The Caregivers Podcast

This week on The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with returning guest Dr. Dean Tripp, a professor of Psychology, Anesthesiology, and Urology at Queens University.

Together, they pull back the curtain on the neuroscience of chronic pain, explaining how it physically alters the brain and why the traditional medical model often fails those in pain. Dr. Tripp introduces the C.A.R.E. Method, a practical framework for caregivers to provide empathy without burning out, and tackles the taboo topic of caregiver resentment.

Whether you are living with pain or caring for someone...

In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Host Dr. Mark sits down with Susan Ackland, a psychotherapist with decades of experience who has spent the last 10 years navigating the complexities of caring for a mother with Alzheimer’s and a father-in-law with Lewy body dementia, all while raising children and maintaining her professional practice.

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In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with Elizabeth Miller, founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver, to tackle the question nobody wants to say out loud: When parents age and need care, what do their adult children actually owe them?

As a veteran podcaster and sandwich generation caregiver, Elizabeth shares the raw reality of balancing a career and children while managing the declining health of aging parents. We discuss the mudslide of caregiving, the difference between being a caregiver and a care partner, and how to handle the burnout that comes with the impossible...

Why do Indigenous communities distrust the healthcare system, and how do we fix it?

In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark sits down with Dr. Jamaica Cass - the first Indigenous woman in Canada to earn both an MD and a PhD. Dr. Cass shares her mission to decolonize medicine, from reshaping medical school curricula to building localized health education programs.

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In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, host Dr. Mark sits down with Cynthia Neilson to discuss the emotional and practical realities of raising a child with a rare heart-lung condition.

Cynthia shares her journey from the initial shock of a complex diagnosis at SickKids to the "stress tests" of everyday parenting—navigating medical equipment at bedtime, setting boundaries with school, and eventually empowering her daughter, Clare, to become her own advocate. It is a story of resilience, finding peace in the face of uncertainty, and the vital importance of caregiver communities.

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In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, author Kate Washington joins us to discuss her powerful memoir, Already Toast, and the invisible crisis of caregiver burnout. We explore the raw emotional realities of spousal caregiving, the "slow slide" into medical responsibility, and how systemic failures in the healthcare system leave families feeling abandoned. 

Kate Washington is the author of Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America, a powerful blend of memoir and reporting that exposes how quickly love and responsibility can become total, invisible labor when a partner becomes seriously ill. Her story traces the psychological narrowing c...

Is caregiving consuming your life, or are you surviving the work? In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark breaks down why the "hero narrative" is breaking caregivers and why 2026 is the year we shift from mindless sacrifice to strategic sustainability.

We explore the 10 things that are IN (like boundaries as a clinical skill and energy management) and the 10 things that are officially OUT (like toxic empathy and productivity worship). If you are a professional clinician, a family caregiver, or an advocate, this conversation provides a new framework for protecting your health while caring for others.<...

In this powerful episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions (CFNU), to discuss the precarious state of nursing in 2026.

Far beyond simple "burnout," Linda describes a "moral injury" occurring across Canada—a systemic failure where nurses are forced into 30-hour shifts, face escalating workplace violence, and are unable to provide the level of care their patients deserve

Watch the full video episode here:
▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/W0kbtWNrGL4

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Caregivers don’t need more motivation, they need more margin. In this Season 2 premiere, Dr. Mark Ropeleski addresses the "diffusion of energy" that leads to caregiver burnout. If you find yourself saying "yes" to every crisis but "no" to your own well-being, this episode is your permission to simplify.

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▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/lzn6qzCgHag

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Books referenced in this episode:
📖 Essentialism by Greg McKeown
📖 The One Thing by Gary Keller
📖 Atomic Habits by James Clear
📖 The Power of Habit by Char

In this episode of The Caregivers Podcast, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with John Schmid—a veteran ER nurse, former Canadian Armed Forces nursing officer, and past healthcare COO—to pull back the curtain on the "trauma-exposed" nature of healthcare. John provides an honest look at the moral injury that occurs when clinicians are unable to meet their own standards of care due to systemic constraints.

Watch the full video episode here:
▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/dgXHui7mIgQ

Support our guest:  
▶️ Website: https://role4.biz
▶️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonschmidcd/

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On this weeks episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski welcomes Brent, founder of HeldLight, for a raw and unflinching conversation about the realities of long-term caregiving. Brent shares his 20-year journey caring for his wife, Trudy, who was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s at age 34.

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▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/02Sr7J9VlMg

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In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski sits down with Kelsey Springer, a critical care nurse and Montana State University instructor known nationally as the "No Violence Nurse." Kelsey shares the harrowing story of a brutal ICU assault that left her requiring total jaw reconstruction and how that event transformed her from a caregiver into a patient—and eventually, a fierce advocate. They discuss the dangerous normalization of workplace violence, the "invisible hits" that lead to nurse burnout, and why the phrase "it’s just part of the job" is a lie that destroys the healthcare workforce.

Watch the...

On this week's episode Dr. Mark welcomes Dr. Laura Katz, a clinical and health psychologist, for a discussion on the multifaceted nature of chronic pain, and the truth behind the diagnosis. Dr. Katz addresses the failure of disjointed healthcare systems to treat the "whole person" and the resulting medical trauma experienced by patients.

