How do I take care of myself when I heal others?

You can rebuild almost any body's function with your hands, and in the middle of all that giving, a quiet question has surfaced: who helps me rebuild? That is not selfishness. It is the honest ache of the caretaker, the one who holds everyone up and rarely gets held. Noticing it is the first act of caring for yourself the way you care for others. The hard truth is that healers are often the worst at receiving healing. You know every reason a body needs rest and repair, and you deny yourself all of them, because your role is to be the strong pair of hands. But a body that only gives eventually breaks down, and hands that only work eventually wear out. The care you give so freely is care you are allowed to need. So this week, receive something. Book the massage, see your own therapist, ask a colleague to work on the shoulder you have ignored for years. Let someone else's hands do for you what yours do for everyone. You spend your days rebuilding others. You are allowed to be rebuilt too, and you will do your work longer and better for it.