When we are working with the clients out at the cancer center and teaching them how to take care of themselves in their new normal, sometimes they will ask “isn’t self-care selfish?” Even healthy people have questions about self-care and will make comments like, “I don’t take time for myself, I am a caregiver for others – I don’t have time to do anything for me” and things like, “I’m a mom, need I say more?”

You know by now how much I like the science of things so let us look at some studies before I give you my opinion on the question.

The NCBI website on medical studies has many (100s of them) studies on the topic, but one stood out to me first, as it was a study done to determine the effect of self-care on stress levels.

Becky Kuehn is the founder of Oncology Spa Solutions, author of Life Changing Esthetics, and a licensed master aesthetician, cosmetologist, holistic cancer educator, and hope coach. Her journey started at the age of 18 when she was diagnosed with cancer. She had already lost friends and family members to cancer, so she was very familiar with the chaos and trauma associated with diagnosis and loss. As a cancer survivor for over three decades, she has made it her mission to discover and develop ways to turn around the devastating side effects of cancer treatments and return quality of life to those in need. Kuehn is the founder and owner of Oncology Spa Solutions, now the leading oncology training for spa, salon, and medical professionals. She is the author of “Life Changing Esthetics,” and a contributing author in the “Estheticians Guide to Outstanding Esthetics” Vol I and II. She has been part of the expert judge panel for The Skin Games’ Holistic, Compassionate, and Compromised skin categories. And, she provides advice and education articles for newspapers and leading industry magazines and is an invited speaker for oncology training at conventions.