#181

#181_Caregiver grief after aphasia isn’t just sadness—it’s anger, guilt, and shame no one talks about when they support their loved ones.
We explain why these emotions arise and how acknowledging them helps you begin rebuilding.
Ready to move beyond aphasia? Work with us: https://tinyurl.com/RebuildLIFEBeyond...

Caregiver grief after aphasia isn’t just sadness.

In this episode of LIFE Beyond Aphasia, Coach Megan Young and I talk about the emotions many care partners feel but rarely say out loud: anger, guilt, and shame—especially when your partner survived, and everyone expects you to be grateful.

In this conversation, I sit down with grief coach Megan Young to name what’s really happening beneath the surface for care partners.
Why grief doesn’t go away on its own after stroke or aphasia, and how dismissive comments from others can deepen isolation, and why so many care partners feel like something is “wrong” with them—even when they’re doing everything right.

This episode is for spouses and partners who are holding everything together while quietly grieving:
• the life you planned
• the relationship you had
• the future that now feels uncertain

We also discuss why grief often manifests as anger or exhaustion rather than tears, and why naming it is not giving up—it’s often the first step toward rebuilding.

00:00 Introduction to Grief and Care Partner Challenges
01:02 Impact of Stroke on Care Partners
04:17 Understanding and Expressing Grief
06:00 Roles and Identity Shifts in Caregiving
07:48 Steps to Navigate Grief and Guilt
15:43 Support Systems and Community
35:22 Conclusion and Resources

Companion resources:
• Watch Episode 180 (survivor perspective):
Survivor Grief and Identity After Aphasia
→ [YOUTUBE LINK TO EP 180]

• Coming next: Episode 182 — rebuilding after grief