Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Caregivers Podcast
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caregiver Grief and Why You Don’t Just ‘Get Over It’ w/ Les Harp | 19 oct. 2026 | 01:28:34 | |
For a caregiver, grief doesn’t always start when someone dies. It can start months or even years earlier, while you’re still doing everything you can for the person you love. Then they die, and everything changes again. In Episode 56 of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark welcomes back hospice nurse and end-of-life educator Les Harp, known online as That Hospice Guy. Les was the primary caregiver for two wives, Cassie and Sonia, and lost both of them to cancer. He talks about caregiver grief from both sides of the bedside: anticipatory grief, the relief and guilt that so often follow a death, and the silence that comes when the caregiving suddenly stops. He also explains why grief isn’t something you “get over,” and how he found a way to build a life with love and joy in it again. Click here to watch on YouTube. Connect With Us: Buy Us a Coffee: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Home Care vs. Assisted Living - The Real Costs w/ Janice Martin | 13 oct. 2026 | 01:33:49 | |
How do you know when keeping a parent at home is asking more than you can give? And what if you promised you’d never move them into a care facility? In this episode, Dr. Mark welcomes back Senior Living Advisor Janice Martin. Together they walk through the move into care, from recognizing it’s time to what happens after you go home. They follow a model family as care needs grow, and they track the costs at every stage: in-home care, assisted living, memory care, and the hidden add-ons families don’t see coming. The numbers are eye-opening.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. | |||
| When Caregiving Sucks: Real Advice for the Isolated, Exhausted Caregiver w/ Tiffany Lin Smith | 05 oct. 2026 | 01:35:40 | |
This week, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with hospice nurse, author, and creator behind Broken and Brave Health, Tiffany Lin Smith. Known for saying the quiet parts about caregiving out loud on TikTok, Tiffany joins Dr. Mark to unpack the unvarnished realities of modern healthcare, the overwhelming demands placed on family caregivers, and why true survival requires self-preservation over performative self-care. Together, they confront systemic issues ranging from nurse burnout and bureaucratic charting overload to corporate healthcare priorities, the trillion-dollar unpaid care economy, and the dangerous assumption that families automatically know how to provide complex medical care. Tiffany also shares practical guidance on setting boundaries to protect relationships, holding honest end-of-life and goals-of-care conversations, managing sibling friction, and reclaiming your identity both during caregiving and after it ends.
Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Cancer Caregiving & Self Preservation w/ Charlotte Bayala | 28 sept. 2026 | 00:59:20 | |
When someone you love receives a cancer diagnosis, life shifts in an instant - and the waiting can feel endless. This week, Dr. Mark sits down with Charlotte Bayala, who has cared for her husband through thyroid cancer for nearly 14 years. Charlotte shares the raw, unspoken realities of family caregiving: the sudden thrust into medical procedures without training, navigating severe scan anxiety ("scansiety"), and why standard advice around "self-care" often fails overwhelmed caregivers. Together, they explore the essential shift from self-care to self-preservation, practical daily grounding rituals through breathwork, maintaining identity and humor, and what it truly takes to protect your connection with your partner through long-term uncertainty. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Signs You're in Caregiver Survival Mode w/ Greg Fougere | 21 sept. 2026 | 01:05:39 | |
Can a caregiver heal while still caregiving? What does recovery look like when daily responsibilities may continue for years? This week, Dr. Mark is rejoined by trauma-informed coach Greg Fougere to explore the deeper layers of caregiver burnout, nervous system survival mode, and self-abandonment. Together, they discuss why high competence can become a trap, why having free time often fails to bring rest, and how self-curiosity serves as the foundation for staying connected to yourself without letting caregiving consume your identity. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| When You Love Them But Hate Caregiving w/ Elaine K. Sanchez | 14 sept. 2026 | 01:21:46 | |
