Ep 56 Be Kind to Yourself: Why Caregivers Need the Primal Five to Survive
Caregiving quietly asks people to disappear—and then praises them for it.
In this episode of The Sharegiving Secret, host Deborah Greenhut, PhD speaks with Dr. Matthew Campbell, licensed psychologist and co-author of Our Primal Five, about why caregivers are uniquely vulnerable to depletion, isolation, and hopelessness—and what actually helps.
Drawing from clinical work with dementia caregivers, personal family experience, and decades of research, Dr. Campbell introduces the Primal Five: sleep, sunlight, movement, social connection, and consumption. These are not luxuries, he argues, but biological requirements caregivers often abandon without realizing it.
Together, Deborah and Matt explore:
- Why caregivers struggle to even hear advice meant for themselves
- How caregiving becomes invisible solo labor over time
- Why praise and faith language can unintentionally trap caregivers
- The difference between depression and the far more dangerous state of hopelessness
- How families can spot early warning signs that a caregiver is in trouble
This is a compassionate, practical, and deeply human conversation about restoring visibility, choice, and kindness—to the caregiver.
Bio Dr. Matthew Campbell is a licensed psychologist, author, and founder of Our Primal 5, a practical self-care framework focused on the five foundations of mental and physical health: sleep, sunlight, movement, social connection, and consumption. With years of clinical experience, Dr. Campbell helps people cut through overwhelm and focus on small, sustainable behaviors that improve mood, energy, and resilience. His work bridges science and real life—offering structure without rigidity and progress without perfection. Dr. Campbell is the co-author of Our Primal 5: The Simple 5-Week Guide to Self-Care, and his mission is simple: help people feel better by doing less—but doing the right things consistently.
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Website: https://www.campbellps.com/our-primal-5
Book: https://a.co/d/8w3z5KX
