259 thoughts on “Dentistry IS Stressful”

1. “So how do dental school and university prepare the fresh-faced young and eager dentist to be able to cope with the pressures they will face once graduated and working in dental practice? In a nutshell it doesn’t”

   You could actually say the same about many professions, university and school education does not prepare you for life.

2. Rachel, not only is dentistry stressful, but other careers, full stop.

   I agree the education system, whether schools, university or trade schools, are ill equipped to prepare us for what is a head of us. Burnout is probably the dominant causer and prevalent in most careers.

   I can recall in my younger days as a Midwife, it was ‘normal’ to have late nights, or get drunk. And this cycle continued throughout my career and I became no wiser or fitter.

   Like yourself, since meeting Serge Benhayon, my self care has changed, not because he told me so, but my body was already signalling to me to do so. Through the presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, it confirmed what my body was feeling.

   Self care needs to be taken to another level, there is eating, drinking and keeping fit to support the body, to binge eating, getting drunk or relying on stimulants, smashing your body though hard core exercising or meditating for countless hours. I know which I prefer.

   Self-care needs to be at the front of all careers, it starts early, from the cradle to grave.

3. I am always appreciative when I visit the dentist. They have spent many years of demanding training and exams to spend their time dealing with the disregard that many patients treat their dental and oral hygiene. We all share the responsibility of taking care of our teeth.

4. I love the title. I am sure many of us can tell our own story with whatever the profession we may be engaged in and say it IS stressful, so the question is what are we going to do about that? We know very well how to numb and distract ourselves, and there are many band-aid solutions on offer as well – and none of them give us true answer. What you share here is pure gold and it costs nothing, and this blog was written 7 years ago, yet the world seems to be more exhausted than ever before. It makes me question whether humanity is actually interested in a truly healthy, joy-filled life, full of vitality. We may say we want to, but the way we have been carrying on doesn’t quite match that. There must be something we are finding far more attractive than that.

5. Today we are always looking for the answers to stress, reducing sickness in the workplace as it’s costing businesses a fortune and here presented is a list that is so simple that it could change our lives and the way we deal with stress. If it can work for a dentist then it could work for many other professions, if not all.

6. Self care is so simple when it is broken down like this – yet so absent from every profession. I don’t think there is a single person in the world who wouldn’t benefit from these simple, practical, down to earth steps to approaching life.

7. Thank you for clearly illustrating why dentistry is stressful but also showing how it is possible to start making different choices that have an amazing impact on everyday life including at work and thus on our relationships both in and out of work.

8. Rachel with so many areas of life being stressful what I get from your sharing is we can either try and find something that is not (but I’ve not found that yet) or instead change how we are in that industry and then be able to be doing nearly anything and not get stressed by it.

9. It quite simply doesn’t make sense that we don’t equip health professionals with self care. Every profession really would benefit from the principles of self care you have listed, and why not even start this in primary school? And thanks also Rachel for your words on conscious presence, keeping the mind and body together otherwise the mind being like multiple computer programs running at once draining the body’s batteries – so true!

   1. Self care needs to start before we send children to school so that they can discern what is true for them and can be supported to make loving choices from the outset so that there is no way that they would accept the current dentistry training regime and thus would change the working lives of generations of dentists and potentially much wider than that.

10. Thank God for Universal Medicine, we now have dentists like you who are vital and well capable of looking after themselves as well as others. A young man recently told me how he felt university was a place where young people got destroyed enough to become slaves to society. Seriously, what are we doing to young people through our so-called education system in exchange for giving out qualifications and degrees?

    1. Wow, Fumiyo, you have made a powerful statement, ‘university was a place where young people got destroyed enough to become slave to society’ – I could not agree with you more about this.

       We are slaves to life, and when do we become free from this? When we take responsibility for our own actions, it is that simple.

11. “Many patients do not want to take your advice and simply think they know best despite the level of knowledge, experience and expertise you have.” This is sadly the case with doctors, nurses and nowhere more so than in our own families, when, even when asked, a suggestion to cut down on sugar for example is glossed over. Comfort ( and illness ) are then the victors.

12. Fostering our innate sensitivity from young will ensure that those students are supported in implementing a self-caring manner into their working lives as it would be normal to pay attention to their body.

13. These elements of self care would be valuable for any industry or profession to teach to their students and especially in health care where burnout is so high.

14. I agree Rachel, there is such a need for self-care to be included in the curriculum for anyone studying medicine or dentistry etc. You only need to see the rising statistics on Doctors committing suicide to know that something seriously needs to change as the health and well being of our medical practitioners are at risk, and are not coping with the demands and stresses within their professions. Your article Rachel provides valuable insight into how you have supported yourself to be such a successful dentist and not at the expense to your health and wellbeing.

15. Thank you Rachel, it makes a pleasant change to read first hand experience of how to deal with stress at work, as many firms who are employed to deal with stress in the work place are too stressed to get anything positive into the work place, starting with self care for ourselves is a great place to start.

16. Applying self care is simple as you show us, it is very practical. When we don’t consider ourselves the victim of the circumstances we are in we’ll take responsibility to live in a self caring way and yes, every health care provider should be a living example to those that they care for no matter if you are a dentist, a nurse, a doctor and so on. Selfcare should be on the agenda every where.

17. This article should be a must read in every dentistry university.

18. The way professional people are trained needs a complete overhaul, they should be trained how to cope with stress not put under so much stress they come out burnt out before they even start stressful jobs.

19. Such a simple, practical, no nonsense approach to supporting ourselves to live a stress free life. Great advice that comes from an endless source of wisdom which is readily accessible to everyone. By taking this on board ourselves, and live as you do Rachel even in a stressful environment, then others cannot but be inspired.

20. Thank you for sharing this – Stress is a huge factor – and I spoke to someone today who said that someone in their 30’s suffered a heart attack due to stress, and went into hospital to find that other people in his ward were a similar age. That shows you how bad it is getting. And yet we are not truly looking at ways to support ourselves on how to not get to that point. What you share here about the quality of sleep, eating to support our bodies, living in a way where we express fully – all of these are tools that we can start to introduce simply into our lives.

21. It’s very refreshing to read a doctor who so openly talks about the stress they experience in their everyday practice. I can feel how there’s a picture of a doctor being all knowing about the body and wellbeing therefore capable of taking care of themselves, and how that picture might get in the way of them allowing fragility and seeking support.

22. For anyone to enter into Dentistry, it’s clear the love they have for people. It’s not a glamorous job and whilst it might pay well, I’m sure the stress has more impact than any pay check. And as a society we do take dentists for granted. perhaps we need a dentist appreciation week 🙂

23. So many health professionals would benefit from Universal Medicine’s no nonsense and practical approach to health and well-being. I have been a client of the Universal Medicine Clinic for some years now and I can confidently state that I have never seen any of the practitioners or staff stressed, that in itself is pretty incredible considering it is one of the most successful complementary Medicine clinics in the Northern Rivers, boasting many awards and an extensive waiting list for most practitioners.

24. I love the common sense approach to health and vitality you have summarized based on the self-care principles of the Universal Medicine teachings. One cannot but benefit from eating to support the body, creating a healthy sleeping pattern, making wise and caring choices, exercising gently, keeping the mind focused, breathing in, remain calm/let go of tension and seeking support when needed. To introduce these has an extraordinary impact on one’s health and state of mind… it is deeply empowering to know we have that amount of control when it comes to our general well being.

25. When something is broken or ill in our body it can be healed. But because our human body is physical it cannot become spontaneously brand new and will still have a scar or some sort of physical correction there alongside all the previous wear and tear it has already experienced.

26. There is so much addressed in this one blog – about dentistry and the quality in which we all live, and apply ourselves in our work. This deserves to be a book, course and more – offering true education for work and life (which are essentially one), and a way forward for this profession in particular, that displays such alarming rates of mental ill-health and disease amongst its professionals.

27. There is much we can do in our home life to support our work life. Great to see the many ways with which we can support ourselves regardless of the job we have in life.

28. Loved your blog Rachel what you have shared here applies to anyone who suffers stress at work. I have found that taking care of myself, has really helped me manage the stresses at work, and I am no longer exhausted or anxious like I used to be after a day’s work, simply because I now choose to look after myself rather than trying to either bury how I feel or override it.

29. I agree, self-care should definitely be part of the curriculum to address the high rates of depression and stress inherent in the profession. This should be across all universities, schools and colleges in order to ensure we are, as a human race, equipped to work and support others from a resource that is full and regularly monitored. However, it is crucial that those who are teaching actually live what they teach and it is not simply a theory they do not implement in their own lives, or they cannot share the livingness of the benefits.

30. It makes absolute sense to me that any amount of stress is going to affect the body yet most of us including myself at times do not take heed and do something about. It really does expose our need for the external and our lack of love for ourselves.

31. I appreciate the work of the dentists hugely as they need to be good handicraft people with great manual skills as well they need to have deep knwledge about the anatomy and phsiology of teeth and body and they need to have a way to consult and be with people.

32. A much needed expose into the stress and conditions in dentistry and also in other medicial modalities and life with the way forward to allow another way of living to cope and be with the modern day demands on us all. Universal Medicine has a ethos of self care of all and offers the support and advice to connect to within ourselves and the honouring of this.A great way forward to be taught whilst studying to bring to our lives and hence the profession as a whole. Beautiful and a real gift.

33. Introducing self-care into the undergraduate curriculum would not only create more vital and energetic health practitioners but would also offer a true inspiration and role models for others to take responsibility of their bodies and treat them with the level of care and love that they deserve.

34. I had never considered being a dentist as a stressful job but what I hear from my daughter who now is studying dentistry and this writing about your own experience as a dentist I am aware of what you are dealing with and that’s a lot. I love your practical list of how to care for yourself that makes perfect sense not only for dentists but for everyone who feels anxious or stressful by the demands of their work.

35. This is a rich article. I appreciate the honesty of your sharing and the deeper understanding it brings for me concerning the hard work of dentists. Thank you Rachel.