Can you deeply love someone and still hate being their caregiver? In this episode of The Caregiver's Podcast, Dr. Mark welcomes back Elaine K. Sanchez - author, speaker, and founder of CaregiverHelp.com- to tackle the hardest, most unspoken emotional realities of caregiving: resentment, exhaustion, family friction, and compassion fatigue. About Our Guest:
Connect With Us: Buy Us a Coffee: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| How to Handle Sibling Conflict While Caring for Aging Parents w/ Fern Schumer Chapman | 08 sept. 2026 | 01:10:29 | |
Caring for an aging parent rarely brings adult siblings together the way we imagine. When one sibling carries the daily burden while another steps back - or swoops in at the last minute demanding an equal voice - resentment, grief, and exhaustion quickly take over. This week, Dr. Mark is joined by Fern Schumer Chapman, author of Brothers, Sisters, Strangers, for an unflinching conversation about sibling dynamics during parental decline. Together, they explore why caregiving revives childhood roles, why the opposite of estrangement isn’t reconciliation but peace, and how family caregivers can set clear guardrails to protect their own well-being.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Caregiver Survival Mode: Why Food Becomes Your Only Comfort w/ Vanessa Scaringi & Kathryn Garland | 31 août 2026 | 01:08:13 | |
In Episode 49 of The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with eating disorder specialists and Hungry for Connection authors Vanessa Scaringi and Kathryn Garland. Together, they explore why disordered eating and emotional eating in caregivers are rarely issues of willpower or discipline, but rather signals of survival mode, unmet emotional needs, and deep attachment dynamics. Resources Mentioned: Click here to watch a video of this episode. Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| "Caregiving Cost Me Everything" — Why Amy Goyer Went Bankrupt Caring for Family | 24 août 2026 | 01:32:34 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark sits down with caregiving expert Amy Goyer to discuss the hidden financial crises that often accompany long-term family caregiving. Drawing from her own experience caring for her parents and sister—which ultimately resulted in personal bankruptcy despite early planning—Amy outlines how daily care decisions compound into major financial strain. This conversation explores the gap between standard retirement planning and the realities of chronic illness, the hidden expenses of aging in place, and practical strategies caregivers can use to protect their own financial future.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Why Toxic Families Punish the Caregiver w/ Amy Vasterling | 17 août 2026 | 01:19:03 | |
When a caregiver finally sees dysfunctional family dynamics clearly, the realization can feel both liberating and devastating. Understanding the dysfunction does not automatically wake up the rest of the family—and often, the system protects itself by pushing back through guilt, manipulation, and criticism. In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski welcomes back Amy Vasterling to examine the real cost of getting free from unhealthy family systems. Together, they explore why reliable family members get trapped as default caregivers, how to handle criticism from relatives who do not show up, and how to continue providing care without disappearing into the role. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Support Our Guest: Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| How to Plan for Aging Alone w/ Dr. Sara Zeff Geber | 10 août 2026 | 00:56:40 | |
This week, Dr. Mark sits down with Dr. Sara Zeff Geber, a leading voice and author on the topic of solo aging. Together, they discuss what it truly means to age without reliable family support, debunk common myths surrounding solo agers, and explain why independence alone cannot replace a structured care plan. From creating advance healthcare directives and selecting younger decision-making proxies to leveraging professional fiduciaries, congregate living, and community resources like the PACE program, Dr. Geber offers practical strategies for navigating older adulthood with confidence and purpose.
