Overcoming Caregiving and Relationship Problems with Barry Jacobs

Overcoming Caregiving and Relationship Problems with Barry Jacobs

Author: Elizabeth Miller Featured on The Whole Care Network September 10, 2025 Duration: 58:51

Our guest is Barry J. Jacobs — he’s a clinical psychologist and author based just outside of Philly who has a real heart for supporting family caregivers. And that passion is personal. Barry’s caregiving journey started young — when he was just 14, his dad was diagnosed with brain cancer and sadly passed away the following year. That experience shaped the direction of his life and career. Later, from 2010 to 2017, Barry stepped into the caregiving role again — this time for his stepfather, who had Alzheimer’s, and his mom, who was living with vascular dementia. He truly understands the emotional rollercoaster that comes with caregiving and has spent his career helping others navigate it with more support and less guilt. 


In this episode, we discuss two of his books, co-written with his wife, one on love and relationships after 50, and one focused on addressing common family caregiving questions. We delve deeper into the topics of guilt, family dynamics, and self-care. Barry has much personal and professional wisdom to share, especially when it comes to self-kindness, using more honey and less vinegar, balancing ‘me time’ and ‘we time,’ and spreading ‘You Got This’ confidence throughout the caregiving community.



Show notes with product and resource links:

https://bit.ly/HHCPod213

Receive the podcast in your email here:

http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv

Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal:

http://bit.ly/HHCjournal

For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth:

https://happyhealthycaregiver.com/contact-us/

The Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast is part of the Whole Care Network. Rate and Review the podcast:

https://bit.ly/HHCPODREVIEW


Juggling the needs of aging parents or other family members with your career, your children, and your own aspirations can feel like an endless, solitary marathon. Happy Healthy Caregiver is a space dedicated to those navigating this complex reality, offering genuine conversation and practical strategies for sustaining your own well-being alongside your caregiving duties. Host Elizabeth Miller, a Certified Caregiving Consultant featured on The Whole Care Network, brings both personal experience and professional insight to each episode. She doesn’t just share her own stories; she creates dialogues with other family caregivers, exploring how they carve out moments for fitness, mental clarity, and personal joy amidst their responsibilities. Tuning into this podcast, you’ll hear honest discussions about setting boundaries, managing stress, and redefining what health and happiness look like during a demanding chapter of life. It’s a resource that acknowledges the weight of your role while providing tangible ideas to help you carry it, reminding you that caring for yourself isn’t a distraction from your duties-it’s what makes them sustainable.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Happy Healthy Caregiver
Podcast Episodes
Unseen Care with Jess Ronne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:09
In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, Jess Ronne shares her powerful caregiving journey, from supporting her late husband through brain cancer to raising her son, Lucas, who lives with profound disabili…
Bridging Cultural Care Economy Gaps with Paurvi Bhatt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:15
In May we pay tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success. This caregiver spotlight episode echoes all of these sentiments. Mee…
Stay Connected with Jim Cooper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
Meet Jim Cooper who has been married for 40+ years and cared for his wife who had brain cancer. Jim is a man of many talents and experiences. He has been a radio DJ, real estate broker, IT consultant, author, podcaster,…
Can Burnout Be a Blessing? with Carrie Severson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
In this episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, we’re joined by Carrie Severson—caregiver to her husband Gavin and a recognized expert in burnout. Carrie shares how her personal caregiving journey inspired her ad…
The Enlightened Caregiver with Dr. Tina Sadarangani [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:16
Dr. Tina Sadarangani is a sandwich generation caregiver and a NYU Assistant Professor who is a board-certified adult and geriatric nurse practitioner. Even though she is a clinician and has a PhD focused on aging, she st…
Sisterpower! Meet Elizabeth’s sisters Susie Morrell and Anne Woodbury [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:18
In this milestone 200th episode of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast, I’m thrilled to share something extra special with you—I’m introducing two amazing people who mean the world to me: my sisters! You may already be f…
Living with Intention with Susan Bottega [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:09
Susan Bottega is a nurse by practice who became a caregiver when her husband was diagnosed with CLL (Chronic lymphocytic leukemia) over 12 years ago. Since then, Susan has adjusted her life to caring for Bob, researching…
Creating Care Community with Kitty Norton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:23
Kitty Norton left her job as an NBC assistant editor in Los Angeles in 2016, for her hometown of Portland, Oregon, to walk, stumble, crawl with her dementia mother to death’s door. While doing so, she authored the dement…
Boomerang Care with Heather Henderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:15
Heather Henderson is what I’m calling a boomerang family caregiver since she has moved in with her mom to be her primary caregiver at various times in her life. Heather initially became a primary caregiver overnight in 2…
Forever Caregiving with Kelley Coleman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:49
Kelley Coleman is a California mom to two amazing boys and full-time caregiver for her son with multiple disabilities. She is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and indi…