Jessalyn explains a process for self-empowerment as a way for self-care.
A translation is available below in English. It is designed as a resource for working with the text in ASL. It is not intended to represent a definitive way to translate the text.
Visual Description
A white woman with blonde hair pulled back wears a black shirt and sits in front of a grey screen. A white CATIE Center logo is in the lower right corner of the screen. The woman narrates the entire video in American Sign Language.
This is self care: self-empowerment.
It is a powerful word to take in.
I invite you to think about that word and what it might mean.
Think about your space, feel it in your heart, let it help you turn your attention inward.
Maybe you will find yourself in a situation where you are really struggling,
and you just feel you need to disconnect, even for a short time.
You can set those feelings aside and re-center yourself; maybe give yourself some relief for the short term.
I have two strategies I will demonstrate today: one is the short version, and the other is the long version.
I will explain what they look like.
To begin, I will pick a word: “calm.”
I like to write it down on paper.
Now I invite you to pick a word.
Your word could be “ocean,” or maybe “family.”
Any word is fine. I will give you a minute to think about your word.
Do you have a word?
Perfect.
If it helps, you can write the word down as well.
Now I will describe the short version of the exercise.
Think of your word, and you will repeat it five times.
Calm.
Calm.
Calm.
Calm.
Calm.
Now do it again, this time repeating it four times…
And now three times…
Now two times…
And once.
For the long version, you will take more time to
to really get centered.
And once you have repeated the word five times, you will go back and do it again, four more times.
Once you have completed five cycles of this, you will do the same thing but repeating it four times, with four cycles.
Let’s try the short version together.
If it helps, you can tap out each repetition, either on your leg, your hands, or your chest.
Some people like the rhythm, or to move each tap to help them keep track.
Some can count them out on their fingers, too.
It’s up to you.
Use whatever approach works for you.
For me, it helps to count it on my hands.
Let’s start by breathing in through our nose,
and out through our mouth.
And begin.
And I am calm.