Connect With Us: 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| The Untold Truth About Nursing Homes w/ Chrystal Moran | 03 août 2026 | 01:30:36 | |
This week, host Dr. Mark sits down with long-term care nurse, patient advocate, and public voice Nurse Chrystal Moran. Together, they pull back the curtain on the unseen realities inside long-term care facilities. From extreme nurse-to-patient staffing ratios (sometimes reaching 54:1 or higher) to the hidden financial and management decisions shaping bedside care, Chrystal shares a candid look at the friction between frightened families and overworked healthcare workers. Learn how to distinguish between management failures and individual care issues, what critical questions to ask when touring facilities, and how families and nurses can partner together to advocate for the quality care every resident deserves.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Caregiving Through Addiction w/ Dr. Nicole Kosanke | 27 juil. 2026 | 01:33:06 | |
This week, Dr. Mark is joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Nicole Kosanke to discuss the complex reality of loving someone with an addiction. Unlike other forms of caregiving, addiction often introduces broken trust, impossible questions, and the fear of enabling. Dr. Kosanke breaks down the CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) and Invitation to Change models, providing actionable advice for families feeling overwhelmed by crisis. This episode explores how caregivers can establish boundaries, role-model healthy behaviors, and prioritize their own well-being without abandoning their loved ones. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Terrified of Losing Your Parents? w/ Angela Caldwell | 20 juil. 2026 | 01:26:32 | |
This week, Dr. Mark is joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Angela Caldwell to explore one of the most profound unspoken challenges adult children face: losing a parent. Together, they unpack the psychological weight of anticipatory grief before active caregiving even begins, the struggle to initiate difficult end-of-life conversations, and the emotional realities - from deep grief to unexpected relief - that follow a parent's death.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Loving Someone Who Wants to Die w/ Dr. Stacey Freedenthal | 13 juil. 2026 | 01:11:55 | |
What changes for a caregiver when day-to-day worry transforms into the terrifying question: "Does the person I love still want to be here?" This week, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with therapist, author, and associate professor Dr. Stacey Freedenthal to explore the immense, unspoken toll of loving someone who has lost the will to live. This heavy but profoundly necessary conversation dives into the heart of caregiver hypervigilance—from checking bedrooms every morning to reading every unanswered text as a warning sign. Dr. Freedenthal introduces the practice of "Brave Listening" (asking the questions whose answers you fear) and explains how caregivers can navigate complex emotions like trauma, anxiety, and even hidden anger without losing themselves entirely to the role. Together, they challenge the cultural myth that love can cure everything and discuss how a caregiver can reconcile with their own human limitations. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c
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| The Truth About Caregiver Resentment w/ Elaine Sanchez | 07 juil. 2026 | 01:01:33 | |
This week, Dr. Mark discusses one of the most difficult emotions for caregivers to admit: resentment. He is joined by Elaine K. Sanchez, founder of caregiverhelp.com and author of Letters from Madelyn, to explore why this feeling builds when caregivers are isolated, overwhelmed, and unsupported. Elaine shares her expertise on how to navigate the complex emotions of caregiving without feeling like a moral failure. The conversation covers the difference between fleeting anger and long-term resentment, the guilt associated with feeling relief, and the necessity of establishing firm boundaries. Listeners will also learn a practical three-step approach—awareness, acceptance, and action—to help process heavy emotions and discover how to practice "creative indifference" to protect their own well-being. About Our Guest:
Connect With Us: Buy Us a Coffee: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Financial Caregiving 101: The Legal "Permission Slips" You Need Right Now w/ Beth Pinsker | 29 juin 2026 | 01:19:38 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with certified financial planner, personal finance journalist, and author Beth Pinsker to unpack one of the least discussed yet most challenging aspects of looking after a loved one: financial caregiving. Whether you are quietly stepping in to help an aging parent sort through bills, managing an unexpected legal crisis, or navigating complex estate planning within a blended family, this conversation provides a practical roadmap. Beth shares both her professional expertise and raw, lived experience caring for her own mother to help you protect your family's assets, preserve your loved one's dignity, and manage the intense emotional dynamics that arise when money and family mix. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Support Our Guest: Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Caregiving in a Broken Family w/ Angela Caldwell | 22 juin 2026 | 01:22:08 | |