36. I have seen similar statistics about university students and their unwillingness to seek help. It is quite apparent that although there are lots of support services in place, students prefer not to access them. This means that students who are experiencing significant stress and anxiety (as shown in survey results) are soldiering on and using whatever coping mechanisms they can. Either our desire to appear to be ok is super strong or the services offered are only offering a Band-Aid, rather than getting to the root cause and giving life skills that will support them in their working life.

37. What you have described about the ’preparation for the real world’ of dentistry is sadly the same process and consciousness that most health professions experience while studying. The message of ‘harden up or get out’ is perhaps why we have such high rates of suicide amongst newly graduated health professionals. In my experience this is not because the people in the educational institutions don’t care. It is that they don’t have the living skills to work in health in a different way. Most have fallen for believing that we need to care for everyone else and not for ourselves, feel responsible to magically fix all the ills our clients have chosen over the last 30-50-80 years and take on their emotional issues. All this is impossible to sustain unless you harden up and it is our bodies and wellbeing that suffer in the end. We have redefined care to be something that is quite harmful to the practitioner. This is what needs to change in health education, that students know all the ways they can drain themselves and how to live in a way that prevents this.

38. Rachel, this is hilarious – I never thought to look at dentistry from the dentists point of view, as you have said “Add to that battling a sea of saliva and tongues and lips that seem to develop superhuman strength as soon as you come anywhere near them and the process becomes near on impossible.”
    I have always found that I am not particularly aware of my tongue until I go to a dentist – and then, what is it with this tongue beast that suddenly has a life of its own – my tongue seems to want to do things and go places that I have no control over and it always seems to be on that tooth where the dental work is being done! How funny is this – so now when I go to the dentist, I work on training my tongue to sit and stay and wait… till the work is done, then it is free to explore! Good boy! Want a treat now?

39. I spoke to someone the other day who said they used to work as a dental assistant and described how as soon as there was no patient in the room the dentists would often become aggressive, demanding and bossy, but I had never experienced a dentist to be like this, I guess that even if it is going on behind the scenes it is still affecting the quality of service. It’s a sign of how we have been trained through systems that are not supportive, it’s like learning to be a hairdresser who doesn’t cut hair with love but cuts it like their boss does.

40. I absolutely accept and understand that being a dentist can be extremely stressful. How gorgeous and supportive it would be to go to a dentist (like you Rachel) where there was no stress and anxiety, but instead a loving steadiness, connection and harmony.

41. Thanks Rachel for sharing the world of dentistry. My work field is different yet all the stresses you have shared are what is lived in many high pressure and demanding professions. The graduates are not prepared but thrown in the deep end with practicums where they sink, swim or barely stay afloat. What is alarming are the statistics on stress have now escalated to suicide.

42. Raising awareness and teaching self care tools to all students studying health professions I’m sure would, over time evolve the whole of the medical and public health industry.

43. Your description of a day in the life of a dentist made me laugh Rachel, but seriously I recognised it as a similar day in the life of any health professional and you are so correct that the training and education for health professionals largely does not prepare them for the reality of work with all its pressures and demands. So is it any wonder then that burnout is so high and the coping mechanisms used to cover up the burnout are also high? And can we carry on accepting that this is normal? Or can we be open to finding another way?

44. “The constant chatter of our mind and thinking about other things and situations instead of the task at hand is draining and stressful. It is like a computer trying to run several programs at once, it uses up a lot of energy and drains the batteries.” This is so true, I used to be a consummate mental multi-tasker and lived with a constant level of exhaustion. The teachings and presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine have shown me a way to live in respect and in rhythm with my own body – goodbye exhaustion.

45. Denistry as well as many other industries strive on intense pressures and stress day in and day out. It is very common that when the stress from work escalates, we get emotional and in bad moods, because our bodies are uncomfortable. When I get short tempered or anxious because of a job, I usually remind myself that everything is everything. I focus back on relationships. It is for me unwise to just focus on the relationship with a job, and lose touch with all other relationships like with family, loved ones and friends…because ultimately every relationship affects all other relationships. So in such situations I would first come back to the relationship with myself—am I taking care of myself, am I allowing my full awesomeness to be expressed, am I appreciating myself and my value absolutely…before continuing with the intense job/day ahead.

46. Additionally, I observed changes in a dentist I know: weight loss, daily exercising, walking, watchful of what he ate and more aware of the relationship between lifestyle and health. What led to this was the sudden death by cardiac arrest of a close family member and fellow dentist.

47. We often enter situations and relationships with little awareness, care or consideration of how it is for the other person or people. I had never before considered what life was like from the perspective of the dentist, until now. Looking back, I was a reluctant dental patient, never fearful, but sceptical, challenging, resisting and full of mistrust. I now love and trust my dentist simply because his dedication to his craft, the quality of service he offers his patients, his energy and deep love of his work spoke for itself. I surrendered to his care, love and guidance, took care of my teeth and gums, and now look forward to dental and hygienist appointments which of course makes his life much easier too.

48. What an awesome toolbox for all students of life.

49. One thing we do not sign up for when we choose a profession is emotions, we all carry emotions and they affect ourselves, how we come across and also affect other people. We have an idea that carpentry will be carpentry, dentistry will be dentistry, and the carpenter that goes to see the dentist has a separate life, it is only because each physically requires each other that they have a relationship. One thing that is also vital to prepare for is that there are emotions and learning how to handle them is a great saver!

50. Being open and willing to seek support when we feel under pressure would greatly benefit all industries. I was brought up on a dairy farm and then moved onto a beef and sheep farm soon after getting married. The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com › terezia-farkas) states that one farmer a week in the UK commits suicide and in the U.S. the rate of farmer suicides is just under two times that of the general population. India yearly reports more than 17,627 farmer suicides. — Newsweek 2014. It is shocking to read of these incidents which could be avoided if only we could let down our guard and express how we are feeling… something which is work in progress in my own life.

51. What you are describing here applies to so many professions and the supporting tools that Universal Medicine present and offer are an enormous support and real life changing. Thank you for for showing in detail how it is possible to truly support ourselves to lead a healthier life.

52. I have a lot more understanding for dentists now!

53. So often people talk about having the ‘tools’ for their job and these tools go beyond the physical to skills and techniques too. Yet how would our workplace be if we all used the greatest tool in our tool box – self care as our foundation to everything we do?

54. ‘Self-care is an integral and essential part of having a long and healthy dental career.’ How amazing it would be if universities and colleges worked on this premise and thus made self-care the foundation for all their courses.

55. In fact how the universities are preparing dentist, and probably much more professions, that stress is part of your work and that you have to develop coping mechanisms for it. Although they do not tell you to use alcohol, drugs or any other medication explicitly, they in fact set you up in to a way of life in which reaching out to some of the tension relieving medications is being a normal thing to do. How different is that compared to the self-care that is presented in the modalities presented and provided by Universal Medicine. There the body is being presented as the marker of truth and that it is a valuable and delicate instrument we own in this life, an instrument that does provide us ways to express that what comes though us. This honouring way of treating the body is not only serving ourselves, but all people we meet or work with and in fact will, in this case, make you a very special and loved dentist.

56. It’s criminal the extent to which universities push students – in all disciplines – then pass it off as some sort of bizarre ‘preparation’ for their working lives beyond, or as simply a part of what one has to do in order to qualify in the world of higher education. This is normalised, systemic abuse, and it will take a critical mass of students (and academics and administrators) who are prepared to say ‘no more’ to turn it around.

57. Accepting that dentistry and medicine are particularly stressful occupations (I’ve heard law is too, with high levels of suicide), we can experience stress in any situation – certainly if we are living in perpetual ‘fight or flight’ mode. Adopting the principles of self-care whatever we do is a beautiful way to start bringing us back into alignment with our bodies and more natural ways of working, doing and being.

    1. Sure Victoria, in fact this is our natural state of being to be self loving and self caring, but that is not what we are taught at school and in university. We have a long way to go until we all will understand that we are from love and do deserve to live like that in all that we do, whatever profession we are in.

58. A great article that is invaluable for dentists in training to read. Dentists who are training need to be shown ways to live with the pressures they face, ‘What if we could show them and dentists already in practice how to live in a way that supports them to deal with their issues and stresses and thus be able maintain their own health and remain fit and healthy both physically and mentally?’ Very much needed.

59. I was not aware Rachel, and I understand, how hard it is for a dentist as much as I know comparing it to my profession IT. It is a common myth and way of thinking that is projected on certain industries. It is similar in IT with clients assuming you can answer their request straight away minor or major, plus fix their issue and fix it quickly. Most IT incidents or requests there is sometimes much work to be done in the background too. It just goes to show Rachel how much appreciation should be applied to the physician delivering a service both personally and from the client that is above the quality of what generally is performed out there and offers not only a service but also how to truly take care of yourself.

    1. Spot on Rik – it is about having a strong appreciation of the work that we do, be it dentistry, IT or any other profession, and to appreciate even more deeply all that this involves. The more solidly we hold this appreciation the more the clients will also feel it and in turn potentially understand the work that goes on behind the scenes.

       1. Yes, including taking deep care for yourself.

60. Rachel it is clear that the medical professions could deeply benefit from the presentations of Universal Medicine, in effect this is the missing part of the teaching that students go through during university. If the medical profession, including dentistry, integrated training in self care, self love and the practical tools that Universal Medicine present it would dramatically improve the quality of life that healthcare professionals lead.

61. Well said Rachel, the demands on, and expectations of dentists are huge. And as you say, the dental visits are something one does not generally look forward to. So there is much processing happening before the client even sits in the chair. But I have had some amazing dental procedures done with the greatest of care and delicacy and can feel the great healing done way beyond the filling of my tooth. I could feel that the self-care, self-responsibility and self-nurturing the dentist had embodied themselves was the foundation for this experience.

