A growing number of autism moms and dads are turning to a new group of support professionals - self-care coaches - who help them reclaim balance in their lives.
Self-care coaches understand how difficult it can be to navigate the emotional roller coaster of being a parent raising an autistic child. Their goal is to help parents learn how to manage stress, make better choices, and get their daily living routine back on track—all while supporting their child.
Today, I’m sharing some insight into how a self-care coach works—and why you should consider hiring one yourself.
What is Self-Care?
The concept is simple: it’s taking care of yourself, but it can be so, so hard to do! Self-care is about treating your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social health as a priority. It’s about making sure you take good care of your body and keep yourself healthy. And it’s about being mindful of your mind and spirit.
There is often a big misconception about what self-care is, and I think that puts people “off” from wanting to pursue it. Self-care means (sometimes) putting yourself first and doing things to make sure you are happy and well.
It doesn’t mean selfish. It means selfless.
It means putting yourself in a position to get the best care possible from everyone around you. It’s doing what you need to do to take care of your mental and physical health so you’re able to give the best care you can to others.
Why Autism Parents Don’t Practice Self-Care
In a word, it's because most of us are tired. And overwhelmed. And taking care of ourselves becomes just one more thing on our to-do list.
Often, we see ourselves as caregivers, because we are! In that mindset, it can become difficult to realize we also need to be taken care of (even if we have to do it ourselves). A lack of time also plays a huge role in autism parents not getting the self-care we so desperately need.
And the last piece of the puzzle: so often the advice created for parenting typical children and how to create space and self-care practices for us and our families simply doesn't apply, and is unlikely to work!
Our lives are different, our children's needs are often more intense and, shall we say specific. After a while, you get tired of beating your head against the "self-care" ideas that are meant to help but only leave you feeling worse...
7 Ways to Improve Your Self-Care
That's why I created a free checklist just for autism parents like you! You can get your FREE copy of "7 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Stress: A Guide for Parents of Autistic Children" by clicking this link here...
I'll give you a spoiler, one of the things I recommend is practicing mindfulness and meditation.
As an autism parent and a Certified Meditation Instructor, I may be a bit biased...but I've seen time and time again how incorporating mindfulness into our day helps autism parents thrive amid our chaotic lives. Plus, mindfulness helps your body return to a sense of calm after the challenging episodes you deal with (like meltdowns and difficult transitions).
You can check out my free, autism-specific guided meditations for parents right here.
How an Autism Parent Self-Care Coach Can Help
An autism parent’s life is often chaotic and stressful, and to make matters worse, you have to find a balance between caring for your child and taking care of yourself. You may feel a need to be the one who always handles difficult situations, the one who is always there for everyone else. But if you’re not careful, this can cause resentment, burnout…and worse!
I lived for years on Martyr Mom Island, always putting myself last and trying so hard to be the perfect mom for my two kids. It was a pretty crappy place to be, and I can guarantee you my kids actually suffered as a result of my attitude and “devotion.”
Once I realized how a shift in my attitude and self-care practices helped me better navigate the stressors of life as the parent of two autistic kids, I knew this was information I had to share with the world!
That's why I became a Certified Master Life Coach and opened my coaching practice. I want to help other parents get the self-care they need so they can become Empowered and Engaged Autism Parents (or EEAP for short). Raising an autistic kid (or two, or three, or more...) may not always be easy, but it doesn't have to be so hard...there is another way!
Conclusion
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to self-care. We each need to find what works best for us. But, if you’re struggling, I hope you found the suggestions in this article useful to get you started. A healthy self-care routine will set both you and your child(ren) up for success.
If you’d like more information about how one-on-one or group coaching could be the key to helping you find balance in your life as an autism parent, click here to contact me. I’d love to support you as you become an Empowered and Engaged Autism Parent.
Meet your self-care coach!
