ADS self-care to keep oneself calm & healthy


Self-care for NADA-trained providers is always important.

It’s not just an invocation to our members as a response to the current moment – it has always been part of the NADA training. On page 42 of the NADA Training Resource Manual, we outline the following self-care steps for acudetox specialists to take. Here are some of them with some added virtual options.

  • Self-administer the NADA protocol with needles, or beads & seeds
  • Attend an online meeting – check out the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting guide
  • Work through issues raised by delivering the NADA protocol (unresolved trauma, codependence, etc.)

How else do you take care of yourself and stay grounded? Consider:

  • Commit to a daily meditation practice, even if it’s only 3 minutes a day to start
  • Dance, practice yoga, tai chi, qi gong, or any other form of creative movement that speaks to you – there are many online classes and forums if needed
  • Seek out counseling via telehealth services springing up in communities nationwide

What helps you stay grounded? We invite you to share those practices with your NADA community in the #Self-Care Slack forum (Not sure what Slack is? email nadaoffice@acudetox.com to learn more)

How can we teach this self-care without needles?

The NADA protocol has always been a way to provide a healing, meditative experience for people who, as Michael Smith put it in the Points to Change film, don’t have the ego strength to take themselves to a yoga class, or practice meditation. But they gain the same skill, animal skill, of quieting the mind, and through this repeated process, begin to gently cultivate self-worth that then inspires other change in their life.

That connection to the self can be also be achieved by applying acupressure through magnetic beads or seeds, or even just the massaging of the whole ear, specifically the Shen Men point, and sitting quietly for 10-15 minutes, or even a full half hour.

We plan to come out with new resources that you can share with others, on how people can self-administer ear acupressure.

 

Resources to share and learn more about beads & seeds