Lessons in Compassion: Beth Butram's Journey Through Caregiving and Grief

03/27/25 • 53 min

2 Listeners

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting,host Amy Stone welcomes guest Beth Butram to discuss the nuances and challenges of caregiving for aging parents. Beth shares her personal journey, including the emotional and logistical impacts of becoming the primary caregiver for her father and mother. Through Beth's story, listeners gain insight into the importance of preparation, self-care, and the emotional dynamics that accompany caregiving roles.

Beth Butram is a mom, grandparent, friend and an operations manager at a major healthcare company. She also co-hosts the Social Leopards podcast along with her best friend, Bea. eth shares her experiences of having cared for her father with dementia and her mother, who faced significant health challenges, reflecting on the lessons she learned throughout these journeys.

Main Topics Covered:

Transitioning to the role of caregiver for aging parents
The emotional and physical impact of caregiving
The importance of preparation, such as securing living wills and power of attorney
Balancing self-care while caring for others
Reflections on personal growth and lessons learned through caregiving

Quote from the Episode: "Give yourself grace and remember that you don't have to do things alone."

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Introduction and welcome to Beth Butram
[00:00:23] Beth shares where she calls home and family background
[00:03:31] Discussion on the shift to caregiving for parents
[00:06:17] Challenges of caregiving remotely for her father
[00:10:28] Transition to caregiving for Beth's mother
[00:24:02] Impact of caregiving on personal life and relationships
[00:33:16] Relationship dynamics shift with caregiving responsibilities
[00:45:44] Beth discusses her project, Social Leopards

You can find Beth and the Social Leopards podcast at www.socialleopards.com

To get information about the most recent episodes of the podcast delivered to your email along with special offers from the guests we invite you to join the Imperfect Adulting email community at www.imperfectadulting.com

Main Topics Covered:

Transitioning to the role of caregiver for aging parents
The emotional and physical impact of caregiving
The importance of preparation, such as securing living wills and power of attorney
Balancing self-care while caring for others
Reflections on personal growth and lessons learned through caregiving

Quote from the Episode: "Give yourself grace and remember that you don't have to do things alone."

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Introduction and welcome to Beth Butram
[00:00:23] Beth shares where she calls home and family background
[00:03:31] Discussion on the shift to caregiving for parents
[00:06:17] Challenges of caregiving remotely for her father
[00:10:28] Transition to caregiving for Beth's mother
[00:24:02] Impact of caregiving on personal life and relationships
[00:33:16] Relationship dynamics shift with caregiving responsibilities
[00:45:44] Beth discusses her project, Social Leopards

You can find Beth and the Social Leopards podcast at www.socialleopards.com

Previous Episode

The Courage to Rise: Jodi Harty on Physical and Emotional Healing

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, host Amy Stone chats with guest Jodi Harty to explore the life-altering event that reshaped Jodi's life and how she turned tragedy into a story of resilience and healing. Jodi shares her incredible journey of recovery and growth following a devastating car accident, discussing the emotional, physical, and spiritual tools she employed to rise above her circumstances.

Jodi Harty is a certified health and life coach, a board-certified drugless practitioner, and hormone coach. With a deep background in alternative health practices and a personal story of resilience, she helps others heal and thrive through comprehensive coaching that combines cellular health, lifestyle adjustments, and emotional support.

Topics covered in this episode:

Jodi's background and life before the collision
The day of the accident and immediate aftermath
Jodi’s recovery journey and the importance of alternative health practices
The emotional impact of losing her daughter and how she has coped
The concept of 'rising' and redefining one's identity after trauma
Jodi’s current work and how listeners can connect with her

Quote from the Episode: "Life will prepare you for what's coming. There's no way that I could have done what I did if I did not have the life experience and the formal education that I did have." — Jodi Harty (00:37:53)

Timestamps:

00:00:03
: Introduction and guest welcome
00:00:24
: Jodi talks about where she lives
00:01:51
: Jodi shares about her family and background
00:04:39
: Life before the accident
00:10:00
: The day of the collision and immediate effects
00:18:01
: The ICU experience and physical trauma
00:25:00
: Overcoming extreme physical pain and opioids dependency
00:34:09
: Emotional aspect of grieving and redefining identity
00:46:12
: Support received and what could have been beneficial
00:50:19
: Jodi's current work in health and life coaching
00:53:33
: Special offer for listeners
00:54:20
: Fun rapid-fire questions and closing

For more details and to get in touch with Jodi, please visit her website https://www.elementsofwellness.org/

Be sure to subscribe to the email community for The Art of Imperfect Adulting to be informed of new episodes and special offers from guests straight to your email inbox. https://www.imperfectadulting.com/

Next Episode

Building a Second Act: Career Transitions and New Beginnings with Shannon Russell

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone chats with Shannon Russell, a former television producer who shares her journey from living her dream job in the bustling cities of New York and Los Angeles to starting a new career closer to home. Shannon discusses the challenges of balancing a demanding career with motherhood, the decision to leave the industry, and her success in launching a new business and career-coaching service.

Shannon Russell is a Career Transition/Business Coach, Author of the book Start Your Second Act: How to Change Careers, Launch a Business, and Create Your Best Life, and Host of the Second Act Success Career Podcast. After spending 16 years as a TV Producer, Shannon pivoted to open her own business and her coaching practice. Shannon supports women who are unhappy in their 9-5, pivot to a "second act" building a business they love. Shannon provides exit strategy guidance and helps her clients transition from employee to entrepreneur.

Main Topics Covered:

Shannon's background in television production and her dream job.
The challenges and realities of balancing a demanding career with being a mom.
The factors that influenced Shannon's decision to leave her job.
Transitioning from the entertainment industry to starting her first business.
The establishment of
Second Act Success
to help others make career transitions.
Shannon's upcoming book and career coaching services.

Quote from the Episode: ""I'm not giving it up. I am choosing to now experience my children and figure out what else I can do. We get one life." –Shannon Russell

Timestamps:

00:00:05 – Introduction and welcome. 00:01:02 – Shannon discusses her personal life and hobbies. 00:02:08 – Shannon's early passion for the arts and decision to become a producer. 00:03:41 – Insight into Shannon's dream job and her experience as a television producer. 00:05:35 – The highs and lows of working in television production. 00:08:30 – The impact of motherhood on Shannon's career choices. 00:12:34 – Shannon discusses the logistics of balancing work and family. 00:19:32 – Realizing the need for a career change and discussing with family. 00:22:43 – Transitioning out of the entertainment industry. 00:23:32 – Shannon's franchise business and the path to founding Second Act Success. 00:24:26 – How to connect with Shannon and info about her upcoming book. 00:25:30 – Fun rapid-fire questions with Shannon.

For more information about Shannon Russell and her career coaching services, visit her website Second Act Success and check out her upcoming book Start Your Second Act. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Imperfect Adulting https:www.imperfectadutling.com email community to get direct links to resources mentioned on the show!