Rachel thinks that all caregivers need to see a therapist whose moral compass is in-line with their own.
Transcript
So I’ve been going to that group, I guess, almost four years now. They meet once a month and we take summers off. And the leader of that group is a therapist and her brother has MS. And I started seeing her privately as well, so she’s also been an absolute godsend. I think anyone who is caregiving needs to see a therapist. And not anyone though; it needs to be someone who is in line with your moral compass and your values and who you respect, and my therapist actually remind me of my mom a lot! But she is great. She has got me out of dark places and I don’t see her that often anymore because she’s given me the tools to do it on my own. But I still check in with her every so often. So that has been very, beyond helpful, that support group who—they are just my friends at this point really—and then, as well, the therapist. And then just surrounding myself with people who are up to having honest and real conversations.
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- What is it like to be a caregiver? – RachelRealizing that it’s long-term is tough and sometimes Rachel wonders where the end is.
- Trying to find the right balance – Rachel (2)Rachel was always worried about her mother’s safety. Now, with more support in place, she thinks she could leave the city for the first time in her life.
- Trying to find the right balance – RachelCaring for someone can be beneficial if you allow it to be, says Rachel. Finding the balance is important.
- Support from family and friends – RachelWhen Rachel started opening up to friends, she found that many of them were also caring for their parents.
- Personal growth and transformation – RachelRachel has a close bond with her mother, and appreciates the time she has spent with her.
- Impact on health – RachelRachel thinks that all caregivers need to see a therapist whose moral compass is in-line with their own.
- Effects of care recipients’ behaviour – RachelRachel worries that her mother is no longer safe living by herself. Still, her mother wants nothing to do with assisted living.
- Challenging emotions and feelings – RachelRachel describes two incidents with her mother and how it made her fearful that something serious could happen when she wasn’t there.
- Becoming a caregiver -RachelRachel was a teenager when her mother was diagnosed with MS. She thinks she blocked a lot out, but remembers knowing she had to be there for her