Balm in the Burnout, Episode 8:

I’m Part of the Story – Caregiver Burnout with Allison Breininger

Host: Megan Hadley
Guest: Allison Breininger, founder of The Negative Space

In this episode of Balm in the Burnout, host Megan Hadley talks with caregiver and advocate Allison Breininger about the realities of caregiving, the hidden toll it takes, and the importance of community and self-care. Allison shares her personal journey, the mission behind The Negative Space, and practical ways to support caregivers and prevent burnout. 

Episode Highlights:

• Allison shares her journey as a caregiver for her husband, who was diagnosed with Fanconi Anemia, and how this experience led her to found The Negative Space.
• Discussion on the often invisible impact of caregiving, the importance of recognizing caregivers, and the need for self-advocacy in healthcare.
• The Negative Space’s mission: changing how caregivers are seen and supported, both through direct services and education for medical professionals and the public.
• The power of community, support groups, and creating spaces for caregivers to share their experiences without judgment or toxic positivity.
• Allison’s new project, The Storyline: an online resource for caregivers with chapters for different caregiving moments, including realistic self-care, reflection questions, meditations, and more.
• The importance of “micro moments” and small daily practices to reduce burnout risk.
• Statistics on caregiver burnout: caregivers are 90% more likely to experience daily anxiety and 70% show signs of clinical depression.
• Upcoming events: Caregiver Con on November 1st in Minneapolis, with resources, therapy dogs, and free massages.

Key Topics Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to Balm in the Burnout and guest Allison Breininger  

01:42 – Grounding moment: Watching deer in a quiet pause  

03:18 – Allison shares her caregiving story and her husband’s diagnosis  

06:40 – The toll of invisible caregiving labor and chronic hypervigilance  

09:56 – What burnout looks like in long-term caregiving  

13:08 – The myth of the “strong one” and identity loss in caregivers  

17:02 – Finding and naming glimmers: a path back to presence  

21:00 – Realistic self-care and micro-moments of regulation  

25:10 – Developing “The Storyline” and building caregiver-centered resources  

29:04 – Training healthcare professionals to acknowledge caregivers  

32:20 – Language matters: shifting how we speak about caregiving  

36:40 – Closing reflections: belonging, burnout, and asking for help  

38:56 – How to connect with Allison and The Negative Space  

Resources Mentioned:

• The Negative Space: thenegativespace.life
• In Sickness Podcast: insickness.care
• Instagram: @negspacelife
• Facebook: The Negative Space
• Caregiver Con: caregivercon.com
  

Support the Podcast:
Balm in the Burnout is listener-supported. You can leave a tip on Venmo at HHW-LLC or contribute to a community scholarship.

Key Takeaway:
Start seeing caregivers. Be curious and empathetic about their experiences, and recognize the impact caregiving has on their health and wellbeing.

Contact:
For brochures, rack cards, or to support The Negative Space, visit the website or reach out directly to Allison.

Dive Deeper:

For more tools and services to support your risk reduction of burnout, visit Megan at harvesthealthandwellbeing.com, or hhwellb.com for her short links of upcoming events and free resources.