62. “Would it not then be sensible and beneficial to teach dental students, dentists and other health care professionals a different way of managing stress and caring for themselves so they would be better equipped to deal with life once they graduated? Would it not be healthier to find ways so as not feel so stressed in the first place and make that a part of their training? What if we could show them and dentists already in practice how to live in a way that supports them to deal with their issues and stresses and thus be able maintain their own health and remain fit and healthy both physically and mentally?” – Funny how the core values and things in life that truly support us are not the things that are taught to us in our homes, at school or at university. Can you imagine how much things would change if this were indeed the case? How things would be so different if we were taught to self care, value ourselves and respect ourselves first and foremost? What a different world this would be…

63. When I was last at the dentist having a filling replaced I was marvellling at just that Rachel, the feat of getting so precisely at the tiny but deep job at hand all the while saliva, tongues, lips and suction are all there too! These are great approaches to self care, that I know for sure support me in what ever it is I do at work.

64. Having just got home from a dentist appointment with a really lovely dentist I had to really appreciate how surrendered my body was to the process of having my teeth thoroughly cleaned. It is true that often we are stressed before we get in the chair having had maybe bad experiences but we as the client have our responsibility to be as ready to be open and relaxed as possible and this I could do because of how I choose to live my daily life. There is no magic pill to self care but rather daily choices.

65. I have always admired those who choose dentistry, a profession where most patients do not want to visit and put it off until they are in pain. When they take this stress into the dentist chair to be met with a dentist who is also stressed this just magnifies the stress. When both dentist and patient take responsibility for their own self-care then the connection in the dentist chair is a meeting of two people where one can support the other. We cannot practise self-dentistry, as we cannot look directly into our own mouth, but we can all practise self-care.

66. Thanks Rachel for providing this valuable insight into the reality of what it takes to become and remain a dentist. The self care that you have put in place to support you in your day should be an integral part of the education system. It’s very clear from what you’ve described that anyone caring for others cannot possibly do so unless they are first doing this for themselves.

67. This whole article is incredibly valuable as a step by step guide to support for new dentists. It can also be transferred to so many other professions. I have a particular focus on obesity and consequences of overweight and this last statement would be incredible to See in practice “In this way our health care providers would be a living example to those that they are caring for, treating and educating on wellbeing.”

    1. I agree Lucy, Rachel delivers so much support and wisdom that many professionals would benefit highly from.

68. Your description of dentistry and it being stressful is very apt and it is stressful being in dentistry class myself. Due to this I agree it is so important that self-care is going to be a part of the curriculum in dentistry degrees but equally in all other degrees. Actually it should be the number one thing we learn in life! Everywhere! Life is now often about function, our output and achievements yet with the growing rates of illness and disease and the statistics you shared it is clear it is not really working. We need to make it about people, about how we are with each other in general and therefore also how we are with ourselves.

    1. The output comes with quality when the input is made in equal quality.

       1. Yes, it is common sense actually.

69. I have no idea how anyone can be a dentist. It seems like one of the most difficult jobs on the planet, patients come in with years of disregard, often in pain, looking for a miracle solution. I have nothing but admiration for anyone who serves humanity through dentistry.

70. A well documented article on the stress that many who work in the medical field face, and it’s even better how you have nominated lifestyle choices that greatly reduce anxiety and stress. That can only mean the patient receives a greater standard of care.

71. Thank you for highlighting the stressors of dentistry from the Dentist perspective I love your great informative blog. No matter what we do in life it comes back to the same thing the quality of the energy we do it in. The level of responsibility you take in your livingness must shortly be felt by your patients.

72. In every career path and education, there seems to be a huge gap missing when it comes to responsibility. And that starts with how we treat our bodies. What is explained here as a stressful career in dentistry sounds pretty full on, and I can only imagine how so many dentists must feel…But to bring in a quality of life that supports us 24/7 means that we can start to look at what we do in a whole new way, because we can bring the quality first – before it is about the skill or the task. Universal Medicine continues to deliver practical and supportive information about how we can listen to the body more and more and actually start to live in a way that is all about responsibility first.

73. This blog is an eye opener with regards to the dentistry profession – it never occurred to me that it was that stressful because the dentists always seem really calm when I visit. The steps you have laid out here Rachel would assist everyone who is under stress at work or in general life.

74. Honestly reading this article made me think how amazing it would be if the government funded programs like this on self care in Universities to assist with stress management, it would be amazingly supportive to have as a part of the curriculum.

75. A simple common sense approach to self care, so that we can handle life with actual joy and appreciation rather than feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope or as many of us do, simply manage life rather than live it. Thank you Rachel for showing that it is indeed possible to live life with joy.

76. Thank you Rachel, it is great to be spelling it out, to be nominating the intimate details of the results of stress in a job, in this case dentistry, and to be offering the understanding that it does not have to be and stay this way.

77. Those statistics are quite shocking to read, it is incredible to hear about the job from the other side, and what it’s like to do such focussed and detailed work as well as managing the demands and dynamics of a business. I have a new appreciation of my dentist now as they are always smiling and warm and do a great job and calming any anxiety that comes up.

78. Rachel, this article is literally gold. I had never thought about the difficulties that a dentist faces each day, as personally, for much of my life I was the nervous client.. However what you present here can be expanded to include many jobs over many industries. When this is considered, there are a whole lot of stressed people out there. The principles of self care you offer are so very needed and yes this needs to be begun in the university studies and general training that many people undertake. That is if personal love and care is not begun as a subject at Primary School.

79. Recently during retraining the teacher spent a lot of time with the students making sure we were supporting ourselves properly. Having done a lot of other training in the industry I was amazed at the difference that this made overall to my performance. To have someone who knew the industry well and was able to highlight the potential issues if self care was ignored was such valuable learning.

80. Great blog discussing simple issues and sensible answers to them… well done.

81. This statement – “I know personally from my years within dentistry that my coping mechanisms in the past were to turn to alcohol, heavy exercise, food and caffeine and that my moods, sleep patterns and levels of tiredness and exhaustion fluctuated wildly making me short-tempered, prone to outbursts of rage, with difficulty concentrating and a total disconnection to the people I was working with.” – I feel describes so many people and how they cope with life. And it struck me how these mechanisms (which I have also done for many years) actually keep us in the pattern that we are trying to escape from because they do not support a way out. Thank you for showing a way out of the rabbit hole.

    1. This sentence brings so much understanding, for our world and the people in it. I too have lived this way for many years, and tonight I have had some wonderful news that has risen my body into excitement. My feeling that this too is a stress to my body, as it has me thinking ahead of what is coming my way and the choice to be present, now has to constantly be made to connect again in to the stillness that lies within, underneath any emotion. The rabbit hole has many rooms and passages..

82. I never saw what it is like from a dentists perspective until now, especially how every person they see doesn’t really want to be there. And it is crazy that health professionals do not seek help for their stress .. but not surprising considering the lack of support and care they are given while studying and training. Self-care is something that should definitely be developed and brought in to ALL education.

    1. Same here Vicky, it never occurred to me that dentists training would be that stressful, I suppose it is because as patients we only see them after they have graduated and in a quiet dentist clinic.

83. All our choices impact us for better or worse – a famous nursing theorist in the 80’s described self neglect as the direct result of a lack of self care- ie – if we don’t self-care we are actually self- neglecting.
    The implications and responsibility we are left with is staggering. We must consider how we can find a way to take this seriously in the caring professions as we are faced with demanding professions which we must be able to handle.

    1. Yes Felicity, most days we come face to face with situations that ask us to be fully present and with them to support people. This is the reality not only of the health profession. Supporting ourselves to care deeply for our bodies and to make the constant choice to be in and fully present with our body, can only make it easier for ourselves and all concerned on a day to day basis. Rachel in her writing gives us all the template to begin this for ourselves.

84. I love how you mention showing how vulnerable you are.
    It’s crucial to be able to let down guards and just say the truth, isn’t it.
    If we all stop the charade that everything’s ok, then we can all start to ask for support before pressures build up to unmanageable levels.

85. “Self-care is an integral and essential part of having a long and healthy dental career and should be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum and be offered as part of our continuing professional development education”.
    This is so true and necessary; the statistics you presented Rachel are horrifying.
    I am very appreciative of you, and other dentists who truly self-care, for offering a quality of service that honours yourself, your staff and clients.

86. Reading your blog Rachel I am so glad that we have dentists like you who know how to care for themselves. This is an essential ingredient for any health care professionals. Your blog therefore is a must read for anyone working as a health care professional.

87. I love the honesty towards your own profession Rachel. I do fully agree. How is it that we are not taught to look after ourselves, where it is our bodies that are to cope with all the demands and stresses. Besides everything you need to learn to be a qualified professional, we are to have serious concerns about the statistics you’re presenting and sharing here. These statistics are all real people. People who could offer all the patients and their staff so much more if only they learned how to truly take care of themselves. And when reading your blog Rachel, I’ve come to think of it and could it be that this is important to so many more professions.

88. Reblogged this on florisvanderschot's Blog and commented:
    Als #tandarts heb je veel stress. Dit is een #prachtig #blog wat veel #herkenning geeft – volgens mij ook voor veel andere #beroepsgroepen. En ook nog een keer boordevol #tips die écht werken. Én ze vragen je om naar jezelf te kijken. Logisch dat hoe het enige echte #antwoord is hoe we omgaan met onszelf. #stress #omgaanmetstress #burnout #depressie #zelfzorg

89. The statistics you quote Rachel are very worrying. I’m so glad you sought help through Universal Medicine. You are a living example to your profession that dentistry doesn’t need to be stressful.

90. Such a great and needed article Rachel. I hope this has been published in some industry magazines that get some good circulation. All of which you present juts makes good sense. Why on earth don’t Educational Institutions start looking at the statistics of ill health of practitioners throughout not only the medical industry, but across all industries. This level of stress and overriding of the body occurs practically everywhere in life.

    1. I agree Elodie, the educational institutions should have self care as part of the course the students are studying. The practitioner needs to be able to live what they are teaching. Who is going to believe a burnt out over weight doctor that losing weight is good for your health?