This week, Dr. Mark sits down with Angela Caldwell, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in high-conflict families. Together, they discuss the emotional toll of caregiving within a fractured family, how to coordinate care when siblings strongly disagree, and strategies for protecting yourself from caregiver resentment and complicated grief. If you are the person trying to keep care moving while managing difficult family dynamics, this conversation is for you.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Do You Owe Your Parents Care If They Hurt You? w/ Dr. Joshua Coleman | 15 juin 2026 | 00:49:03 | |
What happens when an estranged parent becomes sick, dependent, or close to death? In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski speaks with Dr. Joshua Coleman, clinical psychologist and author of The Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict, about family estrangement, caregiving, guilt, boundaries, and end-of-life decisions. They discuss why adult children cut ties with parents, how abuse, neglect, divorce, mental illness, addiction, and old family roles can shape estrangement, and what happens when caregiving responsibilities suddenly return during illness or terminal decline. This conversation is for caregivers, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and families facing difficult questions like: Do I owe care to a parent who hurt me? If you are navigating caregiving, estrangement, hospice, aging parents, or complicated family dynamics, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how to make decisions you can live with later. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Self-care: The Impact of Endometriosis w/ Dr. Laura Katz | 08 juin 2026 | 00:55:18 | |
In this week's episode, Dr. Mark is joined by clinical health and rehabilitation psychologist Dr. Laura Katz (co-founder of Endometriosis 360 and assistant professor at McMaster University) for a deeply honest conversation about endometriosis. Endometriosis affects roughly 1 in 10 women and girls of reproductive age, yet it is frequently minimized as "bad cramps" or a minor period issue. Dr. Katz breaks down the systemic load of living with this chronic condition, the psychological toll of multi-year diagnostic delays, and how the unpredictability of flare-ups reshapes intimacy, work, parenting, and everyday life. Referenced Video: https://www.tiktok.com/@brutamerica/video/7646491172503948558 Recommended Reading Mentioned in this Episode: Support Our Guest: Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Caregiving Killed Our Marriage w/ Kate Washington | 01 juin 2026 | 01:33:09 | |
In this week's episode, Dr. Mark sits down for a deeply moving, brutally honest conversation with returning guest Kate Washington. Kate is a writer and former caregiver whose reality was completely upended when her former husband was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, shifting their dynamic from equal partners to nurse and patient. Kate opens up about the invisible mental load of caregiving, the erosion of physical and emotional intimacy, and the free-floating resentment that surfaces when your life is no longer your own. She also shares the immense guilt and social anxiety she faced when choosing to step away from her marriage years after the initial crisis passed—not out of selfishness, but as an act of survival. If you have ever felt completely invisible, isolated, or burnt out while looking after a loved one, this episode is a powerful reminder that you are not carrying this weight alone. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Support Our Guest: Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| The Complete Guide to Hospice Care w/ Les Harp | 25 mai 2026 | 01:36:22 | |
In this weeks episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with hospice nurse, clinical educator, and content creator Les Harp (@thathospiceguy). After unexpectedly becoming a caregiver and losing two wives to cancer, Les turned his profound personal grief into a life mission to educate families and healthcare professionals about the reality of end-of-life care. In this deeply moving and honest conversation, Dr. Mark and Les dismantle the biggest myths surrounding hospice, discuss how to handle shifting goals of care, and explore the heavy emotional toll - including anticipatory grief and burnout - carried by family caregivers. Whether your family is currently navigating an end-of-life diagnosis or you simply want to understand this inevitable stage of life with more humanity and less fear, this episode is for you.
Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. Listen: 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| "Promise Me You’ll Never Put Me in a Home”: When Families Face Long-Term Care w/ Janice Martin | 19 mai 2026 | 00:55:21 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with senior living expert Janice Martin to unpack the hidden traps families fall into during this challenging stage. From navigating the guilt of a "never put me in a home" promise to managing intense sibling friction over inheritance versus care costs, this conversation brings to light the realities families are often afraid to say out loud. We also explore the practical side of senior housing: baseline costs, level-of-care price thresholds, resident rights regarding personal habits, intimacy in care facilities, and how to recognize the tipping point of true caregiver burnout.