Watch the full video episode:
▶️ Youtube: https://youtu.be/YCCFQ_5uEos

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▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlaurakatz/
▶️ Endometriosis360: https://endometriosis360.ca/

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If you’ve tried self-care, therapy, and time off but still feel hollow inside, the problem might not be burnout—it might be moral injury. In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski distinguishes between the exhaustion of burnout and the deep "soul wound" of moral injury, which occurs when a caregiver’s values are repeatedly violated by a broken system.

Join Dr. Mark as he explores why "resilience" isn't the answer to systemic failures and validates the invisible wounds many professional and family caregivers carry.

Watch the full video episode:
▶️YouTube: https://youtu.be/htdJTe23lgI

...

In this episode, Dr. Mark speaks with the host's of the Shift Happens podcast, Darlene Jackson & Brandi Johnson of the Manitoba Nurses Union. They delve into the challenges faced by new nurses transitioning from education to practice & highlight the support needed for new graduates to thrive in a demanding healthcare environment.

Watch the full video episode:
▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/7D1hxSscxg0

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Listen to the Shift Happens Podcast:
🔊 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kjVUvxNuqbXtWzSy3Apim?si=bdde74d3bcce478d
🔊 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shi...

In this episode, Dr. Mark & guest Dr. Jennifer Flemming delve into the uncomfortable yet crucial conversations surrounding alcohol-related liver disease and its impact on women and caregivers. Dr. Flemming shares insights on the biological, emotional, and societal factors contributing to this rising crisis, emphasizing the need for awareness and support for those affected.

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On this week's episode, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski & guest Amie Archibald Varley delve into the pressing issue of accountability within the healthcare sector, highlighting the reluctance of leaders to take responsibility for failures and the systemic issues that arise from this lack of accountability.

Support our guest:
▶️ Website: www.amievarley.com
📖 Harper Collins: https://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443468718/the-wisdom-of-nurses/
▶️ Book Amie To Speak: https://www.nsb.com/speakers/amie-archibald-varley/
▶️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmieVarley
▶️ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amie-archibald-varley-rn-mn-women-s-health-535850108/
▶️ The IDEA Practice: https://theideapractice.com/component/content/article/93-amie-archibald-varley-she-her?catid=92&Itemid=543
▶️ ByBlac...

In this episode, Dr. Mark Ropeleski and Dr. Anthony Sanfilippo discuss the pressing issue of the family doctor crisis in Canada, where millions lack access to primary care. They explore the disconnect between medical education and societal needs, emphasizing the importance of family doctors in providing preventative and chronic care.

Support our guest:
📖The Doctors We Need: https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/the-doctors-we-need/
▶️ Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Doctors-Need-Imagining-Physician-Recruitment/dp/1738396460

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Join Dr. Mark and special guest Jeanette Yates for a powerful, honest look at the caregiver's life. Jeanette shares her deep personal journey, openly discussing the burden of generational trauma and the path through burnout. This is more than a discussion on duties; it's about the emotional toll. Jeanette tackles the crippling effects of perfectionism and guilt, highlighting the urgent need for robust support systems and a shift in how healthcare professionals view the caregiver's role. She also examines the complexities of technology and the importance of community in finding balance. Ultimately, this essential episode is a plea for...

In this episode of the Caregivers podcast, host Dr. Mark Ropeleski speaks with Jess Ronne, a dedicated caregiver and advocate for families with children of special needs. Jess shares her personal journey of caregiving for her son Lucas, who has profound disabilities, and the challenges she faced, including the loss of her husband. The conversation delves into the importance of faith, community support, and the need for systemic changes to support caregivers. Jess emphasizes the significance of self-care, the fears of forever parenting, and the necessity of building a supportive community for caregivers.

For the video version...

In this episode of the Caregivers podcast, Dr. Mark speaks with Dr. Todd Otten about the challenges faced by caregivers in the healthcare system. They discuss the importance of caregiver wellness, the impact of burnout and moral injury, and the need for solidarity among caregivers. Dr. Otten shares his journey in medicine, the creation of the documentary 'Suck It Up Buttercup', and the role of organizations like Medicine Forward in advocating for change. The conversation emphasizes the power of kindness, the importance of self-care, and the potential of AI tools to assist caregivers at home.

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In this powerful solo episode, Dr. Mark explores the hidden cost of caregiving: the unhealed wounds and generational traumas that quietly shape how we give, love, and sacrifice. He reveals how these inherited scripts: “you’re good when you give, selfish when you ask - can hollow us out, leaving us exhausted and disconnected. Through reflection and science-based insight, this episode offers language, validation, and a path toward self-healing. Because healing isn’t selfish - it’s survival.

In this episode, Dr. Mark welcomes Professor Dean Tripp of Queen’s University, a clinical consultant and leading researcher on chronic pain, stress, and resilience. Together, they unpack the concept of catastrophizing—what it is, how it develops, and why it matters for both patients and caregivers.

You’ll learn:

•              The key differences between acute and chronic pain.

•              How empathy can both help and harm caregivers.

•              Why communication and connection are essential tools for preventing burnout.

•              How intimacy, fairness, and “small wins” can restore balance in caregiving relationships.

•              Practical strategies to maint...

When caregiving depletes you, what brings you back? In our premiere episode, psychotherapist Bev Blaney (“a caregiver of caregivers”) charts a humane approach to burnout: embed self‑care in the culture, notice early warning signs (disconnection, cognitive fog, a closing heart). We talk moral injury, micro‑traumas, why “workshops” aren’t enough, and how to re-frame “I can’t do this anymore” as the start of a better path.

Disclaimer
This conversation is for education and reflection, not medical or psychological advice. If
you’re in crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline in your region.

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