Mental Health Self-Care Checklist

What Is a Mental Health Self-Care Checklist?

A Mental Health Self-Care Checklist can be used in the assessment of the client’s current self-care routine. The checklist can be divided into different parts for the relevant area of their life. You may find that the individual is more active in some areas compared to others when it comes to self-care. This is something that can be assessed during the completion of this checklist. A Mental Health Self-Care Checklist can also work to identify issues that the client would like to spend more time on or things that hadn't occurred to them before the completion of this checklist.

How Does It Work?

The Mental Health Self-Care Checklist works like any other checklist you encounter. Here are some steps that we have created to make the process smoother:

Step One: Obtain the Mental Health Self-Care Checklist 

You can do this by downloading the Mental Health Self-Care Checklist PDF available for free access on the Carepatron website. 

Step Two: Walk Your Client Through The Checklist 

The client must know exactly what they are being asked to do when it comes to this checklist. You can explain to them how they should fill the checklist out and what they should consider when completing the form. 

Step Three: Ask Your Client to Fill Out the Checklist 

How you do this step is up to you. Maybe you’d like the client to fill out the form in session so you have the opportunity to speak about the things they have come up with. Or, maybe you would prefer they bring the completed sheet from home for your next session. 

Step Four: Discuss

It’s up to you how to discuss the relevant information the client has provided. Maybe they engage largely in forms of self-care that are possibly negative or harming others. Maybe they don’t engage in enough. However the client chooses to engage with this checklist is a great starting ground for making further improvements and changes to their lifestyle and mental health.

Mental Health Self-Care Example (Sample)

We have created a filled-in sample of how the Mental Health Self-Care Checklist to demonstrate how the checklist could be completed by your client: 

Download our free Mental Health Self-Care Checklist PDF

When Would You Use This Checklist?

There are many reasons that a Mental Health Self-Care Checklist may come in handy for your sessions. 

Understanding Where Your Client Is At

When it comes to talking about the different forms of self-care, it’s important to get an understanding of what your client already does, or considers self-care to encompass for them. They may see self-care as reading or running. No matter their form of self-care, it’s important to get that baseline of understanding to move forward.

Implementing New Self Care Routines

After the initial assessment of self-care and what your client does, you can move towards creating new plans for a self-care-inclusive routine. You may find that your client doesn’t particularly see exercise as self-care and it may be good to understand why they believe this so you can make better-informed decisions about what to suggest if they are stuck. 

As a Crisis Intervention

A Mental Health Self-Care Checklist can be a useful tool when an individual finds themself in crisis. When a crisis occurs, it’s really good to have certain steps in place so the individual can recover safely. This could be in the form of a Mental Health Self-Care Checklist. During a crisis, they can recognize the things that make them feel good, like journaling or skin care routines. These identified activities can help build a safe intervention for the individual to fall back on when there may be nothing else for them. 

What Do The Results Mean?

The great thing about these types of checklists is that their meaning is completely up for interpretation! Whether you think the client could use some encouragement to find more positive ways to engage in self care, or, you might suggest moving some areas of self care around to accommodate for some more areas of love - the results from this Mental Health Self-Care Checklist will help you and your client decide what the results mean.

Research & Evidence

There are many reasons to incorporate a Mental Health Self-Care Checklist into your clients’ wellness journey. 

According to Levitt (2019), many self-care activities have a large impact on our mental health. They outline these examples:

Less Time On Devices 

‘Unplugging’ can be a really good way to feel more naturally connected to the physical environment. Scheduling time away from devices can also enhance connections with family and friends which help your mental health! 

Being Yourself 

Scheduling time to do something that stays true to who you are - even if it is for a whole weekend or a few minutes each day, investing time into doing something that makes the individual happy can help make them feel more connected to themselves.  

Here are a few that Adobe suggests:

Reduce Stress and Burnout

Self-care activities help an individual to take time out of their day for them. We all lead incredibly busy lives and often forget that we deserve a moment of self-care as well. Only when it is too late does our body let us know we are burnt out. 

Enhancing Physical Health

A Mental Health Self-Care Checklist can also encompass activities related to physical health. Getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, and exercising have all been proven to be efficient help when dealing with stress and other related mental health concerns.

Why Use Carepatron As Your Mental Health Self-Care App?

There are various reasons to use Carepatron as your Mental Health Self-Care App. 

Mental Health Self-Care Checklist App

As your Mental Health Self-Care App, Carepatron can cater to the specific needs of therapists and general practitioners who want to use a self-care checklist. You will have access to not only a Mental Health Self-Care Checklist, but other checklists that you can use at your discretion. 

Mental Health Self-Care Checklist Software 

Carepatron is designed to not only be your Mental Health Self-Care Checklist Software but also a software that is inclusive of all your healthcare needs. You can look forward to Carepatron’s ability to store your patient notes securely and easily accessible for quick access. When your client completes their Mental Health Self-Care Checklist you can store it away for later reference if you need.

References

Levitt, S. (2019, April 25). A Mental Health Self-care Checklist for the Modern Human. Pathways. https://www.pathwayscounselingsvcs.com/mental-health-self-care-checklist/

What to include in a daily self-care checklist | Adobe Acrobat. (n.d.). Www.adobe.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023, from https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/hub/create-a-self-care-checklist.html#:~:text=By%20writing%20a%20list%2C%20you