We couldn't have done this limited-series podcast so successfully without the support of Chris MacLellan of the Whole Care Network or without our fabulous episode sponsors.

• Circle Of
• Sustainable Caregiving
• Happy Healthy Caregiver
• Joe & Bella
• Connecting Caregivers Radio
• Geriatrx.org
• Caregiver Warrior
• Alongside Caregiver Consulting
• Advocate for Mom & Dad
• the Everyday Nurse
• Brutally Beautiful Foundation

And thank you!

Which strategies help bring you back to your centre? Which can you use to help carry you through a difficult period?

As you listen to the episode identify the strategies you are now using and how each strategy strengthens the other strategies for your unique situation.

Your tailor-made support system filled with the self-caregiving strategies is available to enhance your caregiving journey.

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Heather Zoccali of Brutally Beautiful Foundation

Here's the link to the video Theresa created that we mentioned in the episode Sustainable Caregiving Support System

And a few other links:

The Whole Care Network podcast directory

Island Treasures podcast for Caregivers

Navigating the Caregiver River

Planning is an example of practical self-care which can help us clear the fog of worry we may be experiencing. By planning for the unexpected as well as transitions that come along in our caregiving journeys, our awareness and preparation can reduce the anxiety that accompanies change so that we are empowered as we navigate these transitions.

Thank you to this episode’s sponsor, Jessica Sima, founder of the Everyday Nurse.

To check out the resources we spoke about to assist with your planning and preparing, here are the links:

Sustainable Caregiving - for information and tips to help with challenging conversations

For Advance Care Planning:

• Five Wishes
• The Conversation Project
• My Speak Up Plan (Canada)
• My Voice (Canada)

Family Emergency Planning Sessions (provided by the Caregiving Years Training Academy)

Forgiving is the gift we give ourselves; but it is a process. We invite you to listen to this valuable strategy of forgiving to free up your heart and your mind.

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Debra Hallisey of Advocate for Mom and Dad

Journaling is a form of venting and a great way to process our emotions while simultaneously capturing our caregiving experience. We can use journaling to record medical information, changes in behavior, changes in health, and we can also use it to record the funny moments, or work through a frustrating situation, or even use it to figure out the best approach to a difficult situation. If we choose to look back at our journals we can see how we overcame challenges and we may appreciate seeing how much we have grown through our experiences.

We discuss how helpful journal prompts are to get us started with journaling and thank Happy Healthy Caregiver for sponsoring this episode and also for creating a daily self-care journal called "Just for You" which contains helpful prompts.

Here's the link to the video Theresa mentioned of the Caregiver in a Superhero Cape

Have you ever just felt like screaming out loud to release some of the frustration you are experiencing? In this episode you will hear how beneficial this can be. We'll guide you in your exploration to find a safe place and way for venting. So come along on this episode with us to hear more about venting with the hope that you will feel validated, connected and not alone.

A couple of references for this episode include the podcast Theresa mentioned: The Art of Holding Space

Matt Kahn’s book -  All for Love: The Transformative Power of Holding Space

The Caregiving Years Training Academy Directory of Certified Caregiving Consultants

Our episode sponsor Alongside Caregiver Consulting

Music Credits: Beautiful Piano by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/piano-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In caregiving there are many obstacles. We encounter them within the systems we must navigate through. Our friends, family members and even our care recipient can present obstacles for us. There is hope though and we can become stronger by leaning into obstacles, tune in to hear more.

Thank you to this episode's sponsor Susanne White of Caregiver Warrior and Susanne's book is now available "Self-Care for Caregivers: a practical guide to caring for you while you care for your loved one"

And for more on the "compassionate scientist" we spoke about - you can listen to Jodi Kay Benusa on "Stop, Pause and Reflect" on the Island Treasures podcast for Caregivers.

We explore when winning is losing and not winning at all, and how we may be able to find happiness in the present moment so that we can maximize memories and minimize regrets... all while winning.

We talk about how ego enters the equation as does our own tight grip on our goals; and once we loosen our grip we see there are other alternatives that may provide a win-win outcome along with an improved relationship with our care-recipient.

Theresa shares wisdom from David Solie's book: How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders

Thank you to this episode's sponsor Geriatrx.

It is not easy to accept help or even ask for help and we explore some of the reasons for this reluctance. We discuss different types of help available including agencies and informal resources.

We explore what respite looks like and how beneficial it may be to check out options before they are needed urgently.

Theresa and Alison hope that by listening to this episode you will be open to accepting help and freeing up some of your time and energy to focus on your own well-being. Accepting help may require taking a baby step to delegate one task at a time.

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Joe & Bella Inc.

And here's the article Alison mentioned called "Asking For Help to Relieve Caregiver Stress".

Theresa learned not only how to accept the role of caregiver, but how to embrace it, which she found empowering. She learned that by releasing her resistance to accepting the role she was able to reduce her stress. Through applying this strategy, Theresa was able to turn many of her caregiving realities into gifts and you'll hear all about these gifts in this episode.

If you find yourself in the midst of caregiving or just dipping your toes in the waters of caregiving, you will want to hear how you can take back control and thrive in your role as a caregiver. By reframing the experience you may want to start collecting your own souvenirs along your caregiving journey.

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Linda Burhans of Connecting Caregivers Radio

We talk about "compassion fatigue" and "plugging your bucket". If these terms aren't familiar to you - we will be explaining them in the episode.

There is good news: we talk about how to reconnect to our compassion so we can rebuild our compassion reserves and our actions can once again come from our heart.

Be sure to check out this episode's sponsor is Joe & Bella Inc.

Self-care can look different during caregiving and may be difficult to prioritize. In this episode we will look at reimagining self-care activities so we can fit 5, 10 or 15 minute blocks of self-care into our day. We look at what renews our energy and what activities we find calming and relaxing - and how to keep connected to our passions and creativity through self-care.

Be sure to check out this episode's sponsor Healthy Happy Caregiver. Among their many resources and services, they offer a great tool for managing your own self-care.

If you struggle to prioritize your own self-care this episode is a must-listen-to episode and remember, it's not selfish to care for yourself!

How do we cultivate mindfulness? You will hear about many forms of meditation. We talk about prayer, curiosity, stillness and breathing exercises as ways to cultivate this helpful strategy. It may take effort, but it is certainly worth exploring the benefits with Theresa and Alison in this episode.

This episode is sponsored by Sustainable Caregiving with music credits as follows: Weekend by LesFM https://lesfm.net/acoustic-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Join us as we explore why setting boundaries can be difficult and as we answer questions such as: How do we set boundaries? Who should be included and considered when we set boundaries? How do we start the process and the conversation?

This episode's sponsor is CircleOf the creator of the Family Caregiver App CircleOf.

The podcast episodes will air every first and third Tuesday of the month with the introductory episode due to launch July 5th, 2022, be sure to subscribe so you won't miss the first or any of the subsequent episodes.