Self-Care After Trauma

Self-care is about taking steps to feel healthy and comfortable. Whether it happened recently or years ago, self-care can help you cope with the short- and long-term effects of a trauma like sexual assault.

Physical self-care
After a trauma, it’s important to keep your body healthy and strong. You may be healing from injuries or feeling emotionally drained. Good physical health can support you through this time. Think about a time when you felt physically healthy, and consider asking yourself the following questions:

  • How were you sleeping? Did you have a sleep ritual or nap pattern that made you feel more rested?
  • What types of food were you eating? What meals made you feel healthy and strong?
  • What types of exercise did you enjoy? Were there any particular activities that made you feel more energized?
  • Did you perform certain routines? Were there activities you did to start the day off right or wind down at the end of the day?

Emotional self-care
Emotional self-care means different things to different people. The key to emotional self-care is being in tune with yourself. Think about a time when you felt balanced and grounded, and consider asking yourself the following questions:

  • What fun or leisure activities did you enjoy? Were there events or outings that you looked forward to?
  • Did you write down your thoughts in a journal or personal notebook?
  • Were meditation or relaxation activities a part of your regular schedule?
  • What inspirational words were you reading? Did you have a particular author or favorite website, like RAINN’s Pinterest board, to go to for inspiration?
  • Who did you spend time with? Was there someone, or a group of people, that you felt safe and supported around?
  • Where did you spend your time? Was there a special place, maybe outdoors or at a friend’s house, where you felt comfortable and grounded?

Self-care isn’t always easy to take on by yourself. To speak with someone who is trained to help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE(4673) or chat online at

