Welcome to the 'Self-Caregiving Strategies podcast' where Theresa Wilbanks and Alison van Schie, both Certified Caregiving Consultants, explore the 12 Strategies for Sustainable Caregiving. These strategies were developed by Theresa and originated from her caregiving experience as she looked after her dad for the last 7 years of his life. When the challenges of caregiving began to impact her physical and emotional well-being, she knew that the path she was on was not sustainable and she needed a new approach to caregiving before becoming completely overwhelmed and burnt out. By asking herself: “What Am I Feeling?” “Why Am I Feeling this way?” and “How can I feel better?” she developed these strategies. Theresa and Alison will be discussing one strategy per episode throughout the limited series. We invite you to submit your questions or comments as there will be occasion to devote an episode to addressing your feedback.

These strategies and discussions are presented to provide a perspective that will enhance your caregiving experience and can be incorporated into your daily life to help you prioritize your well-being, help you cope better and avoid burnout. Not all strategies will be applicable to your situation right now, but hearing what they are and remembering that they exist will help when you need them. The strategies are:

- Setting and reinforcing boundaries

· Developing mindfulness and awareness

· Cultivating our capacity for compassion, importantly self-compassion

· Re-imagining and micro-dosing self-care

· Accepting the role and the gifts that it offers

· Accepting help and using the bonus time for self-care

· Discovering the power of accepting alternatives

· Embracing and transforming obstacles

· Venting and releasing the pressure

· Journaling to process the emotions

· Forgiving to free your mind and heart

· Planning and preparing

· And a bonus strategy – Embracing the routine