From Guilt to Good with Jeanette Yates

Jeanette Yates
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Semiweekly

Support for caregivers, plus care tech you can trust. Practical guidance on burnout, boundaries, and guilt, with simple care-tech translation so tools feel safe, supportive, and straightforward.

  1. 3d ago

    Planning Long-Term Care Before a Family Crisis with Lindsay Friedman

    Send us Fan Mail Most families do not make a comprehensive long-term care plan before they need one. Instead, they rely on a few assumptions: “Mom will move in with me.” “My siblings will help.” “We’ll figure it out when the time comes.” But when an aging parent experiences a fall, receives a diagnosis, develops dementia, or can no longer live safely without assistance, those assumptions can quickly become a family crisis. In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates speaks with  Lindsay Friedman, a former nursing assistant, lifelong multigenerational caregiver, four-time founder, and the founder of CareBloom and LTCareNav. Lindsay explains why families need to discuss long-term care before care becomes urgent—and why choosing where someone will live is only one small part of a complete plan. They discuss the true responsibilities of family caregiving, preserving an aging parent’s dignity, the cost of professional care, Medicare and Medicaid misconceptions, sibling responsibilities, dementia care, and the questions every family needs to answer honestly. Lindsay also shares the first two questions caregivers should ask: What am I realistically willing and able to do? What does my loved one want their future care to look like? Because the best time to create a long-term care plan is before your family has to make impossible decisions with no information and no time. Audio Chapters 00:00 The crisis created by not having a plan 01:28 Lindsay’s family caregiving journey 03:10 The hidden responsibilities of family caregiving 04:23 Autonomy, dignity, and the care recipient’s preferences 07:41 What Lindsay learned after becoming a family caregiver 09:00 Why families avoid planning for long-term care 11:26 Moving in with family is not a complete care plan 13:47 The potential cost of professional care 15:15 Medicaid planning and the five-year look-back 18:40 Preparing for the next change in a caregiving journey 20:08 Planning for care with limited financial resources 22:20 The difficult questions families need to answer 26:20 Creativity and connection in dementia care 29:31 The first step for families that have not planned 30:17 How LTCareNav supports families 31:31 The experience that inspired CareBloom 35:00 Plan today, protect tomorrow  Resources and Links Lindsay Friedman LinkedIn LTCareNav CareBloom LTCareNav’s Care Compass Podcast Books by  Lindsay Friedman Plan Today, Protect Tomorrow The Questions That Matter Book Mentioned Creative Care by Dr. Anne Basting Program Mentioned TimeSlips Episode Sponsor Savi Security Jeanette Yates Website and trusted caregiver resources Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Planning Long-Term Care Before a Family Crisis with Lindsay Friedman

  2. Jul 20

    Dementia Separation Anxiety, Repetitive Calls, and Caregiver Guilt

    Send us Fan Mail When someone with dementia calls repeatedly, it can leave caregivers exhausted, distracted, and afraid to put down the phone. Even when the last several calls involved the same question, the next one could be an emergency. And when caregivers cannot answer, they may be left wondering whether their loved one feels frightened, confused, or abandoned. In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates speaks with Kirstin Thomas, co-founder and president of KindredMIND. After a stroke significantly accelerated her mother’s cognitive decline, Kirstin began receiving as many as ten calls before lunch. She eventually realized that her mother was not calling to manipulate her or make her feel guilty. She was frightened and searching for the familiar voice of the person who made her feel safe. Kirstin explains dementia separation anxiety, why reassurance may disappear almost immediately after a call, and why common responses such as voicemail, blocking calls, or saying “you just called me” may not address the emotion underneath the behavior. She also shares the story behind KindredMIND, a voice companion designed to respond in a familiar version of the caregiver’s voice when the caregiver is physically unable to answer. Jeanette and Kirstin discuss validation therapy, caregiver guilt, consent, AI ethics, privacy, and the difference between using technology to replace human connection and using it to protect that connection. Most importantly, Kirstin explains how accepting support allowed her to stop showing up only as the person managing her mother’s life—and begin showing up as her daughter again. Sponsor: Savi Security A special thank you to our Sponsor, Savi Security. Learn more about how Savi protects your family from AI-powered scams across calls and texts, 24/7: https://www.savisecurity.com Resources:  KindredMIND Learn more and explore the 30-day free trial and get 10% off with code: YATES10 https://kindredmind.care/ The Self-Caregiver/Jeanette Yates Caregiver resources and support from Jeanette Yates: https://www.jeanetteyates.com/trusted-care-technology Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Dementia Separation Anxiety, Repetitive Calls, and Caregiver Guilt