Support Our Guest: Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Setting Boundaries Without the Guilt: A Caregiver's Guide to Healing w/ Greg Fougere | 08 mai 2026 | 00:59:32 | |
Caregiving is often framed through the lens of love and duty, but what happens when it becomes an old survival role? In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with trauma-informed coach Greg Fougere to explore the deep-rooted family patterns, nervous system responses, and "self-abandonment" that often drive the default caregiver. We dive into the concept of parentification - where children become the emotional regulators for their parents - and how these childhood adaptations create a "survival mode" baseline that leads to extreme burnout in adulthood. If you’ve ever felt like you can’t keep going but you also can't stop, this conversation is for you. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Support Our Guest: Connect With Us: Subscribe to The Caregivers Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you find these conversations helpful, please leave a review or share this episode with a fellow caregiver. 🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| The Hidden Family Dynamics That Break Caregivers | Amy Vasterling on Narcissism and Care | 01 mai 2026 | 01:13:11 | |
Are you a family caregiver who feels trapped by unfair family dynamics? In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski welcomes author Amy Vasterling to discuss how family conditioning can strip away a caregiver’s identity. Amy shares insights from her book, Know, explaining why boundaries are often treated as betrayal in enmeshed families and how caregivers can reclaim their inner truth. The conversation dives deep into the difference between The Model (social and family control) and The Knowing (our innate truth). Amy and Dr. Mark explore the unique challenges faced by Highly Sensitive People (HSP) in caregiving roles, the hidden control within enabling behaviors like worry and guilt, and practical strategies for navigating siblings who refuse to share the load. If you have ever felt like the family scapegoat or struggle with the false moral standard of total sacrifice, this episode provides the language and tools you need to find safety and choice again. Amy Vasterling is an author and researcher who helps individuals reclaim their inner truth from social and family conditioning. Her book, Know: Where the Status Quo Ends and You Come to Life, offers a handhold for those navigating complex emotional systems.
🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1fLSHPA7ZHbOpvrmcbfcd5?si=2a71d7c4e2e9427c | |||
| Is It Time For Assisted Living? w/ Janice Martin | 24 avr. 2026 | 01:00:27 | |
When is it truly time to transition a parent or loved one into assisted living? In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with senior placement expert Janice Martin to pull back the curtain on the elder care industry. From navigating the 72-hour Medicare discharge crisis to the staggering reality of home care costs (which can exceed $21,000/month), Janice provides a roadmap for families feeling overwhelmed and guilty. We explore how to identify the subtle red flags of decline, how to choose a facility based on care rather than pretty furniture, and why the phrase "I love you too much to let you live like this" is the most powerful tool in a caregiver's arsenal. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Follow us: Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: | |||
| The Social Media Outrage Economy: Why Doom Scrolling Hooks Us w/ Dr. Pamela Rutledge | 17 avr. 2026 | 01:18:04 | |
This week on The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with media psychologist Dr. Pamela Rutledge to discuss the "unseen guest" in every caregiving environment: the social media feed. Caregiving already demands immense emotional steadiness, but how do we maintain that clarity when our phones are designed to keep us in a state of hyper-vigilance? We explore the psychological impact of the attention economy, why "doom scrolling" is a double-whammy for caregivers, and how to reclaim your agency in an environment designed to keep you activated. About Our Guest: Dr. Pamela Rutledge (PhD, MBA) is a leading media psychologist who focuses on the intersection of human behavior and digital technology. She helps individuals navigate the complexities of social media, focusing on how we can use these tools to enhance, rather than diminish, our well-being. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Support Our Guest: All Things CGP: Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: | |||
| How to Have a Midlife Crisis Without Breaking Your Life w/ Beverly Blaney | 10 avr. 2026 | 01:26:14 | |
Is it just a sports car and a new wardrobe, or is there something deeper calling from within? In this episode of The Caregiver's Podcast, Dr. Mark welcomes back psychotherapist Bev Blaney to peel back the layers of the "midlife crisis." Moving past the Hollywood cliches, Bev and Mark explore the profound internal reckoning that occurs when the life we’ve built no longer feels like our own. They discuss the tension between the Ego - the rulebook we’ve followed since childhood - and the Soul, which often begins to "call" us toward a more authentic existence during our middle years. Whether you are currently questioning your own path or balancing the heavy responsibilities of caregiving for others while navigating your own transitions, this conversation offers a grounded, empathetic perspective on finding meaning in the "breakdown."
