care may take. It could be ensuring you get enough sleep every night or stepping outside for a few minutes for some fresh air.”

11 Self-Care Tips, According to Expert Queer Healers

” As you read, just remember that it’s up to you to seek joy and guidance. It’s up to you to remain in touch with your body — whatever that looks like. It’s up to you to give yourself space to ponder, to make art, to have faith. And if that sounds like a responsibility, it is. But it isn’t a chore. It’s an opportunity.”

15 Self-Care Tips for College Students During COVID-19

“In 2020, college students across the country learned the same unfortunate lesson — how to adapt when plans go haywire. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of colleges and universities closed temporarily without providing students with a definite reopening date. This drastic change paired with the transition to online learning increased anxiety and isolation among students. With the 24/7 nature of social media and news push notifications, self-care isn’t just important but necessary to maintain good mental health.”

Black Parents Especially Need to Take Time for Self-Care

“Parenting while Black means chronic stress, subconscious and remembered trauma, and constant concern for our kids’ well-being. All of this is exhausting, and necessitates strategies for continual self-care.”

Men Ignore Their Mental Health. But Self-Care is Not Optional.

“My wish is for men, especially Black, indigenous, and men of color, to grant themselves permission to practice radical self-care. Doing so might also inspire the next generation of men and boys to resist socialized urges to shift pain; but rather, to confront, metabolize, and mitigate it by prioritizing self-care.”

Resisting the Commoditisation of Self-Care & Building our Capacity for Collective Care

“Capitalist culture thrives on our busyness and our lack of replenishment. It’s not a simple thing to unpick this either individually or collectively, but an awareness of what is radical about caring for ourselves is fundamental to avoiding self-care becoming another ‘to-do’ or ‘investment’ we will participate in when we have time/get around to it.”

Stronger Together: When Self-Care Becomes Community Care

“Self-care can be reduced to a feel-good activity that can be part of the work, but as a one-off activity, it can never be enough to sustain people. Self-care can even become a burden. On top of that, the people with the greatest need often don’t have the support necessary for true self-care. Many are busy caring for others. People experiencing poverty may not have the resources to participate in self-care rituals. Those working multiple jobs don’t have the time for anything “extra.” And Black people are inundated with work, news, trauma, and activism. A shift to community care is necessary.”

Why Self-Care is Important When You’re Struggling With Mental Illness

“Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally when you’re struggling with a mental illness is important. And it’s a fundamental part of the recovery process. But what does self-care really mean, and how can we incorporate it into our treatment?”