This Father's Day, I find myself reflecting not only on the loss of my father, but on the enduring gifts that continue to shape my life. 1. Tomorrow is not promised. Make moments and memories a priority. 2. There is no substitute for presence. Time given is love made real and transcendent. 3. A daughter's sense of value and worth is often profoundly shaped by her father. 4. Fathers help establish a model for healthy relationships through the way they love, hon

Some relationships begin with the quiet courage of allowing ourselves to be seen by those who recognize the pain we carry. Years ago, Beth Reinert first approached me at an Alzheimer’s Association conference in Washington, DC. At the time, neither of us could have understood how deeply our paths would later intertwine through caregiving, friendship, retreats, advocacy, grief, and shared mission. This final Soul Health® Conversation in the SHC Foundations series begins with so

There are conversations you record…and there are conversations that mark you. This is one of those. Years ago, I sat with a friend—a man whose life had been irrevocably alteredby a diagnosis most people fear even naming. Young-onset Alzheimer’s. But what unfolded in that conversationwas not defined by decline. It was defined by clarity, courage, and choice. Brian LeBlanc did not deny the reality of his diagnosis.He did something far more rare. He met it with intention. He bec

Caregiving is often described through the language of compassion. And while that is true, it is not complete. Because caring for another person—especially over time—requires more than love. It requires: Structure. Clarity. Support. In this conversation with Maureen Rulison, we explore what happens when families step into roles they were never formally prepared to carry. They are asked to: Make decisions that shape outcomes Navigate systems that are not always clear Advocate i

There are voices whose work carries both clinical rigor and lived conviction.Dr. Fayron Epps, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, is one of them. When we first met, Dr. Epps was doing extraordinary work at Emory University within the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, advancing culturally responsive, evidence-based approaches to dementia care and caregiving. Over time, as our professional and relational paths continued to unfold, that work expanded and deepened—leading to her current

Dr. James Houston and Deborah M. Jackson There are lives that influence institutions. And then there are lives changing the way we see the world. Dr. Houston’s life shaped institutions—across academia, the Church, and personal relationships across generations —globally. And yet, what remains most striking is not the breadth of his influence, but the depth of his formative insight. James Houston passed at the age of 103—a century marked not by noise, but by the significance of

As The Grieving Body begins to take shape, one of the grief realities that must be named clearly is sudden loss. So many losses do not give the mind, body, or spirit time to prepare.These losses can be sudden with no warning—or involve being suddenly forced into a life-or-death reality outside of our control. Sudden loss is often first experienced as shock. In my work with clinicians and professionals, it is sometimes confused with denial. It is not denial. This is not just e

The Grieving Body was named to illuminate grief that has gone unaddressed within the Body of Christ—and the way that same unaddressed grief exists within the fullness of the human experience. Grief is often only contextualized as the loss of a person. But grief exists wherever there has been loss. Loss of people.Loss of relationships.Loss of what was hoped for.Loss of identity, direction, or capacity. Many live with these experiences without recognizing them as grief. Within

Conversations about sleep health often focus on the importance of adequate rest for physical and mental wellbeing. Yet for many caregivers — whether caring for family members or patients — restorative sleep can be difficult to sustain. Research examining both family caregivers and healthcare professionals consistently finds higher rates of disrupted sleep. These patterns often include shortened sleep duration, frequent awakenings, and difficulty returning to sleep once awake

When Meaning Is Central, What You Look for in Care Matters A reflective guide for discerning support when faith, grief, and emotional healing intersect Before seeking therapy, spiritual direction, or any form of support, there is a quieter question worth asking—one that often goes unspoken: When life becomes uncertain, painful, or disorienting, how do I naturally make sense of what I’m experiencing? Some people move first toward problem-solving or analysis.Others toward emoti

Embracing the Full Spectrum of Your Holiday Experience Deborah M. Jackson, MA, MDiv, BCC, PLPC As December unfolds around us, we wanted to reach out with a gentle reminder that whatever you're feeling right now is completely valid. The holidays often bring a beautiful yet complex tapestry of emotions—joy intertwined with sadness, grief alongside new beginnings, uncertainty meeting expectation, and discouragement searching for a space with hope. This season doesn't demand perf

Never married. Only child. Single caregiver for 12 years. When I saw the writing on the wall, I was petrified, mystified, and just plain traumatized.I loved my mom, but I couldn’t begin to wrap my head around the human cost to me . All of this was unfolding just as I was approaching what I believed would be the prime of my life—with dreams taking shape and the world at my feet. I prayed soooo hard, “Lord, can this cup pass for both of us?” Caring for my mom was not heroic. It

It’s been decades since my father died.And still—there are days and moments when I feel the deep ache of missing him and the unmistakable absence of his presence in my daily life. The pitch and punch of that grief have shifted, but the experience of his absence across my life has never gone away. The role my dad held in my life—in more ways than I can count—has been woven into who I am. His presence finds me in milestones, in memories of our conversations, in things I’m doing

(Harobed Soul Health® / Harobed Institute) For the everyday person, an event that inflicts moral injury hurts the soul. It may be killing, witnessing violence, or a moral transgression—particularly by a leader—being placed in a morally compromising situation, dehumanizing another person, torture, or rape. As a spiritual and counseling clinician, I often encounter injuries of care responsibility. This happens when a person or family decides not to take on caregiving—sometime

Moral injury (MI) is the internal emotional unrest one can experience because of a lapse in moral values, feeling trapped or positioned by an outside source from speaking out because of a violation of someone else’s.

We are not meant to fix what grief breaks, but to live faithfully within what it reveals.

On National Singles Day, I was led to share a story that is rarely spoken about on caregiver platforms and that I have not discussed much...

Jeremiah 29 I know the Plans

This week’s From the Field reflection comes in honor of National Prevention Day. 🌿 This week, on Suicide Prevention Day, I reflected on...

Over ten years, I wrote letters and recorded reflections as I embraced this journey of taking care of my mother. It was hard, confusing,...