If you’ve survived trauma, chances are you’re used to putting others first. Maybe it helped you stay safe. Maybe it was how you made sense of the chaos. But somewhere along the way, you learned that your needs could wait—or worse, didn’t matter.
Let’s be clear: that’s a lie.
And the truth? Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It’s essential for healing after trauma.
Why Self-Care Matters in Trauma Recovery
Trauma doesn’t just live in the past—it lingers in the body and mind. It can hijack your nervous system, disrupt sleep, affect relationships, and lead to mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This is where self-care comes in—not as a luxury, but as a survival strategy.
In trauma therapy and mental health counseling, we often talk about the importance of regulating your nervous system, reconnecting with your body, and rebuilding trust with yourself. Self-care supports all of that. It helps create the conditions your brain and body need to heal.
Self-Care Isn’t Indulgent. It’s Survival.
Self-care gets a bad rap in our hustle-harder, do-it-all culture. The term often gets hijacked by bubble-bath memes and luxury spa ads. But at its core, self-care isn’t about escaping life—it’s about sustaining it. Especially after trauma.
When you’ve been through something that overwhelms your ability to cope, your nervous system doesn’t just bounce back because time passed. Healing requires intentional repair. That means creating consistent habits that support your body, mind, and soul. Think of self-care as emotional physical therapy—you don’t skip it just because you’ve got things to do.
What Does Healthy Self-Care Actually Look Like?
Let’s ditch the fluff and talk real-life strategies that help regulate your nervous system and rebuild your sense of safety:
Prioritizing Rest – Not just sleep (though that matters), but guilt-free downtime. Take breaks. Sit or lay down. Enjoy a moment of silence or with gentle music.
Movement – Trauma often lives in the body. Walking, yoga, stretching, dancing—anything that gets you back into your body can be medicine. If feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take a short break to move that body!
Setting Boundaries – Saying "no" without a 10-paragraph explanation. Choose who gets your energy and why. Make sure to fill your own cup up first before filling up anyone else’s.
Nutrition & Hydration – Fueling your body so it can support your brain in healing. Yes, water counts. Protein is great for your brain too. Reduce your consumption of stimulants such as caffeine or energy drinks to help feel less anxious, agitated, or fatigued throughout the day.
Connection – Spending time with people who feel safe, or seeking support from a therapist who gets it. Healing relationships help rewire your sense of connection and belonging. And if you don’t have any safe people available, spend time connecting with nature or pets.
Joy – Not every moment has to be productive. Do things that make you smile, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Joy is healing.
Overcoming the Guilt Around Self-Care
If taking care of yourself feels wrong somehow—you’re not broken, you’re conditioned.
Guilt is a common companion for trauma survivors, especially those who grew up in environments where their worth was tied to how useful or self-sacrificing they were. You might believe that your pain doesn’t deserve attention, or that prioritizing your needs makes you “too much.”
Let me say this loud for the people in the back: you are not too much. You’ve had to carry too much.
Healing requires unlearning those old survival roles. And that means practicing self-care not just as a luxury, but as a radical act of self-respect. It may feel uncomfortable at first—but growth always does.
Create Your Own Self-Care Plan
Here’s your invitation: take a breath, grab a pen (or your Notes app), and map out a simple, doable self-care plan. Ask yourself:
What helps me feel grounded or safe?
What drains me—and how can I set a boundary around it?
What’s one small thing I can do each day to support my healing?
Start there. Keep it simple. Keep it compassionate. And remember: you don’t have to earn rest. You don’t need permission to heal.
Final Thoughts: Self-Care Is a Vital Part of Trauma Healing
Trauma recovery takes time—and intention. Incorporating self-care into your daily life helps restore balance to your nervous system, improve mental health, and build resilience. Whether you’re just beginning your healing journey or deep into trauma therapy, self-care is a non-negotiable.
You deserve care. You deserve healing. And you are absolutely allowed to put yourself first.
Need support creating a trauma-informed self-care plan?
Let’s work together. Contact us for a free consultation to learn how EMDR therapy and personalized counseling can support your healing.
Weston Zink LPC LAC is the owner and primary therapist at Breakthrough Recovery of Colorado. He has over 10 years of clinical experience working with trauma and addiction. Weston is an EMDR Certified Therapist, Consultant-in-Training, and member of EMDRIA who’s working to heal traumatized people and communities at home and abroad.
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