Spring Confab | The Importance of Self-Care with Clarita Singletary
- Jenna Reidy
- Jul 12, 2024
- 3 min read
Hi NJPN Community!
This past March, NJPN’s Confab celebrated the topic of "Integrating Self-Care & Basic Meditation into Your Work Week" featuring the fabulous Carlita Singletary. Carlita is a woman who has been in long-term recovery for over 31 years whose personal journey, education, and life experiences have inspired her to help and support countless people on their own individual paths to recovery.
March's Confab Highlights
Together with Clarita, we had the opportunity to dive deep into conversations surrounding our own self-care strategies and their importance, while exploring new meditation techniques that can be easily integrated into our existing wellness practices.
Clarita then led a discussion on more broadly enhancing self-care practices for everyone, especially those we support in our work. Her approach is both inclusive and engaging, with a sharp focus on deepening our understanding of key concepts intended to reduce compassion fatigue, prevent burnout, and lower stress levels in the workplace.
Carlita models self-care for well-being and shared with us a valuable tool, the self-care assessment (seen below), as an exercise in self-reflection and is helpful in identifying areas where you can expand on your self-care practices. I found this tool especially valuable as I continue to add these practices into my daily routine!
Self-Care Worksheet
Use the Self-Care Assessment Worksheet above to improve your self-care practice. See an example chart from the worksheet below!
Neglecting self-care can have negative effects on the body, mind, and spirit, leaving us depleted and out of balance. For this reason, it is important to have self-care strategies that address each of these parts of ourselves. Organizations can also support self-care for staff and volunteers. On the chart below, list as many self-care strategies as you can. (An example is given in each area to get you started). After you have listed strategies, place a checkmark next to any that you do regularly and put a star next to any you might like to consider working into your everyday life.
Physical | Mental (includes emotional) | Spiritual | Organizational |
Aerobic exercise | Sharing feelings with a friend | Meditation | Regularly scheduled peer supervision |
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About Carlita Singletary
Carlita has been the recipient of several awards in Passaic, Essex and Mercer Counties. Each county, although distinct in its awards, has acknowledged her for her outstanding service to the recovery community and others at large. Her most recent acknowledgement in Passaic County came in January 2024 and was awarded by St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson for the MLK's Community Innovation of Excellence.
As the founder of the Keep Walking Community Foundation (KWCF), Carlita’s leadership abilities have demonstrated integrity, compassion, and care. Since the birth of KWCF in 2016, she has helped countless others seeking recovery along the way. As the CEO she continues to spearhead community efforts and work with those who connect with her organization.
Carlita also has a strong background in social service and has been employed with Passaic County Board of Social Services for over 23 years. And currently serves as NAADAC’s NJ State Affiliate - New Jersey Addiction Professional Association (NJAPA) Peer Liaison. Also, Carlita works as the Peer Recovery Lead at the Cope Center, a Division of Oaks Integrated Care in Montclair, overseeing the Peer Recovery department.
Join Us for the Next Confab
We invite you to mark your calendars for the last Tuesday of every month and join us virtually on Zoom for an enriching experience. Our Confabs provide a supportive space for individuals to explore holistic pathways to recovery, and we're excited to continue this journey with you.
Save the date for the upcoming Confab, where we'll delve into another compelling topic with our next guest speaker. It's an opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences, and discover new avenues for personal growth.
Join the Confab: https://www.njpn.org/confab
Jenna Reidy is a person in sustained recovery from a substance use disorder since 2008 and is a Peer Recovery Workforce Development Trainer at NJPN. She is a nationally certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (NCPRSS) and has earned the National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional designation (NDCCDP). Jenna believes in being of service and values her multiple volunteer roles within her local community. She enjoys going on outdoor adventures with her dog, supporting the peer workforce through her role at NJPN, and prioritizes self-care through work life balance including taking breaks to recharge by spending time with her family and friends.
Wow. For years, I thought taking a break was laziness - turns out it’s survival. One small shift I made was creating a Sunday night ritual: soft music, journaling, and a Bath and Body Works lavender-scented candle (you can check out their reviews at https://bath-and-body-works.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html). It’s helped me signal my body to slow down before a busy week. Self-care doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated - just intentional.
I totally relate to the idea that self-care isn’t optional anymore — it’s something we owe to ourselves. I’ve started being more intentional about how I feel both inside and out. One thing that gave me a real boost was trying Kybella for my jawline. I didn’t expect such a visible difference, but it helped me feel more confident without needing anything drastic. Pairing internal self-work with physical care made me feel more whole. That’s something I’ll keep investing in for sure.