The Caregivers Podcast

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:▶️ https://www.shailijainmd.com/ ▶️ https://www.shailijainmd.com/buy-book ▶️ https://www.tiktok.com/@thestressdocmdFollow us:▶️ All things CGP: https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Follow us: ▶️https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Follow us:▶️All things CGP: https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Support our guest:▶️Book: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/product/journal/▶️Podcast: https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/podcast/▶️Newsletter: https://happyhealthycaregiver.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=67480242b62b2c452bd227174&id=36cc22d7fbSocials:▶️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyhealthycaregiver/▶️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyhealthycaregiver▶️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbmiller/▶️X: https://x.com/HHCaregiver▶️Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HHCaregiver/▶️TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happyhealthycaregiver▶️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAcYkpMK6I3Y0ep-kyvrZaQFollow us:▶️All things CGP: https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Follow us:▶️https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Follow us:▶️https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Support our guest:  ▶️ Website: https://www.kawashington.com/▶️ Buy Kate's book, Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America:https://www.kawashington.com/already-toastFollow us:▶️https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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. Follow us:▶️All things CGP: https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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 deserveWatch the full video episode here:▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/W0kbtWNrGL4Support our guest:▶️Twitter: https://x.com/CFNUPresident▶️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CFNUPresident/Follow us:▶️All things CGP: https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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:▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/lzn6qzCgHagFollow us: ▶️https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcastBooks referenced in this episode:📖 Essentialism by Greg McKeown📖 The One Thing by Gary Keller📖 Atomic Habits by James Clear📖 The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

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:▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/dgXHui7mIgQSupport our guest:  ▶️ Website: https://role4.biz▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonschmidcd/Follow us:  ▶️ https://linktr.ee/thecaregiverspodcast

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.Watch the full video episode:▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/02Sr7J9VlMgSupport HeldLight: ▶️ Everything HeldLight: https://linktr.ee/HeldLightFollow us:  ▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast  ▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/  ▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378  ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/  ▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/  

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:▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/bO0b2HB3ocMSupport our guest:▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.no.violence.nurse/▶️ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kelsey-springer-msn-rn-ccrn-58b98b74Kelsey's Work:▶️ https://www.ccnursing.theclinics.com/article/S0899-5885(25)00065-6/abstract▶️ https://www.aacn.org/blog/my-experience-with-workplace-violence-in-nursing▶️ https://nurse.org/news/workplace-violence-in-healthcare-nurses-safety/Follow us:▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/Helpful links: ▶️ Free CDC Workplace Violence Training for Nurses: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-155/default.html ▶️ American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN): https://www.aacn.org/policy-and-advocacy/position-statements/preventing-violence▶️ Emergency Nurses Association (ENA): https://www.ena.org/practice-resources/workplace-violence▶️ American Nurses Association (ANA): https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/wpv/

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:▶️ Youtube: https://youtu.be/YCCFQ_5uEosSupport Dr. Katz:▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlaurakatz/▶️ Endometriosis360: https://endometriosis360.ca/Follow us:▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/

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:▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/htdJTe23lgIFollow us:▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/

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:▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/7D1hxSscxg0Support our guest:  Listen to the Shift Happens Podcast:🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kjVUvxNuqbXtWzSy3Apim?si=bdde74d3bcce478d🔊 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-happens/id1798831621▶️ Website: https://shifthappenspod.ca/Follow us:  ▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast  ▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/  ▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378  ▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/  ▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/

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: ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCaregiversPodcastSupport our guest:▶️ Twitter/ X: https://x.com/Jenn_FlemmingFollow us:▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/

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:▶️ Website: www.amievarley.com📖 Harper Collins: https://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443468718/the-wisdom-of-nurses/▶️ Book Amie To Speak: https://www.nsb.com/speakers/amie-archibald-varley/▶️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmieVarley▶️ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amie-archibald-varley-rn-mn-women-s-health-535850108/▶️ The IDEA Practice: https://theideapractice.com/component/content/article/93-amie-archibald-varley-she-her?catid=92&Itemid=543▶️ ByBlacks:  https://byblacks.com/content/itemlist/user/2121-amiearchibaldvarleyFollow us:▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/Watch the full video episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/oLBULNra3N0

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:📖The Doctors We Need: https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/the-doctors-we-need/▶️ Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Doctors-Need-Imagining-Physician-Recruitment/dp/1738396460Watch the full video episode:▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thecaregiverspodcastFollow us:▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/

Join Dr. Mark and special guest Jeanette Yates for a powerful, honest look at the caregiver's life. Jeanette shares her deep personal journey, openly discussing the burden of generational trauma and the path through burnout. This is more than a discussion on duties; it's about the emotional toll. Jeanette tackles the crippling effects of perfectionism and guilt, highlighting the urgent need for robust support systems and a shift in how healthcare professionals view the caregiver's role. She also examines the complexities of technology and the importance of community in finding balance. Ultimately, this essential episode is a plea for self-compassion, reminding every caregiver that you are doing enough and deserve a supportive environment.Support our guest:▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theselfcaregiver/?hl=en▶️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theselfcaregiver📖 From Guilt To Good Enough: https://www.amazon.ca/Guilt-Good-Enough-Caregivers-Overcoming/dp/B0DS2PFLX9Follow us:▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ TikTok: tiktok.com/@thecaregiverspodcast▶️ Instagram: instagram.com/thecaregiverspodcast/▶️ Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580795888378▶️ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-caregivers-podcast/▶️ Website: https://thecaregiverspodcast.start.page/