Hello @ericas

* Where are you?: We're located in Northern Indiana

* How do you take care of yourself?: I'm unsure about what exactly you are asking here. I'm going to answer as though you mean "how do you spell yourself and your family financially". In October 2018 I returned to school to achieve my RN degree; essentially finish what I started 10 years ago when I dropped out of nursing school because hubby got hurt. Because we're in the "underclass" tax bracket I have filled for food stamps, medicaid for me and the kids (hubby refuses to allow me to file for him so any help for him must be out of pocket).

* What does your support system look like?:
I come from a large family who pulls together when bad stuff happens so when I shared what had happened & how much of a bind I was in after hubby got hurt everyone on my side had a meeting and the decision was made unanimously to assist in whatever way was necessary to prevent myself and the children from being homeless or going without necessities.

I talk to my sister when I need a compassionate trustworthy ear/shoulder to lean on if it gets too bad.

Initially the same decision about provisions & housing was made for hubby too, but he burned my family pretty bad multiple times with his emotional instabilities, physically assaulting my brother when he stepped between my husband and son to protect my son, ran his mouth to much etc and they will no longer help him. His parents have been helping keep him housed for 3 years but there are some things that are becoming problematic with that situation too that may result in my needing to take out an apartment him or something else beyond the current arrangements.

As far as "self care" I don't have a set routine. It's difficult to find time for myself but I try to block out about 2hrs per week for myself & 4hrs per week for the kids. When spending time with them I end up fishing, or spending leisure time on the lake swimming; for myself I go shooting at the range, listen to music while driving, go "shopping" for nothing & don't buy anything. Like go to hobby lobby, walk around and imagine what I could do with those craft supplies or these etc.

Do you have a therapist or are you part of a support group?:
I HAD a personal therapist. I do not any longer because the grant ran out. Through school, with the programs I am enrolled in, there is a requirement for me to meet with a school appointed therapist to ensure that I am not going to become a liability to the school for all of the effort they're putting into me, or for me to have a mental break down in the middle of the nursing program and then they waste my spot or something.

Spiritually, I don't block out specific times for bible study or God outside of church but I kind of have this "running conversation" with him sometimes...