When intentionally taking on a trauma-informed practice, it is important to seek health and sustainability through self-care. While self-care is often portrayed in popular culture as similar to self-indulgence, thoughtful self-care is better thought of as a set of ongoing practice that contribute to building and preserving our own strength so that we can continue to contribute to change in an imperfect world. As Audre Lorde (1988, p. 37 as cited in Ferreira, 2017) stated, “caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare”.

Self-care practices for educators are both individual and community-oriented. Individual practices are both restorative and growth-oriented.  In addition to including regular restorative activities, individual self-care also includes the ability to differentiate ourselves from our students’ situations, avoiding the impulse to rescue others or force change (Sandage et al., 2014). 

Self-care is also a community-oriented practice. Supportive peer networks and a community of practice sustains our ability to respond with compassion and kindness to our students as whole people (Toporek et al., 2006). Being connected to like-minded colleagues with similar values is a key practice for sustainable work.