  3. Jul 13

    Patrick Coughlin on Protecting Aging Parents From AI Scams

    Send us Fan Mail AI scammers can now clone a loved one’s voice, impersonate trusted organizations, and create messages that are almost impossible to identify as fake. In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with cybersecurity expert Patrick Coughlin about the AI-powered scam economy targeting older adults, caregivers, and families. Patrick shares how his mother was targeted by a fake kidnapping call using a cloned version of his sister’s voice. That experience led him to create Savi Security and a great free tool called Scamwise, which easily checks suspicious texts, emails, websites, and physical mail and lets you know the likelihood that it's a scam! Jeanette and Patrick discuss why intelligent people still fall for scams, how shame keeps victims silent, why personal information does not prove a caller is legitimate, and how caregivers can protect aging parents without taking away their independence. Patrick also explains second-channel verification, high-pressure “hot zone” moments, and why every family should create and practice using a code word. Episode Summary Patrick Coughlin spent more than 20 years protecting governments and corporations from cyber threats. Then his own mother received a fake kidnapping call featuring an AI-cloned version of her daughter’s voice. In this conversation, Patrick explains how modern imposter scams manufacture trust by impersonating family members, banks, government agencies, pastors, schools, and other familiar people or organizations. He also shares practical ways families can respond, including pausing during high-pressure moments, verifying requests through a second channel, creating a family code word, and using Scamwise to check suspicious communications. This episode helps caregivers protect aging parents while preserving their dignity, confidence, and independence. Guest Bio Patrick Coughlin is a cybersecurity expert, co-founder and CEO of Savi Security, and author of Dark Side of the Boom. After his mother was targeted by an AI-powered fake kidnapping call, Patrick turned his attention toward helping individuals and families protect themselves from modern digital scams. CHAPTERS 00:00 — The AI Voice-Cloning Scam That Targeted Patrick’s Mother 01:27 — Why Patrick Started Protecting Families 02:58 — Why Smart Older Adults Still Get Scammed 04:20 — What Modern AI-Powered Scams Look Like 07:16 — Mass Scams vs. Targeted Imposter Scams 09:38 — Why Scammers Target Older Adults Living Alone 10:59 — How Shame Protects the Scammer 14:46 — Talking to Aging Parents Without Taking Away Independence 17:27 — How Scamwise Checks Suspicious Messages 22:49 — What Second-Channel Verification Means 25:55 — How Scammers Find and Use Personal Information 29:38 — Why Pausing Can Break a Scammer’s Spell 38:40 — The Vision Behind Savi Security 43:40 — The One Cybersecurity Habit Every Family Should Start 45:03 — Why AI Scams Are a Solvable Problem LINKS & RESOURCES Scamwise Savi Security Dark Side of the Boom Patrick Coughlin LinkedIn Jeanette’s Website Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Patrick Coughlin on Protecting Aging Parents From AI Scams

