You’ve heard this about doctors. Believe me they are no better at it than we are as caregivers. We tend to focus on our loved one who needs our care and put off our own care.
Frankly, I was very fortunate that I didn’t fall into that category. I had my almost yearly mammograms and caught breast cancer in the early stages. Not everyone is this fortunate. Many caregivers ruin their own health with the stress of caregiving and everyday life.
We need a place where we can be supported and heard. Where we feel understood.
“What I’ve learned along the way is that many caregivers don’t feel supported. They don’t know where to turn for help, and they often suffer stress-related health problems of their own, yet the last thing on their minds is their own well-being. The irony is that to effectively care for someone else, we caregivers must first remember to take care of ourselves.” Rob Lowe, USA Today
I was also very fortunate to be in the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® training program for the last 2 ½ years of my caregiving journey as well as my diagnosis with breast cancer. I was truly in the best emotional place I could have been for the diagnosis and losing my husband after 5 ½ years of battling numerous conditions.
Why would this help? I was introduced to Gestalt and the healing power of horses.
I always knew horses were special and I was blessed to have them in my life. The EGC program showed my what was so special about them. I had been exposed to their gifts but never knew that what they were doing was intentional.
Ruby helping me make a decision. Photo courtesy Bonanza Creek Ranch
Here’s an example: When I went to Melisa Pearce’s Women’s Retreat in Montana this summer, I was struggling with two sides of a decision that I wanted to make. Melisa and I talked it out and she put me in the round pen with Ruby, her horse partner for that morning. As I was talking to the two sides of myself across the pole Ruby was being very supportive on one side. Then it felt like she was going to push me over to that side of the decision. You see she knew where my heart was. It was my head that was struggling over the decision.
I’m offering a Caring for Caregivers Equine Gestalt Group. For more information click here.
If you’d like to learn more about how the horses can help you connect with me here.
We all need someone to lean on every now and then. Lean On Me.
Make a Connection in the comments below.
Onward! October Awareness Revisited
