Caregiver Spotlight: Bethany
November is National Family Caregiver Month, and we’re celebrating the caregivers in our community. Bethany provides care for her wife, Stefanie, and shares her reflections with us below.
On finding balance…
Bethany (L), and Stefanie (R)
I don’t know that I can say I have found a balance between caring for myself and those around me. I am a teacher and a caregiver, so a lot of my attention is diverted outward. I am, however, an introvert, which means it is essential that I take time to reenergize myself. My balancing time is time spent cooking a delicious vegan meal, going grocery shopping, taking a weekly Pilates class, and time spent playing with our cats. Daily stretching and yoga are essential, as is time working in the yard, listening to music or a book on tape.
on learning through caregiving…
My beautiful wife teaches me so much. She is the most resilient, thoughtful, and intelligent person I know. She tries to take time to treat her body and mind with what it needs. She rests and meditates. These are things I don’t take enough time for, yet I see how calm and balanced she feels after taking the time to recharge. Stefanie teaches me about grace and strength. She is calm and patient in the face of adversity. She is trusting and courageous. I see how grateful she is for the support she receives from doctors and support groups. Stefanie shows me the importance of connection.
on what it means to ‘loveyourbrain’…
LoveYourBrain means a few different things to me. As a general term, it means ‘respect what you have!’ We are all unique. Our brains evolve and change over our lifetimes, and our experiences vary throughout. We must love the place we are at and recognize that we are forever changing. As an organization, LoveYourBrain is a supportive and dynamic experience. LoveYourBrain was the first organization we knew of that allowed for a shared experience for an individual with a TBI and their caregiver. To us, this was very important. LoveYourBrain classes gave us an opportunity to move together, to be together, and to share together. We were lucky enough to participate in the program three times and loved meeting new people, sharing our experiences, and learning with others.
on finding opportunities within caregiving…
Becoming a caregiver has made me more aware of the importance of being present. I am a teacher and I know how very important it is to be present with students. However, in my home life, I find my time is split between continued schoolwork and at-home chores. There is so much to do to maintain a home. Yet, it is equally important to be present for your loved one who depends on you. When I get home, I make our dinner and we take time to eat, share about our day, and enjoy a show together. We try to make time for a walk, a shared chore, or a common activity such as making a dessert for our neighbors. As I continue to grow and evolve, I know that I need to continue to find more time for shared activities and experiences. After all, that’s what life’s memories are made of.
Did you know?
Caregivers are welcomed in all of our programs, including our Community Retreats, Yoga program, and Mindset Online. We even have a Caregiver Retreat specific designed to help nurture our caregivers’ capacity to care. Often it gets overlooked that the family and friends of the person who experiences the injury also need time to focus on their healing. Our approach is to support the caregivers in our community to find balance between caring for themselves and those around them. Click the program links above to learn more.