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Welcome to Season 2 of The Caregiver Cup Podcast — a brand-new year and a brand-new chapter where we finally do caregiving your way.

Last season, you explored what’s in your cup—your identity, your needs, your well-being, and how caregiving has shaped you. Now it’s time to take everything you’ve uncovered… and turn it into a rhythm, a flow, and a caregiving life that actually supports you.

This season is your permission slip to create routines and boundaries that honor your energy, protect your mental and emotional space, and make room for joy—even in the hard moments. Inside this special trailer, you’ll get a heartfelt sneak peek at what’s coming, including:

✨ How to build a caregiving rhythm that feels grounding, not overwhelming
 ✨ Ways to set healthy boundaries without guilt or second-guessing
 ✨ Practical, realistic time management tips you can actually use
 ✨ Tools to protect your emotional bandwidth and stay centered
 ✨ Why reclaiming joy matters—and how to weave it into everyday moments

If you’ve been craving more flow, more clarity, and even a few minutes of peace in your day… you’re in the right place.

So grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and settle in. Season 2 officially begins January 13, and together we’re creating a caregiving life that reflects your needs, your strength, and your way.

Let’s build your rhythm.
 Let’s find your flow.
 Let’s protect your time, energy, and joy—starting now. 💛✨

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This final episode of Season 1 is your guided reflection and celebration — a moment to pause, breathe, and honor how far you’ve come on your caregiving journey.

Together, we revisit the heart of this season and explore what has shifted inside your cup — your energy, your mindset, your confidence, your emotional awareness, and your ability to care for yourself while caring for someone you love.

Here’s what we reflect on:
 💛 What you carry and who you’ve become (Episode 1)
💛 Your energy story — what drains you and what restores you (Episode 2)
💛 Your emotional red flags and what they’re trying to tell you (Episode 3)
💛 How to catch, cancel, and correct negative thoughts (Episode 4)
💛 Why forgetfulness is overload, not failure (Episode 5)
💛 How to lighten “no choice” seasons (Episode 6)
💛 How guilt and shame lose power when named (Episode 7)
💛 How to know what you need — and how to ask for it (Episode 8)

This episode gives you space to ask yourself meaningful questions:
 ✨ What changed in my cup this season?
✨ Where did I grow?
✨ What story am I ready to release?
✨ What does my cup need next?

Whether you journal, think during a walk, reflect in the car, or savor a quiet moment before bed, this wrap-up invites you to pause and celebrate the progress you may not even realize you’ve made.

Because you’re not the same caregiver you were eight episodes ago.
You’re stronger.
You’re wiser.
You’re more aware of your needs and your worth.

And you deserve to move into the next season of caregiving feeling supported, grounded, and full of hope.

We’ll take a short break — then I’ll see you in 2026 for Season 2: Caregiving Your Way — all about routines, rhythms, and boundaries that fit your life, your energy, and your heart.

Take a deep breath, friend.
 Look at how far you’ve come.
 And remember — your cup deserves to stay full too. 💛☕

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If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” while your heart was quietly breaking… this episode is for you.

Caregivers are experts at showing up for everyone else, but when it comes to identifying our own needs — let alone asking for help — it can feel impossible.
Maybe you’ve ignored your body’s whispers for too long.
Maybe guilt and shame tell you to keep pushing.
Maybe you don’t even remember what you need anymore.

In this episode, we slow everything down and walk through a gentle, guided self-inventory so you can finally hear yourself again. We look at your physical, emotional, mental, and soul needs, and help you name what’s been buried under the weight of caregiving.

You’ll learn:
 💛 why it feels so hard to ask for help — and why it’s not your fault
 💛 how to identify what you truly need (not what you “should” need)
 💛 simple, doable ways to ask for support without guilt or apology
 💛 how to shift the fear stories that tell you you’re “too much” or “a burden”
 💛 what to do when someone says, “Let me know if you need anything”
 💛 the truth: your needs don’t make you selfish — they make you human

This episode is your reminder that:
 ✨ You’re allowed to have needs.
 ✨ You’re allowed to ask for help.
 ✨ You deserve support just as much as you give it.

Take a breath, grab your journal (or just your earbuds), and let’s walk through this together.
 Because caring for yourself isn’t extra — it’s essential to keeping your cup full.

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If you’ve ever ended your day thinking, “I should’ve done more,” this episode is for you, friend. 💛

 In Season 1, Episode 7 of What’s In Your Cup?, we’re diving into the emotional drainers that quietly empty your cup — guilt, shame, and the constant pressure to be “enough.”

Together, we’ll explore:
 ✨ The three types of caregiver guilt
 ✨ Why cultural, family, and personal expectations shape the way we show up
 ✨ How guilt turns into shame — and how to stop that spiral
 ✨ Real stories from Cathy’s caregiving journey
 ✨ Practical tools to release the pressure and refill your cup with grace

This isn’t about calling yourself out — it’s about calling yourself in.
Because you are doing the best you can with what you have.
And you deserve to feel enough, exactly as you are.

