All It Takes Is a Tap

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou

Sometimes, we can make the best progress by returning to what worked in the past. I’ve been facing my own challenges of caregiver burden recently and working very intentionally on managing my stress to better regulate my parasympathetic nervous system which has been working on overdrive lately. I’ve been returning to many practices I’ve used in the past to find the ones that work best and “stick”. A trusted friend and former colleague reminded me about the practice of “tapping” or Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).

Tapping can strengthen our protective factors such as emotional awareness, coping skills, emotional self-regulation, and hope. Tapping has been found to reduce stress and regulate our nervous system, improve our self-compassion, reduce anxiety or racing thoughts, reduce burnout and ultimately lead to building our resiliency. It can also open the mind and body to new ways of looking at creativity.

I found this easy-to-follow introduction to tapping and meditation on YouTube just for caregivers! Consider watching this (or developing your own tapping practice) before you take on your next creative endeavor.

3 TOOLS FOR TAPPING INTO CREATIVITY:

1) Creative Expression Journaling

We can use journaling, poetry, drawing, or reflective writing as healthy ways to process emotions and release stress. Creative expression helps us slow down, recognize what we are carrying, and make sense of difficult experiences without judgment. From a prevention perspective, this supports emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience before stress escalates into burnout.

2) Micro-Creativity Breaks

We do not need large amounts of time or artistic skill to benefit from creativity. Taking 5–10 minutes to color, listen to music, rearrange a space, bake, garden, craft, or try something new can help reset our nervous system and bring moments of joy and presence into the day. These small creative practices can strengthen protective factors like positive emotion, mindfulness, and stress reduction. 

3) Creative Problem-Solving and Flexible Thinking

Caregiving often requires us to adapt to changing circumstances, uncertainty, and unexpected challenges. Practicing flexible thinking—such as brainstorming multiple solutions, reframing setbacks, or approaching challenges with curiosity instead of self-criticism—can help reduce feelings of helplessness and overwhelm. Creativity in problem-solving strengthens empowerment, confidence, and our ability to cope with stress in healthier ways across the behavioral health continuum of care.

Creativity may not remove the challenges of caregiving, but it can help us build resilience, regulate stress, reconnect with hope, and remember that we are more than our caregiving responsibilities. As unpaid family caregivers, giving ourselves permission to engage in creativity, self-expression, and restorative practices is not selfish—it is a meaningful way to strengthen emotional wellness and help prevent burnout.