In This Issue
Encouraging Words
Contact Shauna
Stress and Self-Care
Importance of self-care
Are you trapped in the Net?
Encouraging
words
"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." -- III John 1:2
  
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Shauna Summers
Coordinator of Pastoral Care and Counseling
 
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PCC is very interested in your experiences, concerns, and feedback. Listening to clergy and families will enable PCC to better serve and address your needs.

 
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Issue #15:  
Self-Care    
April 2017 
Header-Everyday Wellness
   
 
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After getting the annual EZRA reports in while in the middle of Lent and Appointment season as well as the challenges of everyday life, it might be fair to say a good portion of us are a bit stressed right now. This month we are focusing on Self-Care.

In February, we talked about self-compassion, and indeed self-compassion is a part of good self-care; but, it is just one tool. There is so much more to wellness.

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For instance, Duke University embodied this concept with the Wellness Tree pictured and the University of New Hampshire demonstrated it in the Wellness Wheel pictured. There are many other ways to illustrate the idea of whole body wellness. If you are curious, google 'wellness' and choose
Images.

And a reminder to those of you who have registered; the PCC Self-Care Retreat begins at 3 p.m. Friday, April 21, and ends Saturday, April 22, at Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville. Looking forward to seeing you there!!! 
 From Shauna
Mental Health Minute: Stress and self-care  
 
Stress triggers our "fight-flight-freeze" response where our heart rate increases, we breathe heavier, our blood vessels constrict and stress hormones like cortisol flood our systems. Frequent stress contributes to chronic conditions.

There is good news. Just as we have a stress response, we also have a relaxation response. Find out these methods that have worked for others.

Pastoral Care and Counseling blog
Importance of self-care   

"How much attention we need to give to the various parts of our lives depends on us," writes PCC Board Member Curt Keller. "We are all different. I have owned several different cars in my life and each one would have different levels of care to run properly. Some of us may need to spend more time focusing on physical health issues than others, some more on mental health issues than others and some more on spiritual health issues than others."

Keller says that the balance of our focus can change and that taking responsibility for self-care and seeing that the aspects of our lives are in proper balance is of utmost importance.

Read more...
Following our own advice

"We in the ministry are a unique group with a unique set of stressors, pressures, problems and expectations that are a natural part of our calling," says PCC Board Member Bob Taylor. "From the days of Moses to our modern times, we are plagued with a sense of isolation, loneliness, and unclear expectations. Combine that with the fact that most clergy have a natural bent towards being people pleasers and wanting to be liked and we have a prescription for a lot of stress in our lives.

"We are good at helping others identify these things and trying to help them cope with them," Taylor writes. "But are we good at doing this for ourselves?"

Read more...
From Chestnut Global Partners
Are you trapped in the Net?  

The Internet lets you communicate instantly, tap vast knowledge, watch news unfold, run a business -- you name it and the Net is your servant.

But could it become your master?

Some other experts doubt that Internet addiction poses much of a threat.

But both suggest measures that can help one regulate time on the internet.
Blessings,

Shauna Summers
   Pastoral Care and Counseling Coordinator
   Illinois Great Rivers Conference  
   shauna.r.summers@gmail.com    
   (309) 642-0262