This post is from our ministry partner, Texas Christian Counseling.
Self-care is one of those terms that has become part of everyday lingo in the last few years, and for good reason. When you expend yourself, particularly on behalf of others, you need to replenish your reserves of emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental energy. You don’t do yourself or other people any favors if you run yourself ragged.
Why Self-Care Matters for a Christian Coach
Self-care takes many forms, and it’s different for different individuals, so what works for you might not work for the next person. However, self-care requires intentionality as you look out for your own wellbeing to avoid burnout, diminishing your effectiveness, or even compromising your witness.
A key word that helpfully places self-care in context is stewardship. There are several places in Scripture where we are reminded that we do not belong to ourselves; our lives are meant to be pleasing to the Lord and used in His service (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Romans 14:8; 1 Peter 2:9). Self-care, when it’s not aimed at mere comfort but at being equipped to serve the Lord and others better, is part of godly stewardship.
Intentionally or otherwise, Christian coaches often serve as models of holistic living for their clients. Their lives demonstrate resilience and balance, which teaches clients by example.
Christian coaches and others in caring professions experience certain pressures that can negatively impact their wellbeing, including the emotional load of carrying the weight of other’s aspirations and struggles. Investing consistently in your clients’ growth can result in compassion fatigue, for example.
Apart from that, a coach might experience isolation, particularly if they work remotely or independently. This kind of setup can limit your access to support networks and feed the sense of isolation or loneliness that can come with the job.
Coaches can also feel pressure within themselves as well as externally to perform, succeed, and demonstrate results in their coaching. The expectation of excellence can be a crushing weight to bear.
Two other pressures that coaches might face include boundary issues and spiritual responsibility for clients. It’s easy to blur lines when helping someone, and as a coach, you might either overextend your emotional energy or time. Lastly, especially for Christian coaches, there’s the awareness of not only practical outcomes, but spiritual realities to attend to. Poor boundaries can result in taking on responsibility for a client’s spiritual health, too.
Managing these pressures helps a coach to reduce their stress levels and deal effectively with fatigue, and places them in a better position to self-regulate their own emotions and perform at their best on behalf of their clients.
Shaping Your Self-Care Routine as a Christian Coach
We don’t function the same, and that means you won’t have the same tolerance, capacity, needs, or resources as other people. What follows are simply suggestions for what your own self-care routine could look like. These ideas can be tweaked, and it can take time to figure out what works best for you. You’re probably already doing things that help you recharge, even if you’re not intentional or fully aware of it, so pay attention to your own rhythms and needs.
A well-rounded self-care routine might include elements such as:
- Professional growth. Self-care also includes growing your capacity and wisdom by nurturing your skills. This can happen by getting supervision or attending peer-coaching sessions or training workshops that can help you upskill, gain perspective on your work, and function as a source of support from your peers.
- Physical health. Regular and consistent exercise or movement, eating a balanced and healthy diet, getting sufficient sleep each night, and getting routine health checks.
- Spiritual renewal. This could look like reflecting on Scripture, daily prayer, and finding spaces where you can encounter Christ with others.
- Mental and emotional care. Schedule breaks during the day, week, month, and year. Take time to disconnect from work and intentionally rest. You also take care of yourself by setting clear boundaries with clients to avoid overextending yourself. Take time to engage in hobbies or recreational activities that spark your interest and creativity.
- Seek social connection. We are deeply social beings, though we work that out in different ways. In the ways that work best for you, prioritize and maintain healthy relationships with friends, family, and a community of trusted individuals like your church family.
Implementing Your Self-Care Routine
The best time and place to start implementing your self-care routine is here and now. A good first step might be taking an inventory to assess your current wellbeing, as well as identify any areas of neglect in your life. You don’t have to start out big; rather, start with small manageable actions and changes that you can build upon. This could include taking a 10-minute prayer walk or one evening off to rest, for example.
As you move forward, be sure to set clear boundaries to help you protect yourself. These could include limiting your work hours, deciding on a client load, or setting limits on communication with clients. You can always review and adjust as you evaluate progress, celebrate wins, and find new ways to take better care of yourself. It also helps to be accountable to someone who can encourage you and hold you to your self-care commitments.
About Texas Christian Counseling
Texas Christian Counseling is an association of licensed professional mental health counselors and therapists who have experience helping clients find healing from a wide variety of issues. We combine biblical guidance with proven therapeutic techniques to help clients find effective, lasting solutions to the challenges they face.
As a growing company, we are always on the lookout for valuable professionals to bring onboard. If your goal is to do the counseling work you love in a faith-based setting, then Texas Christian Counseling might be the right fit for you. We have openings at our current locations and are looking to expand to new suburbs and cities throughout Texas. We would love to connect with you to discuss the opportunity.
