Ditch the bubble baths and crystals, we're getting real about self-care. OK, maybe don't need to ditch them completely, but understand them to be tools rather than principles, which are at the heart of self-care. Pooja Lakshmin, a board-certified psychologist, wrote "Real Self-Care" after years of working in perinatal psychiatry realizing that the practices society often labels as self-care are not getting the root of the issues they are trying to solve. Dr. Lakshmin challenges readers to an internal decision making process with four principles: 1) learn how to set boundaries & deal with guilt, 2) speak to self with self-compassion, 3) identify values, and 4) understand that this is power in the face of oppressive systems.

Dr. Lakshmin also talks about life as a new mom, maintaining her mental health, and digital platform Gemma.

Follow along on with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin on Instagram: @poojalakshmin

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