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Resources for Self-Care
Welcome to our Self-Care Resource Page. Whether you’re a caregiver, educator, or someone navigating sensory challenges, this space is designed to provide practical tools, valuable information, and inspiring ideas to help nurture your well-being. Please remember to consult with your doctor or occupational therapist before using any products.
Disclosure: We only share resources we highly recommend and have used or experienced, ourselves. All opinions expressed here are our own. Some items on this page may contain affiliate links on which, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission. We use these commissions to help fund therapy resources for members of our community.
Books
Helpful books for Adults to focus on building healthy habits.
- Atomic Habits by James Clear focuses on small consistent changes that improve mental and emotional well-being. This book is perfect for building habits that support overall self-care.
- How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis this book has short chapters and simple suggestions to help organize your life. (Some of her suggestions are a bit privileged, however, we still recommend this book for shifting and getting creative about the way you think about keeping your house - and your sanity!)
Podcasts
Expert and personal stories about sensory needs and support.
Nothing Much Happens: This podcast supports healthy sleeping habits by helping you fall asleep quickly.
Self-Care Tools
Self-care tools are an important way to support emotion regulation. Here are some of our favorites. Check out our sensory page for more
Weighted Blanket: Weighted blankets are an incredible way to create a sense of deep pressure. The one highlighted has a cooling effect and comes in multiple weights (please consult a doctor or occupational therapist for the right weight for you!). This one is a great one for kids.
Weighted Lap Pad: If you don't have space for a weighted blanket, a weighted lap pad can be similarly effective. We often use these to regulate and calm anxiety during (or outside of!) a session.
Loop Engage Ear Plugs: These are some of the most helpful noise reduction ear tools we have found. They dampen sound, while still allowing you to engage in conversation. There's a version for kids too.
Noise Reducing Headphones: Life and family can be incredibly overstimulating. Try reducing some of the stimulation with noise reduction headphones. These come in several colors.
Noise Canceling Headphones: For an elevated noise reduction experience and the option of including soothing music, opt for noise canceling headphones.
Warmies weighted stuffed animal: Warmies are sweet, 2lb, weighted stuffed animals (lightly scented with lavender) that you can warm in the microwave or chill in the freezer. They come in many animal options and are perfect for kids or adults. (Tip: they also work great for cramps!)
Silk Eye Mask: Eye masks are great not only at night time, but also to give your eyes a chance to rest when you're overstimulated by lights and movement. Find one that works best for you, but we highly recommend this one.
Therapy Putty: This silicone putty stimulates your hands and fingers while also improving strength. The stretching and smushing is very satisfying! The putty highlighted comes in four different strengths.
PushPeel Fidget: PushPeel is a satisfying fidget toy that involves pushing and peeling silicone strings from narrow rows in a silicone board. We love how this one builds motor skills, but also focuses, calms, and engages the user.
Apps and Digital Tools
Technology that supports self-care.
Finch: Finch is a self-care pet app that allows you to feel prepared and positive one day at a time. You take care of your pet by taking care of yourself. We like it because you can customize what self-care looks like for you and reenforce self-care behaviors in a fun, interactive way.
Daylio: Daylio is a journal, diary, and mood tracker in one. It's a daily diary that is a simple, easy way to monitor mental health progress.
Calm: A meditation app that supports stress management and reinforces coping skills. In a busy world, we love that this app helps you find a few moments in each day to feel peaceful.
Aloe Bud: An easy way to remind yourself to use self-care throughout the day to help you develop new habits. This app has some free features, but does require a subscription to unlock premium access.
Three Good Things: This app is a gratitude journal and was inspired by a Duke University study that found listing three good things each day can significantly boost happiness and well-being.
Sleep Cycle: Keep up with your sleep habits with sleep tracking and personalized sleep-insights.
Websites
Websites for time-mangagement and self-care.
- Five Dinners One Hour: This website offers a time-saving meal prep system that provides a shopping list and allows you to prep 5 dinners in 1 hour. This is a paid subscription, but we have found it so helpful for creating healthy meals for families always on the go.
- Self-Compassion.org: Increasing self-compassion is a difficult, but important thing to do for mental well-being