EP 97: Nicole Smith – Sanity in the Storm: How to Stay Whole When Everything Falls Apart

EP 97: Nicole Smith – Sanity in the Storm: How to Stay Whole When Everything Falls Apart

What happens when your entire world starts unraveling—and you're still expected to hold everyone else together?

In this raw and deeply moving episode, author and caregiver Nicole Smith joins Maureen to explore the invisible chaos of caregiving, the emotional toll of dementia, and what it means to stay grounded when life throws you into the eye of the storm.

From balancing elder care with raising five children, to navigating behavioral health crises on both ends of the generational spectrum, Nicole shares her hard-won wisdom—and her unconventional “Holy Trinity of Sanity”: yoga, beer, and chocolate. 😌🍺🍫

This is not just a conversation about dementia—it's about resilience, guilt, rage, grace, exhaustion, and survival. It’s about the ways we lose ourselves, and the tools we must build to stay whole.

Whether you're battling burnout, navigating grief, or facing your own private storm—this episode will remind you: You're not alone.

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