Requesting Your Feedback on Caring for Chronically Ill or Disabled

I’m looking for your help with the new guided imagery for people caring for loved ones suffering with difficult, frustrating, chronic conditions (ageing parents, mentally ill children, disabled spouses..) and for health professionals dealing with this too.. Hello again.

I’m starting to work on a new recording for caregiver stress - guided imagery to support people looking after loved ones suffering from difficult, frustrating, chronic conditions (ageing parents, mentally ill children, disabled spouses..) and for health professionals in these situations as well.

Even though I’m fairly familiar with the emotional landscape of this territory - all the difficult and potentially upsetting feelings of helplessness, sorrow, anger, guilt, fear, disappointment and grief - along with the feelings of strength, pride, love, intimacy, connection and spiritual growth that come with this family or professional "job description", I would still love to hear from as many of you as possible.

If you have the time to describe how this is for you, I won’t just be spinning my version. In the old days, I relied solely on support groups and interviews with patients and professionals. Nowadays, I still have those avenues, but the information I get via email is amazingly comprehensive, unusually forthright and very helpful.

If you could answer any one or more of the questions below, I would be very grateful.
  • What is hardest for you about this caregiving situation?
  • What feelings do you contend with?
  • Has it changed your sense of yourself?
  • What do you like least about yourself in these circumstances?
  • What do you like most about yourself in these circumstances?
  • What have you found helpful with this?
  • What have you found makes things worse?
  • Is there a daydream or a memory that you find nourishing or sustaining to turn to as you cope with this?

I guess that’s an idea of the kind of information I could use. Any answer to any one question is welcome - whatever you have to say.

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Thanks much.