When was the last time you had the opportunity to give yourself some of the TLC that you give to others? In this weekend retreat we'll focus on the importance of nurturing the nurse, beginning with a look at the essential but often neglected balance between caring for self and caring for others. Away from our busy routines, through personal discovery and self reflection exercises, we'll gain insight into our beliefs, dreams, and visions while forming community with other nurses. In a relaxed and supportive environment, we'll examine the factors that contribute to the day to day and long term stresses that affect us and learn simple and realistic ways to regain our caring focus during the hurried pace of our day. We'll spend time this weekend focusing on the healing power of self care as an essential characteristic of the compassionate caregiver. We'll explore the fundamental ideas that form the roots of our profession. There is a rich legacy in nursing. Much of what is "new" in medicine today is basic to nursing , nutrition, massage, rest, natural healing. In today's world, these activities are called "complementary and integrative therapies." For nurses they are the forgotten comforts cherished by patients and nurses alike. Through direct hands on experience, we'll learn how to re introduce them in our current practice. We'll also discuss how the re emergence of these and other therapies has opened new doorways for nurses in the healing arts of bodywork, aromatherapy, guided imagery, and music therapy. The beauty of Rowe's natural setting, its caring staff, and the delicious meals shared in community, along with little extras like a sauna, provide an environment that fosters self reflection and personal renewal. You'll leave the weekend with a revitalized sense of purpose, realistic tools for self care and relaxation, and practical knowledge of complementary therapies that will help you and your patients. And something more , the deep sense of why you originally answered the call of nursing. @SMALL2 = This educational workshop has been approved for 10 contact hours by the American Holistic Nurses' Association, which is accredited as an Approver of Continuing Education in Nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Marie Shanahan, a board certified holistic nurse, is president of The BirchTree Center for Healthcare Transformation in Florence, Mass. The BirchTree Center is a group of nationally distinguished faculty and consultants with expertise in holistic nursing, transformational leadership, and complementary and integrative therapies. Marie's personal experiences as nurse and mother have convinced her of the importance of ministering to the whole person, rather than merely treating a collection of symptoms. We welcome Marie on her first visit to Rowe as a teacher. "Nursing is an art; the finest of fine arts." Florence Nightingale "We need to love, respect, care for ourselves and treat ourselves with dignity, before we can love, respect, care for others and treat them with dignity." Jean Watson, holistic nurse theorist