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| Canada's MAID Debate w/ Dr. Ramona Coelho | 03 avr. 2026 | 01:25:18 | |
This week on The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with Dr. Ramona Coelho, a family physician and leading voice in Canada’s MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) debate. Together, they take a deep dive into the clinical and moral shifts occurring within Canada’s healthcare system. Dr. Coelho shares harrowing insights into "Track 2" cases—where patients who are not terminally ill are being approved for MAID—and discusses how social vulnerabilities like poverty, housing insecurity, and loneliness are increasingly becoming drivers for assisted death. Dr. Coelho argues for a return to a medical culture that prioritizes accompaniment and community support, ensuring that care is always the first and primary response to human suffering. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Follow us: | |||
| Caring For Emotionally Immature Parents w/ Heather Gray | 27 mars 2026 | 01:22:18 | |
In this episode of The Caregiver’s Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with licensed mental health professional Heather Gray to discuss a complex and often silent struggle: caregiving for an emotionally immature or "emotionally limited" parent. When a parent lacks the capacity to meet their child's emotional needs, the wounds don't simply disappear with age. In fact, the transition into a caregiving role can often reactivate old survival modes, scan the nervous system for threats, and feel like an act of self-betrayal. Heather helps us navigate the "treacherous waters" of setting boundaries, choosing care over duty, and why the most powerful tool for a caregiver is self-honesty. Click here to watch a video of this episode. | |||
| The Truth About 'MAID' In Canada w/ Krista Carr | 21 mars 2026 | 01:09:10 | |
In this episode of the Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with Krista Carr, CEO of Inclusion Canada, to discuss the complex and often controversial reality of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada. Since its legalization, Canada has recorded over 76,000 MAID deaths. While many see an idealized version of a peaceful end-of-life choice, this conversation explores the "shadow track" of MAID—where death may become easier to access than essential care, housing, or disability supports. Krista Carr highlights the critical distinctions between Track 1 (imminent death) and Track 2 (disability-related) MAID, the lack of robust safeguards, and the ethical concerns raised by the United Nations regarding discrimination against people with disabilities. We dive deep into whether MAID is truly a "free choice" when the alternative is poverty and social isolation, and what the future holds as the program expands toward mental illness and mature minors.
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| PTSD Crisis Management w/ Dr. Shaili Jain | 13 mars 2026 | 01:14:26 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with Dr. Shaili Jain - a Stanford psychiatrist and world-renowned PTSD expert—to provide a practical "playbook" for caregivers. We dive deep into the neuroscience of trauma, explaining why logic fails during a trigger and how caregivers can protect their own nervous systems from "vicarious traumatization." Support our guest: Follow us: | |||
| Chronic Pain Explained w/ Dr. Dean Tripp | 06 mars 2026 | 01:30:36 | |
This week on The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with returning guest Dr. Dean Tripp, a professor of Psychology, Anesthesiology, and Urology at Queens University. Together, they pull back the curtain on the neuroscience of chronic pain, explaining how it physically alters the brain and why the traditional medical model often fails those in pain. Dr. Tripp introduces the C.A.R.E. Method, a practical framework for caregivers to provide empathy without burning out, and tackles the taboo topic of caregiver resentment. Whether you are living with pain or caring for someone who is, this episode offers a roadmap for moving from a state of learned helplessness back into a loving partnership. Click here to watch a video of this episode. | |||
| How To Build Capacity As A Caregiver w/ Susan Ackland | 27 févr. 2026 | 01:22:39 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Host Dr. Mark sits down with Susan Ackland, a psychotherapist with decades of experience who has spent the last 10 years navigating the complexities of caring for a mother with Alzheimer’s and a father-in-law with Lewy body dementia, all while raising children and maintaining her professional practice. Click here to watch a video of this episode. | |||
| Do You 'owe' Aging Parents Care? w/ Elizabeth Miller | 20 févr. 2026 | 01:13:12 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with Elizabeth Miller, founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver, to tackle the question nobody wants to say out loud: When parents age and need care, what do their adult children actually owe them? As a veteran podcaster and sandwich generation caregiver, Elizabeth shares the raw reality of balancing a career and children while managing the declining health of aging parents. We discuss the mudslide of caregiving, the difference between being a caregiver and a care partner, and how to handle the burnout that comes with the impossible squeeze of the sandwich generation. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Socials: Follow us: | |||