  4. Jul 6

    Kabir Bhatia on Helping Aging Parents Stay Home Safely Without Watching Them

    Send us Fan Mail Most aging parents want to stay home, but how do caregivers keep them safe without taking away their independence, dignity, or privacy? In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Kabir Bhatia, co-founder and CEO of Hello Everyday, about aging in place, caregiver worry, senior safety technology, and how families can support loved ones without making them feel watched. Kabir’s work began from personal experience. After supporting his father through three rounds of cancer and watching his mother adjust to living alone after his father passed, he began thinking deeply about one of the hardest questions caregivers face: how do we help loved ones stay in their own homes safely without turning every conversation into a check-in? Jeanette and Kabir discuss what aging in place actually requires beyond physical safety, including autonomy, community, financial readiness, purpose, and dignity. Kabir also explains why many older adults resist complicated technology, why cameras and apps are not always the right answer, and how Hello Everyday was designed to offer reassurance without surveillance. They also talk about solo aging, advance directives, family conversations before a crisis, dementia-friendly technology, and Hello Tunes — a simple music and reminder device created for people living with cognitive decline or dementia. This conversation is for family caregivers, adult children, solo agers, and anyone trying to help an aging parent, spouse, or loved one stay home safely while still protecting their independence and quality of life. Episode Summary In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Kabir Bhatia, co-founder and CEO of Hello Everyday, about how caregivers can help aging parents and loved ones stay safe at home without taking away their independence or privacy. Kabir shares the personal caregiving experience that shaped his work, including supporting his father through three rounds of cancer and helping his mother adjust to life alone after his father passed. That experience led him to think about the emotional reality many caregivers face: wanting reassurance that a loved one is okay, while also wanting to respect their dignity and autonomy. The conversation explores what aging in place really requires beyond physical safety. Kabir explains that older adults need financial stability, community, purpose, and support systems that allow them to remain connected without feeling monitored. He and Jeanette also discuss why advance directives and care conversations are easier before a crisis, and why families often wait too long to talk about what an aging parent actually wants. Kabir explains the design principles behind Hello Everyday, a simple safety sensor built for older adults who want to live independently. The device does not use cameras, microphones, apps, or Wi-Fi setup. Instead, it helps caregivers know when something may be wrong while allowing the older adult to control privacy settings and avoid feeling watched. Jeanette and Kabir also discuss Hello Tunes, a dementia-friendly music and reminder device designed for people living with cognitive decline. Kabir explains how familiar music, simple controls, reminders, routine, and presence detection can support both the person living with dementia and the caregiver. This episode gives caregivers a clearer way to think about aging in place: not just as staying home safely, but as staying home with dignity, connection, purpose, and the right kind of support. Audio Chapters 00:00 — Helping Aging Parents Stay Home Safely 01:20 — Meet Kabir Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of Hello Everyday 02:00 — Caring for His Father Through Three Rounds of Cancer 05:05 — How His Mother Adjusted to Living Alone 06:40 — Why Constant Check-Ins Can Feel Like a Microscope 08:40 — Grief, Identity, and Learning to Live Differently 11:20 — What Aging in Place Actually Requires 13:20 — Planning Ahead Before a Crisis Happens 15:20 — How to Talk About an Aging Parent’s Wishes 17:40 — Why Advance Directives Are Easier Before the Hospital 19:20 — What Makes Hello Everyday Different 20:14 — Safety vs. Autonomy in Aging in Place 21:40 — Why Older Adults Struggle With Complicated Technology 23:20 — The Story That Inspired Hello Everyday’s Sensor 24:40 — A Safety Device With No Cameras, No Microphones, and No App 26:20 — How Privacy Settings Work for Families 27:40 — When Caregivers Only Get Alerts if Something Is Wrong 28:40 — Daily Texts, Activity Updates, and Family Peace of Mind 30:27 — Supporting Both the Older Adult and the Caregiver 31:07 — Why Hello Everyday Supports Existing Relationships 32:40 — The In-Between Stage: Not Nothing, Not Full Monitoring 33:27 — Solo Agers, Peer Support, and Aging in Community 35:40 — Hello Tunes for Dementia and Cognitive Decline 37:20 — Why Music Helps People Living With Dementia 39:00 — Reminders, Routine, and Reducing Caregiver Friction 40:20 — Call Buttons, Presence Detection, and Dementia Care Support 41:20 — Designing Technology Older Adults Actually Want to Use 42:40 — Aging in Place Successfully, Not Just Safely 45:40 — Being Mortal, Elderhood, and What Medicine Misses About Aging 48:40 — What to Do if You Worry About a Parent Living Alone 51:20 — Helping Loved Ones Stay Home Without Constant Fear Guest Bio Kabir Bhatia is the co-founder and CEO of Hello Everyday, a company building simple safety technology for older adults who want to age in place without giving up their independence or privacy. Before Hello Everyday, Kabir held senior leadership roles at Nike, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch, and led two biotech companies as CEO. He is a mechanical engineer by training, an entrepreneur by choice, and a caregiver by experience. Kabir’s work is shaped by his own caregiving journey, including supporting his father through three battles with cancer and helping his mother adjust to life alone after his father passed. Through Hello Everyday and Hello Tunes, he focuses on creating technology that supports safety, dignity, autonomy, connection, and human relationships. Resources / Links  Hello Everyday Hello Tunes: Kabir Bhatia LinkedIn Being Mortal by Atul Gawande Elderhood by Louise Aronson Buried in Work Jeanette’s website Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Kabir Bhatia on Helping Aging Parents Stay Home Safely Without Watching Them

