I'm Dr Becky and this is good inside.

Self-Care.

I mean we hear that term everywhere these days.

And yet many of us still don't know what to make of it,

or we might even have an eye roll reaction to it.

My guest today, Dr. Puja Lakshman,

helps clarify what it really means to take care of yourself.

The title of her book, Real Self-Care, Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths not included.

Probably gives you a sense of her unique take on the matter.

What comes up for you when you hear that word self-care and then maybe talk a little bit about

how you're like rebranding it.

Yeah, absolutely. So I think kind of the classic example is in my practice, you know, I'm a

psychiatrist, I specialize in women's mental health.

So all my patients are women, and most of them are moms.

Not all, but a good number of them are moms.

So it's the patient who comes in and it's like,

you know, Dr. Luxhman, I'm stressed out, I'm burnt out,

I'm not sleeping well, I'm not out I'm burnt out I'm not sleeping well I'm not eating well and I feel like it's my fault

Because you know I have this meditation app that I know I'm supposed to be using and I know I should go to yoga and I know I should do X, Y, Z, but I just don't have the time.

I don't know how to find the time and so then I feel bad and I feel guilty and I feel ashamed.

So, you know, essentially I'm screaming to my patients all the time,

like this isn't your fault.

...