An Introduction to The Care Tree: A Care Planning Method
What is care planning?
Care planning is planning for when you need care and support, such as:
During a current or upcoming significant event or life transition (pregnancy, birth, postpartum, death, moving, relationship changes, diagnosis)
For specific ways of being you experience (neurodiversity, conditions, disabilities)
For your internal (emotional, mental, spiritual) experience broadly or for a specific internal state you experience (anxiety, shame, rage, grief, numbness)
Any time it would feel useful to examine your needs and create support ideas, either in a general sense or in a specific realm of your life
This process can be done to casually care plan (with no commitments), create ideas of support for future use, or to formally care plan (with dates, times and accountability systems set up).
What is a care tree?
A care tree is a visual map of what experiences you’re needing support with, where you can get support and what support could look like. When drawn out it is a mind map that’s loosely in the shape of a tree. Creating a care tree is a method of care planning that invites to you to consider:
What you’re needing support with
Where you can access support
What support could specifically look like
Any context you hold around the event you’re care planning around
Creating a care tree is a process that can be done in a linear or nonlinear way. In my care tree zines that guide you through the process, you can work through the sections as they are presented in the zine or you can do them in any order you like.
Where should I start?
If there is something (an event, transition, way of being, etc.) in your life that deeply needs care I recommend starting with that as your focus/trunk (you can use the original How To Create a Care Tree zine). If there’s not anything that deeply needs care in your life right now I recommend starting with a focus/trunk of simply “my life right now” where you broadly consider all aspects of your life.
Should I use this process if there’s nothing I need to care plan around?
Yes! I use this process for many just-in-case or eventual situations and encourage folks who enjoy planning to do that too. Some just-in-case or eventual situations I am care planning for are:
Grief
Moving
Death (my own)
Death (of a loved one)
Crisis
Some folks enjoying planning for future events and some don’t; if you don’t, you definitely do not have to! But if you are someone who enjoys it, it can be nice to have even a basic blueprint for care in stressful or tender times.
Another way you might utilize this process if there’s nothing in your life to care plan around is using it to generate ideas on how to support others. If you’re supporting someone else through a transition, significant event, or stressful time it can be useful to consider what they might need and how you can show up for them. You could ask them if they want to go through the process together (or by themselves), or simply get ideas for questions to ask them from the zine. When you are supporting someone please always remember to get their consent to support them and listen to what they need rather than assuming!
Are your care tree zines free?
Yes, the digital versions (PDFs) are and always will be! Physical copies cost money because they take a lot of time and resources to create. If you utilize the digital versions (for yourself, your communities, your clients, etc.) and you have financial privilege, I invite you to support my work financially via the donation page on my website; it really helps me be able to continue doing this work!
Other details:
A care tree is a living document. I encourage you to change, update or modify it as needed (or make a whole new one!).
Everyone's care trees will be wildly different (even if they have the same focus) because every person is wildly different! This process is meant to make space for and honor each person’s unique experiences and needs, and affirm that all of our needs matter.