  5. Jun 30

    Arvind Sarin on How AI Is Changing Home Health Care Without Replacing Nurses

    Send us Fan Mail AI is already changing home health care, but does that mean it is replacing nurses? In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Arvind Sarin, founder and CEO of Copper Digital, about how AI can support home health clinicians without taking the human out of care. Arvind explains what many family caregivers never see: the paperwork, documentation, compliance forms, billing pressure, visit notes, and after-hours charting that home health nurses often carry long after they leave a patient’s home. Jeanette and Arvind discuss why documentation overload contributes to clinician burnout, how that burnout can affect patient care, and how AI can help reduce administrative friction so nurses can spend more time focused on patients and families. They also talk about what caregivers should ask before choosing a home health agency, why privacy and HIPAA compliance matter, and how technology can be used to protect human care rather than replace it. This conversation is for anyone navigating home health care for a parent, spouse, or loved one who wants to better understand what happens behind the scenes and how to advocate for safer, more human-centered care. 00:00 — Why Home Health Nurses Spend Less Time at the Bedside 02:38 — Arvind Sarin’s Connection to Caregiving and Clinician Burnout 06:37 — Building Copper Digital After the Loss of His Brother 10:58 — Why Home Health Became the Focus for AI Automation 14:22 — What a Home Health Nurse’s Day Actually Looks Like 18:27 — Why Nurses Still Rely on Paper Notes and Memory 21:16 — Charting at Night, Weekend Paperwork, and Clinician Burnout 23:43 — How Missing Notes Affect Billing, Paychecks, and Patient Care 26:47 — What AI Actually Does in Home Health Care 28:06 — How AI Turns a Nurse’s Voice Note Into Documentation 30:13 — Human Review, EMRs, and Keeping Care Safe 33:09 — What’s Coming Next for AI in Home Health 36:19 — Why Hospital Discharges Create Repetitive Paperwork 39:41 — Teach-Back Videos, Patient Education, and Reducing Nurse Burden 40:58 — Why AI Should Protect Human Care, Not Replace It 43:58 — What Families Should Ask About Home Health Technology 45:28 — Choosing a Home Health Agency That Actually Cares 47:27 — AI Wellness Calls and When Caregivers Need a Human 51:08 — Questions Caregivers Should Ask Before Choosing Home Health 53:47 — Caregivers as Experts in Their Loved One’s Care 54:46 — Technology’s Real Job: Putting Humans Back at the Center of Care 56:13 — Where to Learn More About Copper Digital and Arvind’s Work Guest Bio Arvind Sarin is the founder and CEO of Copper Digital, a company building AI-powered automation for home healthcare. With more than 15 years of experience building technology solutions for real operational problems, Arvind has focused Copper Digital’s work on helping home health clinicians reduce documentation burden and spend more time with patients. He is also the host of the Inside Home Health Podcast, where he explores the challenges, innovations, and future of home health care. His work centers on using technology to remove administrative friction while keeping the human side of care at the center. Resources / Links  Copper Digital Inside Home Health Podcast Arvind Sarin LinkedIn Teachback.video Jeanette’s website From Guilt to Good Podcast Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Arvind Sarin on How AI Is Changing Home Health Care Without Replacing Nurses

