"No matter your features
We're all the same tender loving creatures
Taking steps upon the earth
Don't need anyone to tell you what you're worth"
-"Power," MILCK
At Courage to Caregivers, we view EMPOWERMENT as vital to our roles as family caregivers. Empowerment, put simply, is the state of being able to take charge of our own lives. Through empowerment, we are able to embrace the courage we need to think creatively, ask for help when we need it, and take advantage of our strengths and skillsets as caregivers.
We find empowerment through reflecting on who we are as people and how we want to learn and develop. From there, we can recognize how capable we already are, and how we can keep growing. Empowerment doesn't mean we have to struggle alone. Instead, it's about recognizing and embracing our ability to make change in our own lives. As singer-songwriter MILCK says in her anthem "Power," you "don't need anyone to tell you what you're worth."
3 TOOLS FOR BECOMING EMPOWERED
- Shift your mindset - Empowerment is all about taking control of your own life, and this includes your mindset. As we discussed in May when we covered growth mindset, we have the ability to shift our thinking away from "I can't" to "I can learn."
- Reflect on your values and goals - In order to know what you need, it's vital to take a moment to reflect on what you care about and how that relates to what you would like to become. What strengths do you have? Where would you like to grow?
- Find your community - Caregiving can feel incredibly isolating at times. That's why finding a caring community that can support and cheer you on can be instrumental in lifting you up and empowering you to be your best self.
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We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
- Oprah Winfrey
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THEME AFFIRMATIONS
Use affirmations to inspire you or reframe your thoughts
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Creativity fuels how I handle challenges
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I hold space for myself everyday
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I set healthy boundaries to support myself and my loved ones
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Life is an opportunity to grow and learn
APPS FOR GUIDED MEDITATION
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Doodle - This app allows you to draw on your tablet, and share your creativity with friends and family.
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DBT Coach - This app provides mental health resources based on dialectical behavior therapy and allows you to track your emotions, skills, and behaviors.
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Help Guide - This website has a wealth of resources on mental health, relationships, meditation, aging, and more.
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Smiling Mind - This app helps support mental fitness for all ages through skill-training and habit-building.
PODCASTS
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BOOKS
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Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun - This novel by Mónica Ojeda explores two best friends who attend a festival while struggling with their pasts.
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Mercy Hill - This novel by Hannah Thurman shares the story of four sisters growing up in the late 1990s and early 2000s at a mental hospital run by their mother.
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Mother Tongue - This memoir by Sara Novic examines her story of growing up deaf and raising her children within the deaf world.
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Treat Them as Buffalo - This novel by Blair Palmer Yoxall follows an Indigenous community as they investigate the disappearances of teenage boys.
ARTICLES
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Arnetta Longmire is CEO of Winner Mindset, a non-profit organization committed to improving the mental health of children and young adults throughout southwestern Ohio. Founded in 2020, it takes a prevention-based approach bringing wellness evaluations and alcohol awareness to schools and universities. It was after volunteering at her former university that Arnetta became enlightened and committed to aiding the mental health of youth navigating school. Read our interview with Arnetta here.
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June is a busy month! From Brain Health Awareness Month to LGBTQ+ Pride Month to Men's Health Month, June is full of opportunities for us to be aware of how we can support ourselves and our loved ones. Below, we have shared some of our favorite resources.
Brain Health Awareness Month Resources:
LGBTQ+ Pride Month Resources:
- LGBT Near Me - The LGBT National Help Center provides links to local and national resources. They also offer hotlines for LGBTQ+ youth, adults, and seniors.
- The Trevor Project - The Trevor Project focuses on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth through crisis support, advocacy, research, and education. They provide a 24/7 crisis counseling line that can be accessed through call, chat, and text.
- Trans Lifeline - Trans Lifeline is a peer hotline that provides emotional and financial support to transgender individuals. They connect trans people to community, support, and resources.
- Courage to Caregivers - Allyship Resources
Men's Health Month Resources:
- NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness has shared resources for how we can support men's mental health.
- Heads Up Guys - Heads Up Guys provides support for men living with depression and other mental health struggles.
- Movember - Movember offers resources regarding physical and mental wellness for men.
- Man Therapy - What began as a suicide prevention campaign has morphed into a men's mental health campaign where the goal is to support all men before they are ever in crisis.
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Our next Question, Persuade, and Refer/QPR Suicide Prevention training is TONIGHT
Thursday, June 25 at 7 pm ET!
Please register here to receive the Zoom link! You need only register for ONE two-hour session. Space is limited for each session, so please register only for a time you know you can attend so spaces don't fill up and prevent others from attending.
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July's theme is WELLNESS. We will be caring for our sleep hygiene, moving with courage, nurturing our self-discipline and motivation, and creating a peaceful atmosphere for ourselves. With micro-goals, it’s easier to take the next right step - as Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.” Check out July's Micro-Challenges Calendar here.
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Courage to Caregivers Breathing Practice for July: Ocean Breath
As we support caregivers to make breathing and meditation a practice, we're pleased to share our Breathing Meditation Facilitator Cathy and her monthly breathing practice how-to videos. You can join us for July's Breathing Practice - with this practice, we will stimulate the rest-digest-relaxation system of our body to bring us into a soothing state. This breath is particularly helpful for anyone who appreciates deep breathing and meditation. You can watch July's instructional video for Ocean Breath here, and remember to subscribe to our 2026 Monthly Breathing Practices playlist to stay updated each month. You can also subscribe to our Breathing Meditation playlist, where we have four years of our weekly breathing meditation recordings, and follow along on our Spotify Breathing Meditation playlist.
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The mission of Courage to Caregivers is to empower and equip carers to navigate their journey. We envision a world where healthy carers lead to healthier families and communities. We're in the caregiver burnout prevention business!
©2026 Courage to Caregivers, Inc.
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