| Decolonizing Medicine: A New Vision for Future Doctors w/ Dr. Jamaica Cass | 13 févr. 2026 | 00:55:12 | |
Why do Indigenous communities distrust the healthcare system, and how do we fix it? In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with Dr. Jamaica Cass - the first Indigenous woman in Canada to earn both an MD and a PhD. Dr. Cass shares her mission to decolonize medicine, from reshaping medical school curricula to building localized health education programs. Click here to watch a video of this episode. | |||
| Parenting a Child with Pulmonary Hypertension w/ Cynthia Neilson | 06 févr. 2026 | 01:03:59 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark sits down with Cynthia Neilson to discuss the emotional and practical realities of raising a child with a rare heart-lung condition. Cynthia shares her journey from the initial shock of a complex diagnosis at SickKids to the "stress tests" of everyday parenting—navigating medical equipment at bedtime, setting boundaries with school, and eventually empowering her daughter, Clare, to become her own advocate. It is a story of resilience, finding peace in the face of uncertainty, and the vital importance of caregiver communities. Click here to watch a video of this episode. | |||
| Is Caregiving a Life Sentence? w/ Kate Washington | 30 janv. 2026 | 01:34:35 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, author Kate Washington joins us to discuss her powerful memoir, Already Toast, and the invisible crisis of caregiver burnout. We explore the raw emotional realities of spousal caregiving, the "slow slide" into medical responsibility, and how systemic failures in the healthcare system leave families feeling abandoned. Kate Washington is the author of Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America, a powerful blend of memoir and reporting that exposes how quickly love and responsibility can become total, invisible labor when a partner becomes seriously ill. Her story traces the psychological narrowing caregivers live through: identity erosion, relentless coordination, and the quiet reality of doing high-stakes care with little training, pay, or recognition, all inside a system that often treats caregiving as private “family stuff,” not real work. Washington is also a longtime journalist and food writer based in Northern California, and a frequent speaker on the systemic challenges facing family caregivers. Click here to watch a video of this episode. ▶️ Buy Kate's book, Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America: Follow us: | |||
| Caregiving in 2026: What's IN and What's OUT | 23 janv. 2026 | 00:13:08 | |
Is caregiving consuming your life, or are you surviving the work? In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark breaks down why the "hero narrative" is breaking caregivers and why 2026 is the year we shift from mindless sacrifice to strategic sustainability. We explore the 10 things that are IN (like boundaries as a clinical skill and energy management) and the 10 things that are officially OUT (like toxic empathy and productivity worship). If you are a professional clinician, a family caregiver, or an advocate, this conversation provides a new framework for protecting your health while caring for others. Click here to watch a video of this episode. | |||
| Nurses on the Edge: Fear, Burnout, & Hope w/ Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions President Linda Silas | 16 janv. 2026 | 01:13:07 | |
In this powerful episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions (CFNU), to discuss the precarious state of nursing in 2026. Far beyond simple "burnout," Linda describes a "moral injury" occurring across Canada—a systemic failure where nurses are forced into 30-hour shifts, face escalating workplace violence, and are unable to provide the level of care their patients deserve Watch the full video episode here: Support our guest: Follow us: | |||
| 2026: Caregivers Reset | 09 janv. 2026 | 00:11:16 | |
Caregivers don’t need more motivation, they need more margin. In this Season 2 premiere, Dr. Mark Ropeleski addresses the "diffusion of energy" that leads to caregiver burnout. If you find yourself saying "yes" to every crisis but "no" to your own well-being, this episode is your permission to simplify. Watch the full video episode: Follow us: Books referenced in this episode: | |||
| Every Nurse Carries Trauma w/ Jon Schmid | 02 janv. 2026 | 01:36:03 | |
In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with John Schmid—a veteran ER nurse, former Canadian Armed Forces nursing officer, and past healthcare COO—to pull back the curtain on the "trauma-exposed" nature of healthcare. John provides an honest look at the moral injury that occurs when clinicians are unable to meet their own standards of care due to systemic constraints. Watch the full video episode here: Support our guest: Follow us: | |||
| The Longest Goodbye: 20 Years of Love, Loss, and Parkinson's w/ HeldLight | 26 déc. 2025 | 01:09:12 | |
On this weeks episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski welcomes Brent, founder of HeldLight, for a raw and unflinching conversation about the realities of long-term caregiving. Brent shares his 20-year journey caring for his wife, Trudy, who was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s at age 34.
