I hope this book can empower people with simple, potent ways to feel better right now, to access calm and move through the waves of all their emotions.

Self-care for Tough Times is a gentle yet powerful toolkit to help during difficult times, such as the end of a relationship, loss of a loved one, career change and times of heightened emotions or anxiety. These are the times when self-care is most important and yet often forgotten, but just a few small moments can make a huge difference to how we feel, how we release emotions rather than bottle them up and how we ride the ups and downs.

Practices include:

Instant tension release exercises for the hands, shoulders, neck and face

Pre-bedtime rituals to help with disturbed sleep

Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety

Soothing scents

Releasing stuck emotions

Learning how to relax and let go

Keeping tech use healthy

Questions to reflect on

Anxiety, fear, anger, uncertainty and grief are all addressed, while Suzy also explores how stress and emotional trauma are held in the body, and how these may be gently released through touch, movement and breath.

The practices included within are designed to promote healing and hope, and many are quick and easy for times when you feel exhausted or vulnerable so that you can both cope in the moment during tough times, then recover and restore after these difficult chapters of life.

We will revive a weary body. We will refresh a tired mind.