Self-care is an ethical responsibility for professionals whose work involves supporting the well-being of others. Within the Caribbean context, self-care is influenced by unique cultural values, community relationships, family dynamics, spirituality, resilience, and the social and economic realities that shape daily life. Understanding these influences enables individuals and organizations to adopt self-care practices that are both culturally meaningful and professionally responsible. This course explores ethical self-care through a Caribbean lens, examining how cultural identity, community support, professional ethics, and personal well-being intersect. Participants will learn evidence-informed strategies to prevent burnout, compassion fatigue, and chronic stress while maintaining professional competence and personal resilience.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define ethical self-care and explain its importance in maintaining professional competence and personal well-being.
• Examine how Caribbean cultural values, traditions, and community relationships influence approaches to self-care.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress.
• Identify ethical responsibilities related to maintaining personal wellness while serving clients, patients, or communities.
• Apply culturally appropriate self-care strategies that support emotional, physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being.