Taking Care of Yourself: Parent & Caregiver Well-being

Where You Are | S5 E2 | April 19, 2024

As parents and caregivers, it can be easy to continuously push taking care of ourselves to the bottom of our list. But, when we prioritize our mental health and wellness, it also has a positive ripple effect on those around us. How can parents and caregivers take care of ourselves amidst full schedules and busy days? In this episode, Taryn, a parent of two, and Dr. Sukpreet Tamana, offer ideas and evidence to:

Unpack misconceptions and common challenges that can come up for parents as we try to prioritize our own needs.
Discuss how strategies like recognizing emotions, setting boundaries and building support networks might offer small, practical ways to recharge and take care of our mental health and well-being.

Episode Transcript

Episode Resources:

Kelty Website: Empowered Parenting
Website: Foundry
Peer Support for Families at the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
FamilySmart: Family Peer Support

Guest bios

Taryn

Parent

Taryn is a mother of two children who shares her experience of empowered parenting while navigating multiple medical and mental health complexities within her family. She has learned that even seemingly small acts of self care can go a long way.

Dr. Sukhpreet Tamana

Psychologist and Researcher

Dr. Sukhpreet Kaur Tamana is a psychologist specializing in children and youth and a research associate in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Tamana started working with the Caregiver Wellbeing Special Interest Group of the APA Society of Pediatric Psychology in order to share information about evidence-based tools she teaches caregivers. She is passionate about exploring ways to support families living with medical conditions thrive by incorporating a strengths-based and equity lens into her clinical work and research.