91. Very straight forward tips that can make anyone say “of course it should” or “I never considered that before”

92. Funny Rachel and a great example of how we can through simple techniques bring ourselves to a quality of presence and steadiness that can handle all the challenges life throws at us and as you say Joshua, these tools, a rhythm of self-care and self-love are the first things we abandon when in fact these are the very things that build our foundation to hold steady in the face of the onslaught, and to not get affected or take on life’s woes, or else bring us back when we wobble – Thanks to the presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine it is easy to learn a level of connection and love never before experienced.

93. I totally agree with you Rachel, self-care is key area in which all healthcare professionals should be trained and supported with. It would help improve the service to patients as well as making sure that the professionals themselves are taken care of and considered as human beings rather than machines.

    1. Self -care is very important for all workers , in health care or not. I know what a difference it makes when I have been looking after myself well – I enjoy work so much more and feel that I give so much more to my patients.

94. Wow Rachel, there is a lot here – I did not know that Dentist suffered from such a high rate of depression and suicide. Could it be that dentistry is so intense because we are dealing with past choices made/not made and therefore people come loaded with all these long held choices in their bodies that have not been dealt with? The Pain, anxiety and certainly finances are real issues for a lot of people and so the depth of connection, graciousness and understanding that you can offer is key for people. Being a dentist is a very important job and we do need some good ones out there, I guess like any other job that offers a skill and service to humanity for them to have another reflection of what could be. People can usually feel the care and warmth from a dentist / doctor / or any other practitioner OR when it is more about earnings and material things – in my experience they will more than likely always choose connection, when it is truly being reflected.

95. It is amazing that out the window flys self-care, self-regard, self-responsibility, self-esteem and everything we could consider as being grand about us when we are feeling the stresses of life in the way you have described it here Rachel. It is like we put ourselves and our well being before life and suffer as a result. Whereas it is actually these very things that support us most.

    1. Exactly right – it is these things that support us the most – however we are socialised into abandoning that which most supports us – Isn’t it crazy?
       I am so glad Rachel is writing about this.

96. Such an awesome article Rachel as it really highlights the importance of self-care and the true call for this to be taught not only to health workers but to all students from the youngest age. What a difference it would make to the quality of our lives if this was something we all learnt as children and was modelled and lived by the adults in our lives. It is so wonderful that this way of living, living with self-care is being lived and shared by so many thanks to sites like this one, people like yourself and the work of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine.

97. “It is important that we realise that everyone at some point in their life finds it hard to cope and that it is perfectly acceptable to seek support and ask for help.”
    I would love to see this sent as a postcard to every single person in the world. To give ourselves permission to ask for help is the moment we start to open up and let others in. Then the healing can truly begin.

98. I remember as a kid my mother insisting I should go to bed at 8pm but I wanted so much to stay up with my parents talking or watching tv. I think if every single member of the family was going to bed at this time showing the example, kids would not even argue the fact that going to bed early is part of life, part of a strong biological rhythm and only exceptionally during late shifts, people would go to bed later. The all family could catch up early in the morning, it would just be the norm! Then when students would start university, their rhythm would already be in place.

    1. Yes it would be great for adults to lead the way in honouring a true rhythm in their body, winding down and preparing for sleep at a time the body naturally calls for it, rather than keeping themselves stimulated with coffee, wine, chocolate, desserts, tv, and other distractions when in fact they are already in exhaustion. What is this reflection to our children showing them.

99. A very informative blog Rachel. As you say, the focus at university is to get the knowledge across, the preparation for the real life out there doesn’t happen. Self-Care and self nurturing should be part of the education, otherwise the students are easily stressed during their studies or later at work.

100. Thank you Rachel for a great article, I did not realise that Dentistry was so stressful.
     It would be so wonderful, if the simple steps of self care were taught as a part of the curriculum in every teaching and learning institution of our country, how amazing would be the results.

101. There is enough material in your blog Rachel for someone to start a PhD on the subject. It is indeed sad to read that the very professionals that care for us are unable to care for themselves. As a society we are far too demanding of the medical profession because we do not understand the root cause of our ailments. I have been treated by an esoteric dentist and I could feel that the care given to me emanated directly from his commitment to self-care.

102. Thank you Rachel, I definitely agree with what you say about self-care being woven into the curriculum at dental school, as well as medical school. It certainly is not valued enough the impact doctors and dentists can have in imparting wisdom to do with wellbeing. People are looking for advice, and for examples on how to live a more harmonious life. As health professionals we have the opportunity to do this. We can only do this however if we are living it ourselves in some way, and this is certainly not taught (let alone fostered) in the educational environments we currently have. It’s time to lead the way with what wellbeing education can bring!

103. Rachel, what you present here in this awesome blog is symptomatic of a humanity that puts systems before people. In no profession that I have ever heard of are its trainees taught to self care, or taught how to handle the demands of the job. Indeed, self care is not even taught in school – in fact it is very low on the radar of teachers themselves who put the demands of their jobs above all else. Opening a dialogue where we can raise awareness on this topic is vital if we are to support the health of everyone in society. It is a tough consciousness to break as it is endemic in all walks of life but through Universal Medicine and blogs like these it’s a great start!

104. Thank you Rachel Hall for presenting this blog on stress, which in fact is not only related to dentistry but to our society as a whole. As you say we are trained in many ways that stress is a normal part of life and that we have to override our feelings if we want to achieve anything, without any time questioning if there is another way to do things in life, without stress, without harming our bodies.

     Thanks to Serge Benhayon, who has showed us that there is another way of being, in coordination with out bodies, that honours who we are in truth, sensitive and tender beings, we now have the ability to look after our bodies with a level of care that does not allow us to run on any stress whatsoever, but to live a life dedicated to love instead.

105. Rachel thank you for sharing this field of service. Having friends working in this area I often hear the physical aches and pains they endure with the job demands. To make self care a primary unit during training could alleviate the stresses our current work force are dealing with and the quality of care build into client relationships would definitely have room to change.

106. This is a truly amazing article – revolutionary even. Considering the burn out from such a stressful career, what you have proposed and outlined regarding self-care is absolutely paramount and should be incorporated into all education institutions to support students to have the tools to not only support them any stressful working conditions they may encounter, but with the general pressures of life. You are living proof of the healing power of making such loving and wise choices.

107. So much of our world and the quality of what we give, receive or feel we are forced to deliver – is so often compromised. As you present here Rachel surely it would be better if we started focusing on the quality – rather than just getting get done at whatever cost to meet made up demands on productivity or profit.

     1. I agree Simon, care is a big factor, both to the practitioner and the service being offered to patients. Its the whole package that is needed here to bring the quality through. The Institution of Universities have much to learn form this blog and others through the Universal Medicine portals. It starts with us first – to bring that quality, care and understanding as presented by Serge Benhayon to all that we do.

108. Rachel, it is great to hear of your experience as a dentist. I have suspected that it would be stressful for some of the reasons you mentioned, however never heard it first-hand like this before. I like the light-hearted way you have shared this. I have really appreciated my recent visits to the dentist and it gives me even more appreciation for your role. With your experience of the stress and unhealthy living to now really living self-care, you have a lot to offer students and colleagues, as they are not just words…

     1. So true Annie. Not just words, a lived experience that Rachel can clearly demonstrate actually works, and for the benefit of all not just herself.

109. Really awesome Rachel. What you have shared here is not only great for dentists and medical professionals but pretty much everyone! I completely agree that this needs to be introduced into the medical profession, it astounded me to read that speed is sometimes used and how full on it is with little to no support. Self-care is so so needed.

110. It all makes so much sense doesn’t it Rachel, to live with love and care is not rocket science and yet the most intelligent people in careers like dentistry and medicine are living in a way that produces the most stress and work related illness as shared today on the BBC that hospital staff are off sick more than any other field.

     1. As a health professional myself I get completely what you are saying here. Sick and stressed doctors and nursing staff are a norm these days, what we operate in can’t truly be called a health system anymore. Serge Benhayon presents such great common sense when it comes to caring for and nurturing ourselves, in order to truly care for others. Rachel Hall is living proof of this.

111. Such an awesome post Rachel! So insightful and loaded with very practical suggestions for how anyone can live a more enjoyable and simple life without the drama and stress. This should go in all the medical journals!

112. Having been one who dreaded the dentist because of past unpleasant experiences I can totally get what you are sharing here Rachel.
     How often do people say “I hate the dentist”, projecting their fears and resistance onto them (I am embarrassed to admit I have done this), rather than perhaps “I hate going to the dentist” which is more truthful and leaves the dentist alone.
     What a weight that is to bear for all of you dentists, that kind of energy battering at you all the time. No wonder many dentists commit suicide, hard to withstand such hatred, which isn’t even about you but about the job you do. It feels quite palpable.
     It seems to me that what you have delivered here is a great starting point to break all this wide open and building from your loving and caring example the perception will change. It already has for me. Thank you.

113. A very informative blog Rachel. It would be wonderful if some of those approaches to self care could be shared with the students during their training, so that they are aware of the responsibility they have to themselves and to others in the workplace.

114. I recently had to find a new dentist as I have moved and could no longer go to my regular dentist. What an experience that was. There was TV in the waiting room, TV’s in all the practice rooms and the stress was tangible. It reminded me of how much is going on in these places, the stress, the emotion, the angst. I actually had to ask to have the TV turned off as it was so loud and distracting. But of course, that is exactly why it was put there.

     1. I have experienced another side of dentistry which has supported me to enjoy visiting on a regular basis. The quality and care taken by a practioner has made me stay focused on my body with regular verbal check ins and gentle reminders to breathe gently has been a great support.

115. The statistic that you present create a picture that needs to be taken seriously – Health professionals are people too – it seems that the whist the science and technology and patient care aspects of the job evolve self care has been left somewhere in the dark ages,

116. I agree Nicole, it doesn’t make for common sense to not prepare students for the reality of the working world, patients and most importantly how to support and self-care. It should really be a subject taught from the outset as I am sure it would support many students to understand how to take care of themselves while studying, but also the responsibility they have towards themselves and their potential clients.

