Practice the Pause

At ATTACh, we often encourage something simple yet powerful: Practice the Pause. Take a deep breath, pause, reflect, and regroup. Instead of viewing life as an endless obstacle course, think of it as an opportunity to strengthen connections with your child(ren) while also caring for yourself and your community. To help you get started, we’ve gathered a few key resources to support attachment activities for families, which you can learn about HERE

We believe the best self-care strategies are those that take little time or money, so they’re easy to weave into daily life and help prevent compassion fatigue. But we also know that sometimes, you need something special—a moment that feels restorative and hopeful.

Our book, Healing Connections: A Community Approach to Childhood Trauma and Attachment, includes a powerful chapter, Caring for Yourself through Rest and Respite: Moving Beyond the Usual Ideas about Self-Care, by Sue Badeau in collaboration with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith. It’s full of practical tips for not just surviving, but thriving as you care for others. We encourage you to explore these ideas and discover what works best for you.

Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential. When you care for yourself, you’re better equipped to care for those who need you most. What’s one small thing you can do today to pause and recharge?