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This bonus episode is a little different… and a whole lot special.

Inside, we’re diving into three powerful pieces of the caregiving experience:

💌 1. Listener Stories That Will Make You Feel Seen

From practical self-care wins… to reimagining overwhelming roles… to color-coding calendars and using systems that save your sanity — you’ll hear real messages from caregivers just like you.
 Their honesty, their wisdom, their struggles, and their victories remind us that none of us are doing this alone.

💛 2. A Personal Update from My Own Caregiving Season

I open up about Denis’ recent inpatient stay, his GI GVHD diagnosis, the advocacy challenges we faced, the guilt of coming home at night instead of staying at the hospital… and the surprising moments that helped me refill my cup in the middle of it all — like handing out Halloween candy and simply allowing myself to be Cathy again for an hour.

☕ 3. A Pep Talk for the “I Have No Choice” Moments

You know the ones:
 Medication schedules. Wound care. Meals. All the tasks you can’t delegate or delete.

In this episode, I walk you through something every caregiver needs to hear:

Even when you can’t change the responsibility… you can change how you carry it.
Small systems, tiny efficiencies, real help from your people — these aren’t chores.
They’re lifelines that protect your energy and help you breathe again.

You’ll hear stories about bubble packs, care binders, alarms, delivery services… and the power of saying “yes” when people offer to help.

And because this episode airs during Thanksgiving week, we’ll also talk about the quiet moments of gratitude that hold us together — even in the hardest seasons.

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Your body whispers before it screams — but as caregivers, we often ignore those whispers until it’s too late. In this heartfelt episode of The Caregiver Cup Podcast, Cathy VandenHeuvel shares personal stories and powerful insights on how to recognize the physical and emotional signals of caregiver burnout. From brain fog and fatigue to irritability and forgetfulness, these clues aren’t failures — they’re your body’s way of saying, “slow down.”

You’ll learn simple ways to check in with yourself daily, find small moments of rest, and listen to your body’s needs without guilt. Because when you honor your body, you protect your health, your joy, and your ability to show up for those you love. 💛☕

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Are you wearing so many hats that you’ve forgotten which one fits? In this heartfelt episode, Cathy shares an honest look at what happens when caregivers juggle too many roles — and how to reshape them without guilt. From hospital laundry rooms to heartfelt lessons about boundaries, you’ll learn how to identify what’s draining your energy, what truly matters, and how to create a caregiving rhythm that feels sustainable (not superhuman).

 🎧 Tune in for real talk, reflection, and hope — because you don’t have to do it all to be doing it well.

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Your cup isn’t empty—it’s just leaking. 💛

In this short 5-minute pep talk, Cathy shares a personal story about her famous pink Yeti cup (yes, the one that keeps disappearing and always finds its way back!) and how it became the perfect reminder for caregivers: sometimes, our energy doesn’t run out—it simply leaks away.

Tune in for a quick burst of encouragement to help you spot where your energy might be slipping and take one small step this week to refill your cup. Because you can’t pour from an empty cup—and you shouldn’t have to. ☕️

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Are you tired of hearing “just take care of yourself” and wondering what that even means as a caregiver? In this episode of The Caregiver Cup Podcast, we’re busting the myth that self-care is all about bubble baths and spa days—and redefining what it really looks like for you.

After eight years of caregiving, I’ve learned the hard way that one-size-fits-all self-care doesn’t work. Real caregiver self-care is practical, personal, and purposeful—and it changes with each season of your journey. I’ll share my own stories of what didn’t work (like manicures that left me still exhausted) and what actually helped me refill my cup (like journaling at Kathy’s House or a slow walk after a long hospital day).

You’ll walk away with a simple framework—the 3 Ps of a Full Cup—to help you create a self-care plan that feels doable, sustainable, and right for you.

💛 Because when you take the time to refill your cup, you show up stronger—for yourself, your loved one, and everyone around you.

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Have you ever felt your energy, patience, and compassion draining away while caring for a loved one? When was the last time you stopped to check what’s left in your own cup?

Welcome to Season 1 of The Caregiver Cup Podcast. This season is all about you—your self-discovery, the many roles you juggle, and your personal health as a caregiver. The statistics are sobering: nearly 41% of caregivers report low overall well-being, and only 23% say their mental health is good. Behind those numbers are real people—like you and me—trying to care for others while holding onto ourselves.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my own story of walking through my husband’s bone marrow transplant and what it taught me about my “cup.” After 57 days away from home navigating hospital stays and medical crises, my cup was bone dry. Rebuilding wasn’t instant—it felt like climbing a steep hill when I had no energy left. But it reminded me of something powerful: when we learn to pause and honestly check our cup, we give ourselves the chance to rebound, recharge, and find joy again.

This isn’t about perfect caregiving. It’s about finding your rhythm and your way of refilling, protecting, and strengthening your caregiver cup. Join me every Tuesday through December for Season 1 as we walk this journey together—because when you show up as your best self, you become a stronger caregiver, a better advocate, and a healthier you.

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