117. Enlightening and descriptive blog Rachel.
     We can bring that self-care you speak of to every area of our lives, indeed it is essential to let go of the stress we carry with us.
     Our well being will improve beyond measure when self-care becomes part of the world’s education, beginning at birth.

     1. Wendy that is so true, when self-care becomes part of the world’s education, beginning at birth, our well being will improve beyond measure. This has started as we all have taken the steps towards self-care and making a difference in our own lives as well as everyone else we interact with.

118. This is a great blog Rachel. It has to be a must read for dentists and dentists in the making. What I found interesting is the comment “if you can’t handle it here you’ll never cope in the real world.” This comment reveals that they might believe that they do prepare for the real world. I would not be surprised if this is what the students think as well. This is why it might be so difficult for all of them to be open to the beautiful package you have put together for them, while they go into business harming themselves and thinking that this is the way it is.

119. As I read your blog I can feel that many in the highly stressful situations you have described would think there is no choice, the nature of the job and life is that it is this way and that they have to cope. You have presented here that there is always a choice in any situation as self-care and self-love can be brought to anything

     1. Agreed Josh, I can see how dentists would become disillusioned and then lose their way to suicide and depression. This certainly needs to change and can see how Rachel would be great in reflecting to them a new way.

        1. And it is all unnecessary when we consider the simplicity that is self-love and self-care, the very things that will support us most to be in such an environment

120. A great informative blog Rachel. Who knew being a dentist was so stressful and I can also see a bigger picture you are also speaking of. I love your approach to not only work but to life in general. The self care you take is really felt in how you are speaking about this and more so touching everyone you see. Thanks Rachel.

     1. Yes, very beautiful indeed and is deeply felt.

     2. I was unaware of many of these statistics, and must say it was a bit of a shock as I had not considered dentistry to be stressful in the way described here. I can also see the bigger picture Ray and how these self-care tips would support everyone, regardless of profession.

     3. I too was unaware of these statistics. Clearly you walk your talk Rachel and how you have learned to self care and live is inspiring for others to do the same.

     4. Yes I enjoyed the great insights on offer regarding the stress that Dentists are under – it makes it less about you when you can understand more about the other person.

     5. I had no idea about the regular lifestyle of dentists either! However I’m becoming more aware that there are many professions where stress, burnout, exhaustion and increasing illness and disease are becoming more and more commonplace. I love this simple approach of self care and can feel what a difference this would make with all professions and their clients if this were a component of their core study!

121. An awesome and very practical article Rachel. The suck it up attitude and message that if you can’t cope then you’re a weakling who can’t cope with the real world is endemic and so harmful… I would much rather a caring sensitive dentist attending to my teeth than a toughie who copes by the means of drinking alcohol to let go of the day.

122. Awesome sharing Rachel. Anyone, in any profession could relate to what you say about your experience as a dentist. It’s like finding a way to unwind the clock that seems to be ticking faster and faster with all the demands placed on us. We get so wound up on the merry go round, no wonder our bodies are reacting. Your insights and life lived since discovering Universal Medicine is a shining example of what can happen when we introduce self care into our day/night rhythm and choices.

123. Thank-you for another very practical article Rachel. Aren’t we crazy the way we choose to self-abuse ourselves, when we can choose a different way, by taking the responsibility through making loving choices to care for ourselves. I agree self-care should be taught from a very early age, but imagine if we as role models walked the talk and lived in this way, there would be no need to wait for it to be taught in the schools, as it would be demonstrated to our children by the way we were living and it would be their natural way to be.

124. Rachel I have a better appreciation of dentists after reading your article. They have spent so much time bent over my teeth. The tool kit of self care that you present should be part of everybody’s life. The day may come when this becomes an integral part of living. My well being has greatly benefited from listening to my body.

125. This is Brilliant Rachel.
     Without knowing and understanding true self care (as presented by Universal Medicine), it’s no wonder that anyone turns to ‘coping mechanisms’ to survive – especially in the conditions of the dental industry that you have described so painfully well.
     Self care simply makes sense; and it needs to be a foundational study for us all.

126. I would stress out when visiting the dentist so its been good to recieve the view of a dentist and the statistics you have provided are alarming however the self care tips you have provided are gold

127. Great piece of writing Rachel on how self care is not only important but essential to the well-being of health care professionals and the impact this has not just on them but the level of care they can bring to their patients. This should essential reading for all.

128. Thank you for sharing Rachel, the statistics are staggering and when I read them I really wonder how much are we as humanity accepting as normal in our way of living? I know for myself I long accepted stress and tension as normal and just the way life is. But, since I have come in contact with the work that Serge Benhayon presents I have been slowly learning to self-care and yes also love myself. Now I start to wonder does it really have to be this way? Does life have to be hard, a struggle, stressful? I am living in this world and though I cannot change others, I can definitely change how I am living. I am studying dentistry and I agree it is a stressful environment but through deeply caring for myself I feel very capable to handle it and not go into stress as much as I can, a forever learning process.

129. Thank you Rachel for sharing a great insight. What you have presented would be beneficial for all Practitioners. Self care and stress management is something that needs to be taught as part of any training and it would help support the Practitioner, especially in those busy days.

130. Yes Rachel, it is stressful, and when you add your statistics to the ones on Doctors and psychologists we know that our health systems are unsustainable, as are the statistics on stress in our police and in our armed forces, so that it becomes clear that our primary services are not built to sustain and nurture the individuals, but are built and run to a model that the wheels have already fallen off, and that will be grinding to a very noisy halt with catastrophic consequences unless some very serious paradigm shifts are brought about. These paradigm shifts are precisely what Universal Medicine is offering to all professions and occupations.

     1. Absolutely, Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine deliver simple, practical techniques and understanding’s about life that offer a different way forward for the way in which all occupations and professions work, one that has the care of people first and foremost, and that includes those on both sides of the service.

131. As a health care professional, what you are saying applies right across the board. We do need to see where we are at and ask what’s going on? Often we are masking how we are feeling in our bodies so we can avoid being honest with ourselves. Sugar and caffeine were a part of my daily routines to keep myself going and avoid feeling the constant tiredness, lethargy and exhaustion that I was feeling. Self Care is an important step for everyone, we begin to understand the responsibility we all have towards our own health and wellbeing as a result which directly impacts on how we care and connect with others and results in a greater level of the enjoyment we can have everyday at work.

     1. Thank you Rachel and Jennifer. I agree simple Self Care is a great start. How lost were we before Serge Benhayon introduced true Self Care into our lives?

132. Thank you Rachel for sharing your side of the story here. It is good to get this insight and to hear your perspective of a day in the life of a dentist, and for you to show how important it is to firstly take good care of ourselves, as this supports us in anything, any job, we do. Taking loving care of ourselves, which includes having some small stops to check in, to reconnect to ourselves throughout the day, is crucial to the quality we feel ourselves to be in by the end of the workday. If we don’t check-in with ourselves during the day, we easily end up drained and then reach for numbing habits at night (food, alcohol etc), to take the edge off ‘life’. This sets us up for the next day to be a repeat of the same stress and feeling of lack of support. The longer this goes on, the harder it can get to break this cycle of self-abuse. Mostly it will be a wake-up call in the form of an illness or a mental break down. Disease and breakdowns doesn’t come on overnight – they build up, day by day.

133. Thanks Rachel for telling us how it is from a dentist’s point of view. I now have a deep appreciation for what you guys go through in your profession. Self-care is the key and it is amazing how when we get the basics right such as eating and sleeping well, reduce our intake of stimulants, breathe gently and being present with what we are doing – how this can all make a huge difference to how we feel in our daily life. When we are on top of our game (feeling vital and healthy) it forms a great foundation to be able to then share this with others.

134. ‘Self-care is an integral and essential part of having a long and healthy dental career and should be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum and be offered as part of our continuing professional development education.’ I absolutely agree Rachel. In fact when I read your account of what goes on behind the doors of dentistry I know that there are many professions that would benefit from placing self care at the top of the list.

     1. Absolutely Kathryn, every profession would benefit and it is crazy to consider to what degree self-care and therefore true care has gone out the window for so many industries, professions and for ourselves.

        1. I agree Kathryn and Katerina, the way Rachel has ‘mapped’ self care out any professional would absolutely benefit and equally every person would also.

135. Thank you for your sharing of this insight into the dentistry profession, and what you have presented as a way forward for students and dentists alike is a no brainer. I would go further and say the very same should be implemented at school level and be incorporated into education for both teachers and students as way of life that can be taken to what ever they choose.

136. It is great what you have shared saying how it really is but also sad that this ill and unsupportive way of living has been and is so common. Why do we not get told how to care and truly support ourselves when studying? Could it be it is because the tutors, teachers and lecturers do not know how to either? As you have expressed it is fundamental to be taught this by someone that lives it. Maybe you could change the way dentistry is taught so students and dentists are shown a more supportive and very tangible way to live and work. Thank you for sharing.

137. How much money could be saved for the health care system, if we would take into practice these marvellously outlined principles of self-care? And this is just talking self-care. Can you imagine if we were talking love?

138. Thank you Rachel. I was pretty shocked to discover that the lifestyle habits of dentists seem to be worse than the rest of the population. This makes no sense. Day in and day out dentists see the damage incurred by unloving choices and yet they make unloving choices themselves. This is very telling and shows just how much we have all lost sight of what is really important in the quest for ‘success’.

139. The description you have at the beginning of how dental practice can be is certainly not a pretty one! And yet this is what is so common – and accepted as normal. What you have said about introducing true self care into universities is so key! It would be great if it could be maintained in children to start with, but we do need to start somewhere. Definitely the way forward – thank you Rachel!

