Chanequa Walker-Barnes: Sacred Self-Care

The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast

“The self is the person that was beautifully and wonderfully created in the image of God. And so self-care for me is about taking care of that, is recognizing that I am a gift of God. Every one of us is a gift from God — our creation, our existence is a gift from God. How do I respond to that gift?” — Chanequa Walker-Barnes

Psychologist and professor Chanequa Walker-Barnes talks with us about the importance of self-care for our spiritual well-being and why this matters to women academics.

What comes to mind when you think of the phrase “self-care”? Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes joins us on the podcast to discuss the spiritual benefits of self-care and its role in our human flourishing. In her book Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves, Chanequa offers practical strategies for caring for ourselves in body, mind, and soul. In our conversation, she explains that we’ll be able to care for others and live out our purposes in the world much more effectively when we make sure that our needs are addressed. I loved talking with Chanequa — she is delightful and wise and challenging and a wonderful teacher. And if you listen to the end of the podcast, I’ve included an excerpt in which Chanequa describes how we can use her book as an accessible and nourishing devotional during Lent.

So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.

— Ann Boyd

For show notes or more information please visit our article at The Well.

If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!