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| No Violence Nurse: A call to action w/ Kelsey Springer | 19 déc. 2025 | 01:09:30 | |
In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with Kelsey Springer, a critical care nurse and Montana State University instructor known nationally as the "No Violence Nurse." Kelsey shares the harrowing story of a brutal ICU assault that left her requiring total jaw reconstruction and how that event transformed her from a caregiver into a patient—and eventually, a fierce advocate. They discuss the dangerous normalization of workplace violence, the "invisible hits" that lead to nurse burnout, and why the phrase "it’s just part of the job" is a lie that destroys the healthcare workforce. Watch the full video episode: Support our guest: Kelsey's Work: Follow us: Helpful links: | |||
| The Truth About Chronic Pain: The Reality Behind the Diagnosis w/ Dr. Laura Katz | 12 déc. 2025 | 01:07:13 | |
On this week's episode Dr. Mark welcomes Dr. Laura Katz, a clinical and health psychologist, for a discussion on the multifaceted nature of chronic pain, and the truth behind the diagnosis. Dr. Katz addresses the failure of disjointed healthcare systems to treat the "whole person" and the resulting medical trauma experienced by patients. Watch the full video episode: | |||
| Burnout vs. Moral Injury | 05 déc. 2025 | 00:15:33 | |
If you’ve tried self-care, therapy, and time off but still feel hollow inside, the problem might not be burnout—it might be moral injury. In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski distinguishes between the exhaustion of burnout and the deep "soul wound" of moral injury, which occurs when a caregiver’s values are repeatedly violated by a broken system. Join Dr. Mark as he explores why "resilience" isn't the answer to systemic failures and validates the invisible wounds many professional and family caregivers carry. Watch the full video episode: Follow us: | |||
| The Crisis in Nursing w/ Shift Happens | 28 nov. 2025 | 01:18:12 | |
In this episode, Dr. Mark speaks with the host's of the Shift Happens podcast, Darlene Jackson & Brandi Johnson of the Manitoba Nurses Union. They delve into the challenges faced by new nurses transitioning from education to practice & highlight the support needed for new graduates to thrive in a demanding healthcare environment. Watch the full video episode: Support our guest:
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| Why Young Women are Drinking Themselves Into Liver Failure w/ Dr. Jennifer Flemming | 21 nov. 2025 | 00:35:31 | |
In this episode, Dr. Mark & guest Dr. Jennifer Flemming delve into the uncomfortable yet crucial conversations surrounding alcohol-related liver disease and its impact on women and caregivers. Dr. Flemming shares insights on the biological, emotional, and societal factors contributing to this rising crisis, emphasizing the need for awareness and support for those affected. Watch the full video podcast: Support our guest: Follow us: | |||
| Values vs. Numbers in Healthcare: The Nursing Crisis w/ Amie Archibald Varley | 14 nov. 2025 | 01:28:11 | |
On this week's episode, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski & guest Amie Archibald Varley delve into the pressing issue of accountability within the healthcare sector, highlighting the reluctance of leaders to take responsibility for failures and the systemic issues that arise from this lack of accountability. Support our guest: Follow us: Watch the full video episode on YouTube: | |||
| Canada's Healthcare Crisis: Why You're Still Waiting for a Doctor w/ Dr. Anthony Sanfilippo | 07 nov. 2025 | 01:52:07 | |
In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski and Dr. Anthony Sanfilippo discuss the pressing issue of the family doctor crisis in Canada, where millions lack access to primary care. They explore the disconnect between medical education and societal needs, emphasizing the importance of family doctors in providing preventative and chronic care. Support our guest: Watch the full video episode: Follow us: | |||