A Season of Caring Podcast

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a strong-willed single mother becomes the caregiver for her father? How does that journey, full of emotional roller coasters and challenging realities, transform her life? In this episode, we are introduced to Tenita Abraham, a dedicated daughter who embarked on this journey of caregiving. Tenita's story is not just about caregiving but also a testament to l...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine the peace of mind that comes with being prepared for the inevitable. Christy Byrne Yates, an educational psychologist, author, speaker, coach, and consultant, shares how her parents' careful planning for their later years gave her the valuable gift of preparedness. Christy explains how being prepared helped her transition into the role of caregiver for her parents, wh...

Send us Fan Mail The challenges of Alzheimer's care can be complicated, but our engaging conversation with Jennifer Fink will shed some light on this often daunting journey. Hear her heartwarming and sometimes hilarious tales of caring for her mom, including the mystery of the black sports bra. Fink, a beacon of support in the Alzheimer’s community through her podcast, Fading Memories, opens...

Send us Fan Mail Navigating the world of caregiving can seem like a daunting journey, especially when precious loved ones are involved. I’m excited to share an interview with Dr. Alyncia Bowen, a family caregiver and Dean at Franklin University School of Business. She has handled this responsibility with grace and resilience. Alyncia shares her personal experiences as the primary caregiver for her...

Send us Fan Mail How does one find joy, balance, and peace in the midst of heartbreak and loss? Let's explore this profound question with Tammy Marvin, a woman who has walked the tough path of caregiving for her ailing loved ones. Tammy reveals her rollercoaster journey of looking after her mother, father, and sister in their final days – a task that was heartbreaking yet rewarding in its own...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt lost in caregiving? Have you struggled with the grief and transformation that comes with this journey? Rayna Neises, your host, engages in a conversation with Debra Hallisey, a veteran caregiver and the brain behind Advocate for Mom and Dad. Debra candidly opens up about her nine-year-long caregiving journey, emphasizing the significance of self-care and self-compassion...

Send us Fan Mail Can love bloom amidst the challenges of caregiving? Join me, Rayna Neises, as we explore this question with our special guest Deb Farris.  Deb is a former equity actor, singer, dancer and caregiver for her parents. Despite the obstacles she encountered, she found an extraordinary strength to love and take care of her parents.  Her father's stories from his childhood, his pass...

Send us Fan Mail Can you find humor in the midst of a caregiving journey? Minty Swanson, a caregiver for her husband Chris, who's battling non-small cell lung cancer and carcinoid cancer, certainly can. Join us to talk about the difficulties they've faced, especially during the pandemic, and how they've found joy even in tough times, laughing together at silly things and planning fo...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, welcomes Shelli Virtue. Shelli is a pastor’s daughter, wife, homeschool mom, and full-time caregiver to her disabled adult son. She has a deep desire to encourage women to be the best possible, woman, wife, and mother they can be. Shelli is also an author.  She shares the following insights based on her caregiving journey: [4:29] Each generation looks at d...

