The Blue Knot Foundation offers advice on 'Self care and Reaching Out' this holiday season.

Below is a few short excerpts from the Blue Knot November-December 2020 Newsletter  

Holiday Self-Care

Holidays, when some people gather, or when others are more alone can be a challenging time of the year. Expectations from family members and arrangements can cause emotions to run high and interpersonal pressures to increase. 

For adult survivors of complex trauma, this time of year can be especially difficult, challenges of feeling isolated and powerless, divided complex families, and the pressure of expectations imposed. And all of this compounded by a time of social distancing, lockdowns, quarantine, masks and the threat of illness. As we all face the pressures of COVID-19 and those to meet other people’s demands it can be helpful to keep in mind that we all have the right to decide, COVID-19 restrictions considered:

• what we want to do and don’t want to do
• who we want to see and who we don’t want to see
• what makes us feel safe

The summer season will pass by once again, as it does year by year. So this year more than ever it is time to do what you can to look after yourself, to keep safe, and if you need support, to reach out to someone you trust.

The Blue Knot Helpline will operate right through the summer. Call 1300 657 380 between 9am-5pm Monday to Sunday.

Self Care and saying 'no' 

It is important to know that you have the right to say ‘no’ to anything that does not feel good or helpful for you.  It is your choice. This can be a challenge for many survivors and hard to achieve, especially when demands are coming thick and fast. At this time of the year it can be more difficult to say ‘no’, as there can be more expectations  and we often don’t want to upset people.

For more information on this article please read the Blue Knot November-December 2020 Newsletter