GLASGOW, Ky. — A Lindsey Wilson University counseling professor who lives in Glasgow has published her first book, a workbook designed to encourage therapists to make time for reflection and self-care.

Jodi Crane’s “Time for Me: 44 Journaling and Expressive Art Prompts for Busy Therapists” is intended primarily for counselors but also can be adapted for other professionals in human services, including nurses and teachers.

Crane, who has taught counseling at Lindsey Wilson for more than 25 years and has worked as a therapist for more than three decades, said she has emphasized the importance of self-care throughout her career.

“I tell students all the time that you can only take your clients as far as you’re willing to go yourself,” Crane said. “I tell them that even after they graduate, they need to keep working on themself.”

The book is organized as a workbook and contains 44 brief essays accompanied by reflection questions and prompts for journaling, expressive art and sandtray activities.

Crane is a registered play therapist supervisor and said the activities are designed to help therapists reflect on both their work with clients and their own well-being.

The book is divided into two sections. The first includes 12 essays focused on clients, while the second contains 32 essays focused on the therapist, including questions and creative prompts related to self-care.

Although the book was written for therapists, Crane said other professionals can adapt the exercises to their own work.

“As they are reading it, they would substitute whatever word feels right for them whenever they encounter the words ‘therapist’ or ‘client’ in the book,” Crane said.

For example, teachers could substitute “teacher” and “student,” she said.

Crane said she had considered writing a book for therapists for several years before becoming more serious about the project last summer.

Receiving the finished copies earlier this summer was a significant moment, she said.

“It felt so surreal because this was something I had wanted to do for a long time,” Crane said.

In addition to being a registered play therapist supervisor, Crane is a licensed professional counselor supervisor and national certified counselor. She previously served as chair of the Association for Play Therapy’s board of directors and founded Art and Play Haven.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas Christian University, a master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in marriage and family therapy from St. Mary's University in Texas, and a doctorate in counselor education with a specialization in play therapy from the University of North Texas.

“Time for Me” is Crane’s first book. She has previously published several professional articles.