Real self-care : a transformative program for redefining wellness (crystals, cleanses, and bubble baths not included)
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 249-253).

"From women's mental health specialist and New York Times contributor Pooja Lakshmin, MD, comes a long-overdue reckoning with the contradictions of the wellness industry and a paradigm-shifting program for practicing real self-care that will empower, uplift, and maybe even start a revolution. The term self-care can encompasse any number of lifestyle choices and products--from juice cleanses to yoga workshops to luxury bamboo sheets--and resonates in the collective consciousness as a panacea for practically all of women's problems. Board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin finds this cultural embrace of self-care incomplete at best and manipulative at worst. Faux self-care practices keep us looking outward--comparing ourselves with others or striving for a certain type of perfection. Real self-care, in contrast, is an internal, self-reflective process that involves making difficult decisions in line with our values, and when we practice it, we shift our relationships, our workplaces, and even our broken systems. In Real Self-Care, Lakshmin helps readers understand what a real practice of caring for yourself could--and does--look like. Using case studies from her practice, clinical research,and the down-to-earth style that she's become known for, Lakshmin provides a step-by-step program for real and sustainable change and solace."--,Provided by publisher.