WCN Featured Podcast
Self-Caregiving Strategies Podcast - Featuring Alison van Schie and Theresa Wilbanks
Alison van Schie
Alison is no stranger to podcasting. She is the host of the Island Treasures podcast for caregivers – and she entered the podcasting world as a way to reach caregivers during the pandemic, when lockdowns and restrictions made it more difficult for caregivers to access resources and supports in person. Alison has a background in social work and it is her second nature to seek out and provide resources to folks who need encouragement, support and a reminder that they’re not alone.
Theresa Wilbanks
Overwhelmed and drowning, Theresa navigated toward a more sustainable caregiving experience and founded Sustainable Caregiving. She works with fellow family caregivers to help them navigate their caregiving journey.
Theresa shares her story and strategies in her book Navigating the Caregiver River: A Journey to Sustainable Caregiving. She also shares the strategies as co-host of the Self-Caregiving Strategies Podcast. You can find more Sustainable Caregiving resources at SustainableCaregiving.com.
Featured Episode
About the Self-Caregiving Strategies Podcast
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