  6. Jun 22

    Annalee Kruger on Caregiver Burnout, Guilt, and Why Families Need an Aging Plan

    Send us Fan Mail Caregiver burnout does not happen all at once. It often starts with love, responsibility, and the belief that you can keep figuring things out as you go. In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Annalee Kruger, founder and CEO of Care Right Inc. and author of The Invisible Patient, about what happens when family caregivers become overwhelmed, invisible, and responsible for decisions they were never prepared to make. Annalee explains why so many adult children and spouse caregivers end up in crisis, why guilt keeps caregivers saying yes long after care becomes unsafe or unsustainable, and why saying no can be an act of love rather than abandonment. She also shares why every family needs an aging plan, what families often get wrong about senior care, and why planning before a crisis can protect both the caregiver and the person receiving care. This conversation is for anyone caring for an aging parent, spouse, or loved one who feels exhausted, guilty, resentful, unsupported, or afraid they are disappearing in the process. Episode Summary In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Annalee Kruger about what happens when caregivers try to care without a plan. Annalee explains why so many family caregivers become overwhelmed by medical decisions, senior care costs, legal confusion, sibling conflict, and guilt before they even realize they are in crisis. The conversation explores Annalee’s concept of “The Invisible Patient,” the family caregiver who is doing everything for everyone while receiving care from no one. Jeanette and Annalee discuss what caregiver burnout actually looks like, why guilt appears so quickly, and how saying no can be one of the most loving things a caregiver does. Annalee also explains what an aging plan is, why families resist planning until crisis hits, and what caregivers can do if they are already in the middle of a crisis. This episode offers validation, language, and practical direction for caregivers who are trying to care for an aging loved one without losing themselves. Audio Chapters 00:00 — Why Caregiving Without a Plan Leads to Burnout 05:31 — Why Families Are Unprepared for Senior Care Decisions 09:27 — What Families Get Wrong About Power of Attorney, Medicare, and Care Plans 12:14 — The Invisible Patient: Why Family Caregivers Disappear 15:55 — Why Caregiver Burnout Is So Hard to Prevent 19:44 — Caregiver Burnout Symptoms: When Stress Becomes Dangerous 24:45 — Caregiver Guilt: Why It Shows Up Everywhere 27:06 — Why Saying No to an Aging Parent Is Not Abandonment 32:30 — What Is an Aging Plan for Aging Parents? 34:40 — Aging in Place Costs: What Families Usually Underestimate 37:43 — Grab and Go Binder: What Caregivers Should Organize Before a Crisis 40:50 — Power of Attorney Is Not Enough: Why Families Need Real Conversations 45:57 — How to Choose the Right Power of Attorney Decision Maker 47:21 — Is It Too Late to Make a Caregiving Plan? 50:20 — How to Talk to Parents Who Refuse an Aging Plan 52:13 — Why a Neutral Third Party Helps Family Caregiving Conversations 53:57 — What Caregivers Should Do First When They Are Burned Out Guest Bio Annalee Kruger, MBA, is the founder and CEO of Care Right Inc., a national elder care consulting firm. She has spent more than 28 years in the senior care industry helping families navigate caregiving, dementia, aging parent decisions, crisis planning, senior care options, and family conflict. Annalee is also a speaker, corporate trainer, podcast host, and author of The Invisible Patient, a practical guide for family caregivers. Her work helps families create aging plans, prepare before crisis, and support caregivers who are overwhelmed by care decisions and burnout. Resources / Links Care Right Inc. The Invisible Patient by Annalee Kruger E-Grab and Go Binder DIY Aging Guide Free 30-minute consultation with Care Right Plan4Life Jeanette’s website Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Annalee Kruger on Caregiver Burnout, Guilt, and Why Families Need an Aging Plan

  7. Jun 16

    Dr. Rondalyn Whitney on Why Grief Changes Your Body, Identity, and Daily Life

    Send us Fan Mail Grief is not just sadness. It can affect your body, your brain, your routines, your relationships, and your sense of who you are. In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney, an occupational therapist, narrative medicine practitioner, and author of Habits of Widows and Lies in the Afterlife. After the traumatic death of her husband in 2020, Rondalyn began writing every day for a year and a day, using the same evidence-based journaling practices she had studied in her academic work. Together, Jeanette and Rondalyn explore caregiver grief, the widowhood effect, occupational identity, and what it means to rebuild a life after loss. Rondalyn explains why grief can show up as fatigue, brain fog, physical symptoms, disrupted routines, and a feeling that the world is suddenly “off kilter.” She also shares how writing became a place where grief could be honest, messy, funny, angry, and true. This conversation is for caregivers, grievers, and anyone who has ever felt like they are not only losing someone they love, but also losing the version of themselves that existed before the loss. Episode summary In this episode, Jeanette Yates speaks with Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney about grief as a full-body, full-life experience. Rondalyn explains how her work as an occupational therapist shaped the way she understands care, loss, routines, and identity. She shares why grief can affect the body like a stress response, why caregivers often feel disoriented after loss, and why the widowhood effect deserves more attention as a real health risk. The conversation also explores journaling as a healing practice, Rondalyn’s year-and-a-day writing process after her husband’s death, and the two very different books that emerged from that season: Habits of Widows and Lies in the Afterlife. This episode offers language, validation, and practical care for anyone grieving after caregiving. Audio chapters 00:00 Why Caregiver Grief Is Different 05:00 What “Care” Really Means in Caregiving 10:00 Why Grief Affects the Body and Brain 15:00 Grief as a Stress Response 20:00 The Widowhood Effect and Health Risks After Loss 25:00 How to Support a Grieving Caregiver 30:00 Self-Care After Grief and Caregiving 35:00 Journaling for Grief and Healing 40:00 Caregiver Guilt, Loss, and Emotional Truth 45:00 Rondalyn Whitney’s Books and Grief Resources Guest bio Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney is an occupational therapist, narrative medicine practitioner, researcher, mother, widow, and author of 15 books. She holds advanced certificates in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University and spent more than 25 years in academia. After the traumatic death of her husband in 2020, she wrote two grief memoirs: Habits of Widows and Lies in the Afterlife. Her work explores grief, caregiving, occupational identity, writing, and the daily practices that help people live on after loss. Resources / links to include Rondalyn’s websiteHabits of WidowsLies in the AfterlifeJames Pennebaker’s research on journaling and healthWhy Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert SapolskyJeanette’s websiteFeeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Dr. Rondalyn Whitney on Why Grief Changes Your Body, Identity, and Daily Life

