A Certified Caregiving Consultant’s Reflections on Journaling

Written by Laura Will, MSN

Journaling: “You don’t have to leave the house. You can do it any time. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even need sentence structure. It’s just your thoughts.” - Louisa Stringer, a certified caregiving consultant

Louisa Stringer is a compassionate individual, touched by rare disease, who has crafted a creative, meaningful, and important career around supporting caregivers. Caregiving is inherent to the experience of motherhood; but when her youngest daughter was diagnosed with a rare cancer at the age of four, she quickly learned that “being a mother of a rare kid adds a whole other spectrum of care.”

As her and her family’s life recalibrated to the emotional realities and caregiving demands of pediatric cancer, Louisa both experienced and witnessed the emotional strains and time constraints between all the relationships within the family. Her relationship with her older, healthy children changed because of their sister, in unanticipated and sometimes unwanted ways. The complex impact on the caregiver and family unit became an area of personal exploration and professional interest; and as she connected with others, she “started to resonate with them as they told their caregiving stories.”

When speaking with Louisa, one thing becomes exceedingly clear: she loves listening, witnessing another’s story. In the narrative of disease, the person who is undergoing treatment is often considered the protagonist. But Louisa honors the story of the caregiver, a story that is often undervalued or overlooked by even caregivers themselves. Her attention and insights allow caregivers to feel more supported and less isolated.

“…journaling is a ‘tangible release.’”

This spring Louisa is focusing her expertise and love of storytelling into a new project, a weekly journaling workshop. She finds journaling is a “tangible release.” She knows it personally as a great tool, a helpful medium. Louisa explains that journaling can both process what is difficult or hurting, while also allowing the writer to honor and even craft their own narrative, referencing a Navajo proverb, “you create the world around you as your write.”

Journaling can be a habit, and “would be a good one for someone who thrives on routine.” But she feels strongly that journaling can be a very simple and quick act: “does not need to be a giant amount every day; it may just be a couple words here and there.” If you do not feel like you have the time to use writing as a release, Louisa challenges us to think about how we choose to use our time. She says, “you do have five minutes in your day, I guarantee it,” and your story is worth it.

Louisa has a creative mind, and enjoys similarly creative journaling prompts. She reflects that some of her favorite writing prompts are often just one word; currently she has been journaling about the word ‘mercy.’ A good prompt has the potential to mentally uproot the caregiver out of the caregiving role, allowing them to explore what is true for them outside that role. Alternatively journaling can be a place to process and track the needs of the caregiver. Both are available to the journaling caregiver at any given moment.