Regardless of your job, gender, age, responsibilities, connections to people, deep concerns and opinions, before you reach out to help others please look to your own emotional condition. No one is immune to the pain and horror of terrorist attacks.The people around you may be suffering and needing help. Yet you may also have experienced an emotional trauma.

Here are some suggestions about how to ready yourself to help others:
1. Do some breathing exercises regularly to allow oxygen to nourish your blood and to remind yourself that you are alive and functioning.
2. Give yourself permission to allow your feelings; welcome your feelings to unfold, and watch them.
3. Let yourself weep or rage or sigh or tremble and be aware of what you are feeling.
4. Describe on paper what you believe has sustained you through past crises in your life.
5. Describe on paper what you believe will sustain you now.
6. Put these personally sustaining practices into effect as much as possible.

Some examples might be:
Drinking a cup of tea
Praying
Meditating
Walking
Watering your garden or flower pots
Ironing
Listening to music or playing an instrument
Writing letters
Reading what inspires you
Drawing or painting
Playing a physical sport alone or with others

7. Regardless of your appetite and sense of body during this crisis, be purposeful and drink water throughout the day, eat three nourishing meals a day, keep up your regular hygiene practices including bathing, brushing teeth, washing hair and wearing clean clothes.

8. Contact five people you care about and let them know you want to share a few moments with them during these hard times. Listen to their experiences and tell them yours. Let them know you care about them.

9. Take walks or otherwise give yourself some physical exercise that takes you out into the day and away from television and radio news.

10. Put something lovely in your line of vision: a plant, a pretty stone, a picture.

Before your mind and emotions are free enough to think appropriately, respond adequately, and think creatively with empathy and compassion for others, you must give yourself a stable and caring base. Then you will be able to offer effective support to others.

09/17/01

Joanna Poppink, M.F.C.C., licensed by the State of California in 1980, is a Marriage, Family, Child Counselor (License #15563). She has a private practice in Los Angeles where she works with adult individuals and couples. She specializes in working with people with eating disorders and with people who are trying to understand and help a loved on who has an eating disorder. Contact Information: 10573 West Pico Blvd. Suite 20 Los Angeles, CA 90064 (310) 474-4165 phone (310) 474-7248 fax