Send us Fan Mail  Rayna Neises, your host, welcomes Leslie McLeod. Leslie is a writer, artist, mom, and co-owner of a tech company. She has a passion for building up  relationships, especially among families with aging parents. Leslie and her siblings rallied together to care for both their parents simultaneously. Based on that experience, she is writing a book to help families survive their seaso...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, welcomes Nanette Holloway.  Nanette is a registered nurse who loves to write. She is passionate about caregivers after her own journey with both of her parents who had cancer. Nanette knows firsthand the gift of a long goodbye and the physical, mental, and emotional challenges culminating in caregiver role strain. She leads a caregiver support group and he...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, welcomes back Jammie Johnson. Jammie is an academic advisor, Wyandotte- Leavenworth Areawide Advisory Council on Aging member, motivational speaker, and certified caregiver. She has cared for both her parents and an aunt. Jammie is also the founder of The Caregiver’s Friend where she provides resources, tips, and strategies to help caregivers navigate thei...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Charlaine Martin.  Charlaine has been a three-time caregiver for her mom, dad, and late husband.  She is a contributing author in the Live and Learn Unexpected Lessons from God’s Classroom.  Charlaine loves helping others see God’s involvement in everyday life.  She lives in Florida with her second blessing, and they enjoy spending time with the...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Phylis Mantelli.  Phylis is an author, coach, podcaster, mentor, mom, wife, and grandmother. Phylis’ book is titled, “Unmothered: Life with a Mom Who Couldn’t Love Me”.  She is currently writing her second book, “Six Life Lessons of Growing up with a Dysfunctional Mother.”  Phylis shares the following insights based on her long caregiving journe...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Amanda Schaefer.  Amanda is an author, speaker, and podcast host.  Having majored in dramatic writing at New York University, she would never have imagined using everything she learned there to create a Christian podcast that has a worldwide audience.  Amanda’s goal was to provide a platform for people to share their stories and as a result, to...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Tryn Rose Seley.  Tryn is an award-winning author and a master teaching artist.  Through her experience with the creative arts, she has witnessed profound transformations in people living with dementia.  Tryn wrote about what she has learned to teach others to bring out the best in each other, to develop positive relationships, and to build trus...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Suzi Colthurst. Suzi has always loved helping people and is passionate about dignifying people who experience challenges communicating. As a Speech Language Pathologist, she specialized in helping those who struggled with dementia. After Suzi became her parents’ primary advocate, she realized that putting all of this together is where she wanted...

Send us Fan Mail   Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Peggy Bodde. Peggy left corporate life behind in 2014 to start a freelance writing business. She is also the founder of Sacred Work, a ministry that provides free career and leadership coaching. Peggy just signed a deal with a publisher and is working on her first book. She lives with her husband, George, and their dog, Quill, in Colorado and...

Send us Fan Mail Encore Episode #1, Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Carlos Olivas III.  Carlos was a guest last year on the podcast and immediately comes to mind when thinking about advocacy.  In fact, in December of 2022 Carlos was honored as being a Congressional Advocate of the Year in California.  Since 2016, he has been the primary caregiver for his father living with Alzheimer’s.  During...

Send us Fan Mail Encore Episode #2, Rayna Neises, your host, speaks with Elizabeth Landsverk, MD.  Dr. Liz trained at Harvard and has been a geriatrician for over 20 years.  She served as Assistant Professor of Medicine at USC and was a consultant to the Elder Abuse Forensic Center in San Francisco. She shares her experiences in a new book released at the end of May, ‘Living in the Moment: A Guide...

Send us Fan Mail This week, on our #3 most listened to podcast in 2022, Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Susan Stern.  Susan is a wife, mother, and family caregiver.  After 20 years as a speech-language pathologist, she changed her career path to pursue her calling to support other caregivers.  Susan became a certified coach and started her business helping overwhelmed family caregivers improve...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we have Encore Episode #4 where Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Deb Hallisey. Debra lost her job due to her caregiving responsibilities with her mother and, as a result, founded Advocate for Mom and Dad, LLC. In addition, based on her experiences, she has authored a book that provides a step-by-step guide for discussing relationship issues. Debra uses personal stori...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we have Encore Episode #5 where Rayna Neises, your host, talks with Lauren Dykovitz.  Lauren is a writer, author, wife, and dog mom.  She became a family caregiver when her mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in July 2010 when Lauren was only 25.  Lauren started the Life, Love, and Alzheimer’s blog and social media pages to document her journey and share h...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, your host, interviews Kari Bartkus. After seeing too many people go through hardship alone, Kari was determined to show up and be present with those around her who were hurting. She started the organization Love Does That where she serves as a spiritual director to hurting women. Kari uses a modern-day letter-writing approach for those drawn to quiet spaces and writt...

Send us Fan Mail Rayna Neises, ACC, host, reflects on her interview last week with Angie Rischpater (Episode 143). Angie is a physical therapist and she shared how, as a caregiver, you can be an observer or a detective to help your loved one. Instead of swooping in and taking, you can just support. Rayna continues with the topic offering the following suggestions: [1:32] Deal with the problem and...