     1. I agree Amelia and as Rachel says, “Self-care is an integral and essential part of having a long and healthy dental career and should be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum and be offered as part of our continuing professional development education.” I imagine you would be also a great case study for this Rachel and you have outlined the map to ‘self care’ very well. This could well make up the initial part of any course at University and are a key in anyones life. Great blog Rachel, ahead of it’s time.

140. I have never really thought of how it must be for the dentist in their day to day life as usually I was anxious about the dental treatment I was about to have. Thank you Rachel for sharing the many stresses a dentist faces. But more importantly how you have transformed these stresses into self care that benefits yourself, your patients and co-workers.

141. Thank you, Rachel. I loved your first paragraph describing the public persona of dentistry, it was written with lots of humour, best laugh I have had all day! And laugh I could because you must have been describing how I am on a visit to the dentist and it had not occurred to me the torturous positions a dentist has to get into to do the job!
     How you have resolved your situation is a delight to read as it offers beautiful pearls of wisdom on how to do your work AND look after yourself in a self caring way.

142. Thank you Rachel, I loved your blog. I have come away from it with a more complete view of Dentistry. It has made me aware that the view people come to the dentist with and the majority are resistant, not wanting to be there and dread, impact the whole experience for everyone involved. The simple guidelines to self care are fantastic and can be applied not only to Dentistry but all in society. Why are they not included as a part of the training? If the essence of the student was truly recognised and valued, then the training would be very different and the flow on affect to patients would be life changing. Loved it.

143. Rachel in the first scenario that you described there was a real sense of you being at the mercy of life, of being tossed around from here to there. Then, however after practising self care, life clearly started to respond to you. Incredibly your patients began having different experiences in the chair. They were in the same room and yet because you were different, then so too was their experience. Which goes to show that placing all of the emphasis on knowledge in medicine for the best outcome is leaving a really crucial element out of the picture.

144. Thanks for the practical and honest blog about the stresses of dentistry! I never knew that the pressures were so intense in Dentistry school. It seems that all professions, no matter what, have some sort of in-built stress into their definition. It is sad that there is so much depression in the world because of this and all of the lacking of true vitality and joy in a society that is just broken. You are an inspiration Rachel, thank you for sharing what you have learned from changing your life and being more self caring.

145. Self-care just makes so much sense for everyone in their professional and personal lives, and you’ve presented it so simply Rachel. I agree that it should be a core part of any training, not just healthcare. Imagine a day when our teachers practise self-care and inspire this in our children.

146. A really insightful blog – thank you Rachel. ‘What Serge Benhayon presents in reality is a simple common sense approach to health and vitality that encourages you to care for and respect your body.’ This is what I found so appealing when I first attended Universal Medicine workshops – the simplicity and common sense. It allowed me to find my own answers of how to live my life with the loving support of the many Esoteric practitioners who offer suggestions and guidance of different approaches to life. This allowed me to slowly take responsibility for my own life and to gradually develop a more loving approach to my body and to life in general.

147. It is so true that our professions do not prepare us for how to deal with all we will experience once we graduate. We come to our studies with a limited range of coping mechanisms that we have picked up from family or by observing others. Sometimes these coping methods are far from supportive for our body, and instead add fuel to the fire. The simple tools you have listed here may seem simple or too easy to be true but they are life (and profession) changing when made a natural part of everyday life.

148. Hi Rachel, awesome what you have brought up here, it seems crazy that in healthcare professions they are not taught to also look after themselves – deeply – in order to cope with looking after so many others. Your brief on self care would be incredibly beneficial to dentistry students and many others also (pretty much everyone!!)

149. Awesome article Rachel, thank you. Have you considered sending your article in to the University you studied at, or have it published in a journal? To self care actually makes common sense as a way to deal with stress and promote wellness. It would be awesome to see ‘Foundations in self care 101’ in all university courses, as a way to assist graduating students with tools to “cope in the real world”

150. Great article ( blog ) on “self care” Rachel well researched as Christoph shared and your living proof of what a difference it truly makes not just to your life but also to all of your patients and staff. You should write a little book on Self Care in Dentistry.

151. I love your list of ‘self-care tips’. It sounds like Dentists are crying out for this kind of support, and so is most of humanity. It is fantastic that you can live this way as a reflection to others, so that they too can choose to do the same.

152. Wow, I didn’t realise the difficulties involved in being a Dentist. Thank you Rachel for sharing with us. Self Care is so simple and should be a part of every school, college and university, what a difference it would make to the quality of care given and received in the home and workplace.

153. Rachael I love your blog so interesting to read the reality of dentistry and all the research.

154. Rachel, I had not previously considered the demands of the dentistry profession and found your honesty illuminating and concerning at the same time. Thank you for opening this up.

155. Fantastic informative blog Rachel. Love the practical self-care tips on how to avoid stress. I can now also appreciate how stressful dentistry really is – I was stunned and quite shocked how bad it is looking at the statistics.

156. Stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression coated in sugar with an alcohol marinade? That recipe sounds very familiar… Of course, I work as a high school teacher, that’s why! There should be a professional development convention for dentists and teachers to get together and share their recipes because they have a lot in common.

     1. Perhaps lawyers could also be added to this well-being cook off.

157. Great blog Rachel, Thank You. Very informative and detailed, I love reading every part of it. I will take my time to fully appreciate my next visit to the dentist and appreciate all professions I come across. It would be awesome if everyone was taught Self-Care and to listen to our body.

158. Rachel everything you have shared about self-care can be applied to any profession. If we all chose to self-care based on listening to our bodies it may end up with everyone loving the work they do no matter if it’s dentistry, medicine, plumbing, retail or manufacturing. And how incredible would that be!

159. What a great, well researched article! It is interesting that it seems harder to learn how to take care of yourself than even to learn dentistry!

160. Wow, Rachel, great changes you made, that’s awesome!
     Self-care should be taught early in school and university ! How different would life be.

161. Rachel, you’re the best! I LOVE your honest and simple approach to how you live today. I’m so inspired by the changes you have made. Thanks for all the stats also….really puts everything in perspective and gives a very clear picture of the state of the medical industry. You just want to shake the education system and force them to do a few case studies of this fail safe way of living! Oh the difference it would make on the world!

162. It is common to hear people say “I hate going to the dentist” (I used to ‘hate’ going to see a dentist myself due to a bad experience as a child). Dentists get a bad rap really; imagine what the weight of all that hate and fear must feel like to them when we actually do summon up the courage to go and see them. Must be pretty heavy for them coping with the effects of that when we open our mouths, let alone getting started on sorting out our teeth!!!
     I admire dentists now for their dedication in the face of such opposition and resistance from their clientele and have found that now I have changed my attitude I have a much better experience, and so does the dentist 🙂

163. It is so important that we learn to care for and look after ourselves. Our professional and personal lives constantly throw us challenges which can be stressful and overwhelming if we do not have a foundation of love and care for ourselves to live from. I agree that self-care and self-nurturing should be a part of all work related curriculum, giving us the tools to take care of ourselves while we live full and vital lives.

164. I loved reading your blog Rachel, thank you for sharing your story.
     It is with great clarity and insight that you have outlined some basic, practical steps for us to self-care.

165. I have talked to a dentist about their posture and how she often feels stressed and achy because of the repetitive nature of her movements and the awkward position that she finds herself in when leaning down towards a client. This blog is very supportive of all dentists out there who are not yet supported in their training to consider self care and it also has a wide scope concerning any one who is interested in working in a different way, which has the potential to support them to live a more vital and healthy life.

166. Talking with my dentist recently he confirmed that he didn’t receive any guidance on posture and self care in his training….but what’s more his dental nurse, recently qualified didn’t either.

     An interesting conversation followed as he began to talk about how he exercises, so at least his dental nurse now knows.

     We even got as far as if the practitioner’s body is tensed, the client might feel it too.

167. Self-care is a great first step away from what we can only call self abuse when you think about all the things we do to our bodies in order to cope with the stresses of life. This is something that needs to be taught at a very early age in our schools rather than waiting until we are adults.

     1. I agree Sandhya. The foundations are set in the early years and self care becomes the norm.

     2. Well said Sandhya and the parents play a big role as well, They are the role models to the children and if they live a healthy life, the kids will be naturally inspired to live self-care and self-nurturing as well.

168. Rachel this is a really supportive article for absolutely anyone looking to change their relationship with work and how they feel day to day – I love the detail and practical ways you’ve laid out.

     1. Yes I agree Rosanna, the support offered here provides a platform for all our lives. We move so far away from self care as soon as we let outside pressure consume us. Thank you Rachel.

169. ‘By remaining more present and focusing the mind to what is occurring in each moment we save energy and reduce stress levels.’
     I can attest to that. Living a very busy/full life with four young daughters (our home ranges from 2-4 children at any one time) working part time as a support worker (to people with mental health issues)…as well as seeing clients (offering Esoteric healing therapies) I could absolutely not do this without diligence in self-care & ,as you mentioned, being consciously present.
     Great Blog & super relevant to All of humanity, no matter the industry or work/home situation!

170. How awful is it that young dental students are basically set up to abuse themselves to get through dental school. It is the same in many other health care disciplines at university.

     Universal Medicine presents that to truly care for another one must first care for oneself. This ought to be the very first lesson presented to students on their first day of dental school.

171. I recently hugged my dentist and his assistant after quite a challenging time in the chair. I knew they were doing what needed to be done, and although it had its moments, and didn’t go perfectly, I still felt very appreciative and wanted to just show how I felt. They were both surprised, and the assistant commented ‘it would be so lovely if more patients did that’. Thank you Rachel for exposing the ‘hidden side of dentistry’.

172. Thanks for another very well written and informative article Rachel .
     I could relate totally to the fact of dentistry being a stressful profession , with a father as a dentist and growing up watching him come home not so joyful after long days working on peoples teeth. There was also a lot of alcohol consumption /food as well in an effort to unwind retreat from the day . If some of those self care practises were used I’m sure things would have been relaxed and fun for him , and us as a family .

