- Write a love or affirmation letter to yourself and mail it to yourself.
- Collect quotes from family, friends, authors that contain positive affirmations and place them all over room/house.
- Make an art piece that represents your past, present and future.
- Buy a journal (or make your own) and spend time getting to know who you are.
- Buy a journal with blank pages and write yourself love poems.
- Treat yourself to one hour of silence a day (use this time to reflect, meditate, and breathe)
- Draw out a family tree of your support system (make sure you include your family, friends, organizations that help you in your tree).
- Create a small book; fill the book up with inspiring quotes, prayers, favorite drawings, names of people in your support system, photos that make you smile and laugh, places that make you feel safe. Keep this book with you at all times, so you can look at when you are not feeling as strong as you would like.
- Create a dream catcher to help you through those sleepless nights (Native American tribe, Ojibwa believe that a dream catcher changes a person’s dreams. Bad dreams will stay in the net, and good dreams will filter though). Materials needed: Suede cord 1/8mm wide, Wax cord, and Metal ring, and 9mm pony beads, feathers, crafters glue, Scissors and Clothes pin.
As a significant other (Friend, Family and Romantic Partner):
Rule #1: Take care of yourself before you help anyone else. As a significant other, you are a secondary victim, and you need to get help and process your own feelings about the sexual violence.
One of the most courageous steps for a survivor is going to therapy for the first time. As a friend or significant other, if you research counseling locations for survivor it will make these steps easier for the survivor.
- Offer to go to therapy/police station with them to reduce the fear.
- Create a self-care packet (gift card to a local spa, journal, music, sleepy tea, candles) for yourself and a friend.
- Send a “thinking of you” or other uplifting card.
- Make a charm necklace or bracelet for them (fill the charm of objects and quotes).
- Make a CD of the survivor’s favorite songs or affirmation songs