Hello, my name is Natani Jones. I am originally from South Africa, a proud mother to three wonderful children, an avid tennis player, and a full-time, long-term caregiver to my oldest son, Trevor. Trevor is 25 years old and when he was 14 months he tragically fell from the arms of his father, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury. ​ In a split second, my life went from sheer joy to complete survival, and a very long journey in the trenches. Life became consumed with finding every possible modality to support my son’s recovery. My home became a full-time therapy clinic and I took on the role of every therapist. The dark years of post-traumatic brain injury were filled with a depth of despair and determination to do whatever it took to get my son back. Even if I lost myself in the process. Exhaustion, hyper-vigilance, and chronic stress crept in at every level and sadly, like most of you, my health and dreams were no longer relevant. ​ As a veteran Caregiver with now over 24 years of experience on the journey, and as a Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, I have witnessed an underlying issue – a silent pandemic of caregiver burnout. Though not always outwardly noticeable, the symptoms of exhaustion from life in the trenches are a common thread among long-term caregivers. As the years passed, Trevor progressed beyond the initial prognosis of a vegetative state, but his beautiful cognitive mind is that of a preschooler. Not yet toilet trained, with limited understanding, language, and visual impairment, it became evident Trevor would need my caregiving for the rest of my life. I knew this need was so great and to do that I had to make my health a priority, and regain a sense of self to sustain the long journey ahead. ​ By strengthening my resiliency and my immune system specific to the needs of being a caregiver, by balancing the ever-present challenges with enough good experiences, and putting in place what I call ‘handrails’ to lean on when moving through the toughest times, I have found that health is not just the absence of illness, but an abundance of vitality. Through intentional self-care practices, I have softened the pain associated with my grief and trauma and embraced this remarkable and humbling journey. I believe our beautiful caregiver spirits are incredibly resilient. With enough recognition, support, and nurture, we can come to a place of thriving even in the midst of such a demanding lifestyle. Welcome to CaregiverLove. We want you to feel known and we hope to serve and support you on your Caregiver journey!