Where’s your wellness toolbox? This was question that was recently posed to me while attending a Youth Engagement meeting. A few child and youth workers had created a smorgasbord of simple coping tools so the youth could create customized distress tolerance kits.

I was heartened to see my push for putting such kits into practice at our residential programs was paying off. It was inspiring to see both the work the staff put into preparing the event and the youth’s delight in making the kits.

Then one of the staff prompted the clinical team to start making our kits. The suggestion threw the team off-guard. Our kits? Everyone seemed a bit puzzled by the suggestion. And in that moment, I was reminded just how few of us practice what we preach.

Sure, we all have self-care strategies we use, whether it’s yoga or traveling or personal therapy. Yet due to our busy work days, we often dismiss using the simple yet solid strategies we recommend to our clients. This applies not just to therapists as individuals, but mental health organizations in general.

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