What if every milestone your child was supposed to reach came with countless curve balls? For Alexis Kaplan, motherhood quickly turned into a journey of advocacy, strength, and unwavering love as she navigated her daughter Gabby’s complex and rare health conditions....
Episode 157 | Crystal Polk – Social Worker + Caregiver Expert
Podcast Show Notes
On today’s episode of the podcast, Katie interviews Crystal Polk, a Social Worker and Licensed Therapist speaks about the dual role parents of medically complex children hold as caregiver and parent. Crystal specializes in working with families who have children with special or medical needs. She gives parents practical things they can do today to start on the path of healing.
[3:03] Katie shares how she learned about Crystal through the ‘Unseen’ documentary
[3:30] Crystal introduces herself
[6:00] Identifying the differences between caregiving and parenting
[8:30] Acknowledging the stages of grief
[9:40] Grieving what you once imagined
[10:12] Acceptance leads to better attachment
[11:03] Delegation, being heard and frustration are common themes
[12:20] Focusing on what we can control
[14:08] Healing unprocessed trauma using EMDR
[16:08] Leaning into mindfulness
[16:55] Trial and error to find what works for you
[17:53] Giving your self the the gift of consistency
[21:13] Type of support families receive varies from state to state
[22:14] Parents are demanding positive changes
[25:04] Getting the word out about parent caregiver support
Connect with Crystal
Crystal recommends using Psychology Today to search for a qualified therapist. View Crystal and other therapists here.
Crystal is LEND Certified. Read more about the LEND program here.
Whether you are a parent or professional, we want you to join our community. Sign up for our newsletter here.
Parents, download our free parent starter kit.
When you download our starter kit, you’ll learn how to:
- Give medicine to your child without it becoming a wrestling match
- Prepare your child (and yourself) for a shot so they can feel less anxious
- Create and use a coping plan for any medical appointment or procedure
The first sign of sniffles, or worse, shouldn’t send you into a tailspin. Feel confident in your role as a parent and advocate, no matter what medical situation you’re facing.
Child life specialists, get affordable PDUs on-demand here.
Shop for your CLOC gear here.
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