173. Awesome article Rachel, I always thought dentistry would be a tough gig but I didn’t realise how tough! Very inspiring the way you turned it all around. I too am finding my wellbeing is improving immensely as I practice the simple self care techniques as presented by Serge and Universal Medicine.

174. Thanks for your article Rachel, as a dentist I certainly know what you are talking about.

     Before Universal Medicine I vowed never to return to dentistry as I had found it way to stressful.

     But I did return, and I loved it, in fact I now never felt better than when I was working, the same everyday stresses were still there, but Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine had shown me how to leave these stresses outside my body. I truely felt better at the end on the day than at the start, and my patients actually enjoyed coming to the dentist, hard to belive I know, but absolutely true!

     1. That’s so true Kevin, to be able to visit a dentist where they want to connect with me rather than battle with my teeth and judge me for not flossing has changed how I think and feel about my teeth. I now have a relationship with my teeth and have started flossing after 40 years, go figure it took a dentist who not only lived self-care and self-love but let me in and connected with me.

175. Wow Rachel this was such an eye opener to read. I can see how with many patients that are anxious and scared of the dentist that this would be the furthest consideration from their mind – what the dentist actually goes through as well. I have never considered it myself!
     The level of self care and details you have gone into in this article would be extremely supportive to be included as a course with in dentistry in University!

176. Thank you for presenting what really goes on for dentists, in training and in practice. It’s such a common theme in so many caring professions that the carers ignore their own needs and instead choose to “tough it out” for the sake of their clients / patients / students, when all that is needed is a truly self caring lifestyle for the carers themselves, so that they can care effectively for others without self harm and burn out.

177. I love how you have presented the ‘basics’ of self care and more in this article – the simplicity is there, it really is about just making the choices.

178. Really enjoyed reading this blog Rachel, thank you. Starting a self-care programme just makes so much sense – as early as possible in the education system would be a great start.

179. Too true, excellent blog and I totally agree Rachel. Health care professionals are educated at university level to just care for others and our heads are filled with all sorts of biological facts, sociology and psychology but nothing is in the curriculum that teaches us to appreciate our own bodies and care for ourselves. How on earth can we care for another to our full potential if we are feeling depleted and caring for others from that lack? Workplaces and our education system needs to get real and start preparing the workers of today and tomorrow to value and care for themselves. Presently workplaces are getting a mere pinch of their workers potential as many are not feeling cared for or appreciated by their workplace, are running on empty and not caring for themselves, nor are they getting any reflection that there is another way. The system needs to change.

180. My first visit to the Dentist was with my sister we were 6 & 8 or thereabouts, she doubled me on her bike as our Mum didn’t drive. How brave we were, I had a tooth out and my sister had to stop for me to spit every little while! The Dentist was very kind and gave us 3pence to buy an ice cream each ,! That wouldn’t happen today. Perhaps he was ensuring he had future clients! It’s so nice to hear that Dentistry is so much more than it was and reassuring to know you have made such amazing changes in your life and Practice. Thank you Rachel.

181. Beautiful article Rachel, I love your light and funny description of a real life dentist practice. And I agree with you: self-care is key for all of us. If practice most of the suggestions you mention above it is life changing. Like you wrote:
     ‘By equipping people with the tools of self-care that they can carry throughout their career, ill health and the need to use sugar, caffeine and alcohol or drugs as coping mechanisms could be reduced and avoided.’
     We would all benefit from this.

182. This article provides great insights for us as human beings in pretty much any area of life as we live in a world that is immensely stressful. It shows how important it is to actively take care of ourself and for this focus to be taught as part of any vocational training. Just like the care instructions we get for electrical equipments, this is our own personal self-care program!

183. This article has given me a deeper understanding of the pressure placed on dentists. It seems crazy that we don’t support student dentists in a more caring way. How many professions expect their learners to have all the answers, putting on a front is clearly not working from the stats that you shared Dr Hall. It seems only common sense that we would want to set up a system to prepare student dentists to feel in control of and best able to manage their work, for the good of their own long term health. They are after all then going to be treating all of us and it would seem preferable that this happened from a less stressed and more clear supportive basis.

184. Two points really stood out and made sense to me – health care professionals feeling more stressed than the public/other professions as the latter only have one or a few peoples health and well-being to focus on when the former have possibly hundreds of patients they need to care for! By making an effort in looking after my own health and well-being I don’t then add another straw to what could be an overburdened load on any health care practitioner I see. Linking to this is that mind-chatter you mentioned draining the battery of a computer. I don’t leave multiple programs running all at the same time to save battery but why does this level of attention not apply to myself equally so?

     1. Great observation and point Leigh about the health care professionals feeling more stressed and having more health issues than their clients, as Rachel has exposed in detail. Having that perspective of what’s involved in providing dental (or other health care) helps me to consider how I bring myself to that environment, and I thank Leigh for bringing up that valuable point. If the medical schools could all read this article and eventually get honest about the hypocrisy of their approach to teaching and setting up their students for a stressed career based on pushing themselves beyond healthy limits and then using sugar, alcohol, caffeine to keep them going like a robot, we would then have a system that is based on true self-care and nurturing our bodies. This was made so obvious by what Rachel has expressed here, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before her approach is adopted, because eventually there will be enough illness and disease to allow medical professionals (and us all) to stop and re-evaluate our approach to work and life.

185. Great article Rachel. It makes so much sense that if a dentist is stressed then the tension will pass through their hands to the drill and will be felt by the patient. The first and most important lesson for all medical students should be about their own self-care and well-being so that they are able to support their patients without stress and tension.

186. Rachel I love reading your writings on dentistry and in fact you are a true role model in your field and inspire me and many others on how to be a successful professional through self-care and love. It would be amazing to include self-care, as you have described, as part of the training for all health professionals.

187. Your last paragraph is an awesome statement:
     ‘Self-care is an integral and essential part of having a long and healthy dental career and should be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum and be offered as part of our continuing professional development education. By equipping people with the tools of self-care that they can carry throughout their career, ill health and the need to use sugar, caffeine and alcohol or drugs as coping mechanisms could be reduced and avoided. In this way our health care providers would be a living example to those that they are caring for, treating and educating on wellbeing.’
     If this was part of all education, even beyond the health care sector, imagine the difference in all those businesses and a people?!

188. Great blog Rachel and thanks for the perspective from the other side of the chair. This is the type of article that needs to be on the table of every health care clinic.

189. Once again Rachel you have written a beauty! I have never really thought about dentists having the same level of stress as Medical doctors, through training and when they go into practice. The Dentist I have been to always seem like really together people. The training of all doctors needs to be seriously revised, as you said you take it through into your practice when you finished.You have so beautifully summed up and put forward the best way of moving forward in your profession and this way relates to all Jobs.

190. Rachel thank you, a powerful and inspiring blog. I love your list for self care, easy to understand and apply for anyone. Since finding Universal Medicine I have realised the fundamental importance of self care in daily life and I have found it to be so supportive and life changing.

191. Thanks Rachel. Very funny and very profound explanation of what goes on in life and how unprepared with our eduction that only focuses on actions of getting the task done. I love the clarity and simplicity with which you have recorded the areas you have found supports you. Universal Medicine teach this care of our self so well, and it would serve everyone if all vocational trainings included such training as well.

192. Wow Dr Hall this is such an amazing truth and expose on “how it really is”. What made me laugh is how this relates to my world of sales, and there isn’t really even a degree to get you unsupported in the right way. I love how you make it really clear that the work offered by Serge and Universal Medicine is just really simple practices to support a well lived life. Everyone should get the chance to read this. Thank you.

193. This is an awesome article Rachel, that every dentist and every doctor would benefit hugely from reading. It feels way overdue that the medical and dental training starts to include self care. It is so obvious that it is hard to understand why they do not already do so. It is as if they couldn’t care less about the health and wellbeing of the graduates that they are producing or a complete and perhaps maybe even a wilful blindness to the issues that they will face once they are qualified and out in the real world.

194. Thank you Rachel for sharing with us the world of dentistry I have loved hearing how by using simple self loving, self caring tools you are able to manage your practice in a way that inspires. When you look after yourself it is a win win for everybody your patients, your colleagues and yourself all benefit.

195. It’s so true that this can be applied for everyone in whatever profession, Self care is the essence of how I can live my life and I love your examples here, very simple and straight forwards, thank you Rachel.

196. Thank you Rachel for a very good read. It’s true that no-one considers how it must be for the dentist because most people are too consumed with fear and anxiety. I know I had to train myself to ‘let the man do his job’! I taught myself how to relax in the dentists chair and let the work needed on my teeth be carried out. When I developed this attitude I was surprised that there really is nothing to worry about! Knowing how the majority react to going to the dentist it must be so hard for dentists to maintain a healthy state of mind and body. It is inspiring to read of your journey from being totally stressed out to actually enjoying your job and managing your practice in a healthy balanced way. You are living proof that this is possible.

197. Thank you Rachel…This is awesome. I love the way you tell it just like it is. Expressing to people there is another way. This can help many people in many walks of life…there is another way.

198. Thank you, Rachel for such a detailed sharing and being an anxious dental client I appreciate reading how it is for the dentist and what they are faced with daily. It is true how we are not prepared at any time in our life, or have an understanding for ourself, about the importance of self care. The difference this makes though in all our interactions and health is huge, particularly in a job that is providing a service for another. Universal Medicine teaches this in such a simple way, that it doesn’t make sense not to embrace self care everyday. It is amazing that with these teachings as well as with your skills, each client you now see can experience the beautiful depth of care you offer. An awesome combination!

199. Wow this is awesome what you have shared – a must for every dentist to read – although it relates to so many other high stressed jobs too. I love your closing words…” a living example to those that they are caring for, treating and educating on wellbeing.” Amazing inspiration for us all, thank you.