  8. Jun 8

    Dr. Julie Merriman on Why Midlife Women Feel Exhausted Even After Rest

    Send us Fan Mail Dr. Julie Merriman explains why so many midlife women feel exhausted in a way rest no longer fixes. In this episode of From Guilt to Good, Jeanette Yates talks with Dr. Julie Merriman, a counselor educator, licensed clinician, speaker, author, and podcast host who works with professional women over 50 experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, nervous system depletion, disconnection, and shutdown. Julie’s work focuses on women who are high-achieving, high-responsibility, and still functioning — but operating far beyond capacity. These are women who have spent years holding families, workplaces, caregiving responsibilities, and entire systems together, often while ignoring the signals from their own bodies. Together, Jeanette and Julie explore why chronic exhaustion in midlife women is often not a time management issue, a mindset issue, or a failure of self-care. Instead, it may be a sign of a nervous system that has been shaped by years of caregiving, performance pressure, emotional labor, and over-functioning. Julie also shares her own caregiving experience, including caring professionally as a therapist for 30 years, helping her mother navigate health challenges, supporting her husband through brain cancer, and living with her own breast cancer diagnosis. Her story gives the conversation a deeply personal lens, not just a clinical one. Jeanette and Julie discuss what most productivity hacks and self-care advice miss, why women are often socialized to live over capacity, how resentment can become important information, why midlife can be a homecoming instead of a crisis, and what it means to take a nervous-system-first approach to healing. This episode is for midlife women, caregivers, women over 50, adult daughters caring for aging parents, professional women carrying too much, and anyone who has ever wondered why they are still exhausted after doing “all the right things.” In this episode, we talk aboutWhy midlife women can feel exhausted even after restThe difference between being tired and experiencing nervous system depletionWhy productivity hacks and mindset advice often fail burned-out caregiversHow women are socialized to over-function and tie their worth to performanceWhat “nervous system first” actually meansWhy resentment can be a sacred signal instead of something to shameHow menopause, caregiving, family responsibility, and work can create a perfect stormWhy “should” and “must” can reveal old rules that no longer fitSmall ways women can begin coming back into their bodies with curiosity and compassionConnect with Dr. Julie Merriman:  Website: juliemerrimanphd.com  Book: In Pursuit of Soul Joy  Book: Are We Going to Have Sex or What?  Podcast: Compassion Fatigue Cure  Podcast: Sexy After 50 LISTEN TO THIS NEXT Recommended because this episode also explores how caregivers can stop blaming themselves and begin understanding what their bodies are trying to tell them. Feeling overwhelmed by caregiving?  In From Guilt to Good Enough, Jeanette Yates offers a powerful guide for struggling caregivers. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her healing journey, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Grab your copy TODAY! Support the show NOW AVAILABLE! From Guilt To Good Enough: A Caregiver’s Journey of Overcoming Burnout Through Healing Childhood by Jeanette Yates. Having been a caregiver for her mother since childhood, Jeanette knows firsthand the emotional toll caregiving can take. In this memoir-turned-self-help guide, she shares her journey of healing, setting boundaries, and reclaiming her life. Click here to purchase your copy! At The Self-Caregiver LLC we guide women caring for their aging parents overcome burnout and release guilt to create more freedom and fulfillment in their life.  We believe you cannot give more of yourself until you heal the wounds, replenish your being and reconnect to the fullness of who you are, embracing the purpose you‘ve been called to live.

    Dr. Julie Merriman on Why Midlife Women Feel Exhausted Even After Rest
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