Self-Care vs Community Care
Our society often glorifies individualism and self-reliance, and the idea of self-care has gained significant traction in recent years. From bubble baths to meditation apps, the focus on personal well-being has become a cornerstone of modern wellness culture.
And listen – I love meditation and expensive candles! But I’m also leaning into the importance of community care: the practice of nurturing not just ourselves, but also those around us.
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Prioritizing our own needs, establishing boundaries, and developing self-awareness is important. However, the trappings of self-care can tap into the wellness industrial complex – which is all about capitalism and not about our individual or collective well-being.
As I mentioned in my article about burnout, emphasizing self-care in organizations can be problematic as it absolves organizations of the responsibility to address sustainable workloads and toxic workplace cultures.
Community care, on the other hand, extends beyond the individual, emphasizing collective support, reciprocity, solidarity, collaboration, and mutual aid. It involves recognizing our interconnectedness and actively working to create environments where everyone can thrive.
The Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) has an excellent guide on shifting to community care. Broadly speaking, this can take many forms such as mutual aid groups; activism and advocacy; resource-sharing (community gardens, community kitchens); and ceremonies, traditions, or storytelling.
Learn more about models of community care:
Mia Mingus: Disability justice advocate and writer who focuses on the importance of building accessible, inclusive communities. Creator of a tool called pod-mapping to build communities for support and healing.
Prentis Hemphill: Healer, writer, and social justice organizer who explores the intersections of trauma, healing, and community care. Co-Founder of The Embodiment Institute and creator of the podcast Finding Our Way.
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