200. Thank you for writing this Dr. Rachel Hall. As a dental student I can say that I feel I am not being prepared for the dental practice in a way that will support true self-care and a healthy lifestyle at the university where I study.
     For me the teachings of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon opened my eyes to the fact that to care for another you have to care for yourself first. This makes so much sense to me as how can you truly say to someone to change their bad eating habits when you are not yourself? You can say it, but a big belly or a bad skin will easily tell your patients the difference and even if you do not see it physically, they can still sense it. As Shannon shared above it is beautiful to be able to be caring for yourself in way so that you are able to be there for your patients, warm, open and awake.
     The teachings of Universal medicine bring simple tools for how to start caring for yourself which have inspired me to change my life completely and live more and more in a joy full and responsible way.

     1. Lieke, how wonderful that as a dentist in training you already have this awareness. The service you will offer eventually will be awesome.

201. So true Rachel, it’s the same throughout industry. We all get that intense focus on the information that is needed to function in our business when we are studying, but where is the support in learning to look after ourselves and how to manage things once we are ‘in practice’? The answer is that we end up having to look to the others in the office for suggestions, and they are the ones drinking 12 cups of coffee, cart loads of sugar and any other stimulant they need to cope! We need more of these kinds of articles, and presentations from the likes of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine to provide that missing piece, and give people an opportunity to look after themselves at work, so they can truly enjoy what they do.

202. Rachel, thanks for shedding light on how it feels to work as a dentist and the fact that most people come in feeling scared and anxious. That can’t be an easy thing to deal with day in day out, and the statistic about dentists health is quite shocking but I bet similar statistics could be found for many other healthcare professionals. Thanks for sharing how you bring care to each of your patients through caring for yourself.

203. Hi Rachel, As Alison said it’s amazing to think I thought I was just getting my teeth checked but all that stuff could be going on behind the scenes. It puts a whole new perspective on being with me when I do visit the dentist so he gets to feel that and not a reflection of emotion. I have had a treatment with you and I would like to say that the way you are living is very much reflected in the treatments you give. Thank you

204. Thank you so much Dr Rachel Hall for such a powerfull well researched article and I love the way you really do say it as it is.
     This needs to go into your dentist journals and be a template for the world and not just in the field of dentistry.
     I work in the well-being sphere which is confirming that very little if anything is being done to truly support well-being.
     Your list of approaches to self care are very similar to what I offer and for me this is the only way. How can I offer well-being to another unless I live that way on a daily basis. This is how I present when I am speaking to staff in the caring professions.
     I thank God I came across the teachings of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine 9 years ago, because I could no longer take the mumbo jumbo spiritual new age stuff.
     This way of living which Serge Benhayon presents is very simple and like you say ‘a common sense approach’.
     It works and I am living proof of that and so are many of the clients I work with around the world.

205. Thank you Rachel for an in sight into your profession. We often read about the stresses of dentistry and I have not given it much consideration – in fact I would say I have been dismissive. It seems that from a patient point of view we only think of ourselves and not the dentist who is going to perform what we know is a necessary but not wanted procedure.

206. Its interesting to hear that dentists are under the same pressure as other healthcare professionals. It seems that all professions need support in managing day to day stress levels and the demands of life. I agree with Priscila self- care teachings should be incorporated in the undergraduate curriculum, but it could also be incorporated as part of the school curriculum, so that younger students and pupils can embody the qualities of the teachings before they get to crisis point!

207. This is a great article Rachel. Indeed Dental schools and Universities do not prepare or support the dental professional to care for themselves and I agree, self-care teachings as presented by Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon should be incorporated in the undergraduate curriculum.

     1. And then we could extend that observation to every profession. Self-care 101 is fundamental preparation for everyone working or not. Unemployment Agencies would also be supporting their clients immensely if they added this to their work-readiness training.

208. From working as a dental nurse for the past couple of years I can relate a lot with what you have expressed. It is a rarity to find patients walking in that are not dreading the experience, completely anxious about it and/or are upset in many differing degrees.

     What I have found for myself, is that without a contstant dedication to my own self care, I would not be able to handle this barrage that comes in daily. Although, this is not the intent of the patients to ‘barrage’ the dental staff but simply is the nature of many things culminating into that moment when they enter the surgery. People carry past ‘bad’ experiences, often in childhood from dentistry, it generally can feel very exposing and uncomfortable for most people to open up their mouths and show where they are with the care of their teeth and their bodies. Some people coming in for extractions experience quite extreme anxiety, this can even occur in much more simple procedures.

     What I have discovered also is that with this self-care I have been developing within myself, through inspiration from Universal Medicine, I can now not only be able to ‘handle’ the day but I can now be there as a warm, well rested, open presence that can allow for a much more ‘safe’ place for patients to come in and let go a little of what worries them around having their dental treatment. In the care of myself, I can actually offer much more support to the patients that I otherwise would not be prepared for if I have not been caring for myself.

     1. Great comment Shannon, on a great article by Rachel. Years ago I helped a friend with a trial health care presentation to student doctors, and they appreciated it so much. It does seem that those setting the curriculum for training the caring professions have given little thought for the well being of their students, in training and in their future as qualified professionals. And next time I visit my dentist, or doctor, I will have a loving appreciation of them, and their treatment.

209. I was talking to a young student doctor (in his final year) and he said that the students amongst themselves ‘compete’ who has more coffees before 12 noon – and yes, some go up to 12 cups!
     A barrister commented on my turning down coffee and caffeinated teas and drinking only hot water whilst waiting for hours in court that they could not function (yes this is the word used) without at least 5 coffees only during first few hours of the morning. And if it’s not caffein it is sugar that keeps us functioning. But how about living instead of functioning? Isn’t that the ultimate for us humans?

     1. Well said Dragana letting the world know very simply and without preaching how we live is so important. Important for our expression and important for our evolution as human beings. Isn’t it time we stop functioning and live truly ?

210. Thank-you Rachel, for the insights into your profession, and the awarenesses you’ve shared – about what can truly ‘make a difference’. There is a kind of arrogance, isn’t there – and not just in health professionals – that aims to ‘help people’, from such a ‘wobbly foundation’ in the practitioner/professional (propped up by stimulants – coffee, sugar, alcohol..) and being expected to ‘get on with it’ regardless of one’s physical, emotional and psychological state..
     Having been treated by you, I can truly say it’s indeed a blessing to ‘go to the dentist’ and be cared for so comprehensively. I still don’t find even having my teeth cleaned ‘easy’ whatsoever, but the difference is, I can trust I’m in truly good hands – with a professional who’s not just ‘doing a job’, & not just going to tell me ‘what’s right/wrong’, but someone who deeply & sincerely considers my whole being and health. That this can occur, with all the ‘stressful’ factors involved in dentistry (as you’ve shared), is true testament to how you live your own life, and the inspiration & true support for this that has come from the work of Universal Medicine.

211. Very amusing re the descriptions Rachel! so true re the ‘battle’ that goes on in patient’s mouths whilst having dentistry! Yes it really is just simply down to and being all about the caring and nurturing of self – applicable to any industry or job. And I know for myself the basic key ingredients you have described above can and do make all the difference both in how a job is carried out, and also the experience that may be encountered or received by the client or patient (or candidate in my recruitment case). A true win-win situation.

     1. Absolutely Zofia – a true win-win situation. And I agree these awesome self-care tips are applicable to any industry or job.

212. Thank you Rachel, I love your practical, common sense expression that makes any other way of living questionable from an individual, community and societal perspective. And it is easy to feel how this approach is first about how I approach my life and then of course, take it to my work… not rocket science what Serge Benhayon presents. What if the SMH published this article and others like it, to demonstrate the practical application of self-care and self-nurture, instead of using its editorial power only to sensationalise Universal Medicine?

213. Wow I thought I was just going to get my teeth checked…..it just shows you all the things that go on behind something that we see as something that just happens in everyday life. A great article that makes you stop and feel that it is not just about you when going to the dentist, or any profession where you are dealing with peoples health. i grew up with the grin and bear it, get on with it generation and all it does is harden you to the world and those around you. Self care was almost taboo and never discussed, and even now after almost 10 years of doing Universal Medicine courses, self care still does not come naturally to me. Putting others first regardless of self is so ingrained all the way through life,. Only through Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon have I been shown that there is a loving way to be that includes everyone, that I have been able to see that i don’t have to be hard to live in this world. Thank you Rachel for sharing your experiences as a dentist…….and I know what an amazing dentist you are having had my first enjoyable visit to the dentist with you. Prior to that through bad experiences I did not like going. I now look for that same care from other dentists.

214. Thanks for the insight Rachel into what it can be like from your side of the consultation 🙂
     It helps me understand why many professionals in your sort of field cut off from showing they really care or connecting to their clients – and appreciate what it takes for you NOT to do this.

215. Thank you Rachel for a wonderful article. As a Naturopath I have seen other practitioners/health care workers totally burn out from studies and continue to do so in their ‘health’ career, helping others make good health choices but not being this themselves.

     Whenever I go to a health seminar I see other practitioners overweight, unhealthy, drinking alcohol and eating loads of sweets/deserts and heavy foods like bread and pasta. These same people will be up on stage speaking of how we should be telling our clients to not do these things for the good of their health. This has always seemed a mockery but I guess it is their coping mechanism too.

     I have been there myself in the past, but now that I live differently and have a higher level of respect and self love for my body I have also found that when I speak the words of ‘health advice’ to my clients that it comes with a truth of ‘practicing what I preach’ rather than ‘do as I say’ mentality.

     The other thing that I have noticed is that in the past if I had a client that was very racy or very depressed, angry, or teary, that I would take on that energy and feel that way myself – some might say that it is contagious, but now by observing how my body feels and noticing/observing what the other persons mood/energy is like and observing my response to this, I am better able to hold my own way of feeling gentleness. I wish this was taught in naturopathy schools as I know many of my fellow students from 20 years ago are now burnt out and choosing another career path.

     It is thanks to Serge Benhayon and practitioners of Universal Medicine as well as getting to know fellow students of Unimed that I have been able to take better care of myself and continue my path of helping others to find their truth about healthy living.

216. Awesome article Rachel. Applies to the university where I work too!

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