THE SWISS CHEESE MODEL OF SELF-CARE
When Life Feels Like Too Much
Strengthening Your Support Layers
No single coping strategy has to work perfectly all of the time.
The Swiss cheese model can be adapted as a helpful self-care metaphor: every layer of support has gaps, but several different layers can overlap so that when one is weaker, another can help hold you.
The full guide explores self-awareness, physical care, emotional regulation, coping tools, environment, boundaries, support networks, professional help, hope and identity. It also looks at what happens when several gaps line up at once and life suddenly feels like too much.
Included are personal reflection, support-layer mapping, worksheets, recognising current gaps, strengthening one weak layer, emergency support planning, neurodivergent support layers, a seven-day layer-building exercise, books and clinical/source notes.
A message from Space to Breathe Therapy:
Strength is not having no gaps. It is having somewhere to turn when a gap appears. You are allowed to be supported from more than one direction.
Until next time, give yourself Space to Breathe.
Maggie
Space to Breathe Therapy
