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Living the Praxis for Care 

lvsanchez115
Feb 153 min read

Your Guide on the Family Caregiving Journey: “Straight Talk for Giving-Care” Podcast with Dr. Sheri

Updated: Feb 21


Photo of Dr. Sheri and her podcast cover art featuring two photos of herself with her mother, one in her 20s and a current one after the dementia diagnosis.


Hi, I’m Dr. Sheri, a caregiving consultant with 14 years of experience as a family caregiver to an Alzheimer’s dementia patient. 


I wrote a book to share our story which introduces the “Praxis for Care,” a strategy I developed to help family care-givers manage a loved one’s care needs while still meeting their own.


My experience in developing change management strategies for educational and non-profit organizations along with my Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies have been invaluable tools for managing the interpersonal changes to the relationship with my mother.


I created the Straight Talk for Giving-Care podcast to support family caregivers who are currently caring for a loved one or are just beginning their journey. I will share stories, lessons learned, and strategies for including yourself on the care journey.



Dr. Sheri celebrating her mother's 95th birthday. Both are seated on a couch and surrounded with balloons. Dr. Sheri is a family caregiver to her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia 14 years ago.























The Hidden Costs of Caring for a Loved One


Family caregivers are in a unique position as they are providing care to someone they may share significant emotional bonds with. Caregiving comes with many challenges like performing necessary tasks and fulfilling multiple roles, but there is also an emotional component that is rarely discussed or addressed. 


I always say that the hardest part of being a family caregiver is doing what you need to do while feeling what you’re feeling. Caregivers need practical support for the physical aspects of care like preparing meals and administering medications, but it’s essential to receive support for the inevitable emotional impact of caring for a loved one.


Family Caregivers and Self-Care


When I talk to other caregivers, I’ve noticed they tend to neglect their overall health, mental and physical. Your needs didn’t just disappear because your loved one’s care needs arrived. It’s important to continue caring for your emotional and physical health for yourself but also for the sake of your loved one.


Introducing Straight Talk for Giving-Care


The Straight Talk podcast was created to support family caregivers on the emotional ups and downs of their caregiving journey and provide strategies for balancing their needs with those of their loved one.


I've been on a care journey through Alzheimer's dementia with my mom since September of 2010. I wanted a space to share stories and lessons from my own experience that could help other caregivers.


I will cover topics such as caring for someone that you have a difficult history with, making difficult medical decisions on behalf of a loved one, and how to integrate your own needs into the care relationship.


Dr. Sheri, a family caregiver, is looking over and smiling at her mother while they are both seated on a couch.

Your Host: Dr. Sheri L. Yarbrough


I’m your host, Dr. Sheri, a caregiving consultant with 14 years of experience caring for my mom, an Alzheimer’s dementia patient. I wrote a book called OMG! I’m the Grownup Now! A Conversation on Giving-Care to a Loved One…and Yourself. In my book, I introduce my “Praxis for Care,” a strategy for balancing the needs of a loved one with those of the caregiver. 


I wanted to start this podcast to share the unique challenges faced by family caregivers and encourage discussion around mental health related topics in the caregiving space.


How to Listen


You can currently find my podcast on Spotify with more platforms to come. Episodes will be released every fourth Wednesday at noon Central Standard Time.


Subscribe and Share


Be sure to click “Follow” on my Spotify podcast page in order to receive new episode updates straight to your feed. Please share this podcast with another caregiver in your life who you think would benefit.


I’ve learned on this care journey that community is everything. It’s important to find others in this space you can lean on and learn from.



Dr. Sheri is supporting her mother by embracing her and holding her hand. Dr. Sheri is a family caregiver to her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Dementia.


















Let's Walk Together on This Journey


This podcast has been in the works for many months and I’m so happy to present it to the lovely community of family caregivers. Straight Talk for Giving-Care aims to support family caregivers by sharing stories, lessons learned, and strategies for including oneself on the care journey. 


The podcast covers emotional challenges, life lessons, and self-care strategies. Episodes are released every fourth Wednesday at noon Central Standard Time. Subscribe on Spotify to receive updates on future episodes!



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