Continuing Education
“You might be a Caregiver if… you need Continuing Education Credits to maintain your licensure.”
“Defending the Caregiver!” is a one-man show, a concept in “EnterTrainment” that humorously and dramatically explores the “Caregiver’s Dilemma” while teaching Caregiver’s (and those that Love and/or rely on them) how recognize and avoid falling into the “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” traps Caregivers naturally set for themselves.
“This continuing nursing education activity was approved by Delaware Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.”
The following are links to websites that consist of Required and or Recommended Reading for the “Defending the Caregiver!” program:
Take the Myers-Briggs Personality Test and learn your own Personality Profile
Portrait of an ESFJ (Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging)
Myers-Briggs Type Use for Everyday Life
Using Myers Briggs in the Workplace
The Burns Depression Checklist
Cognitive Therapy/Interventions for Depression
Rate of Depression of Full-time Workers: Study by SAMHSA
Caregiver Depression: A National Crisis!
Caregiving and Depression: Symptoms, Interventions, Options, “What to do?”
Lon Kieffer, creator of “Defending the Caregiver!” has had a 25+ year progressive career in Healthcare. Along the way he was taught to “love, laugh and learn” by amazing group of Caregivers that shared some common traits. Initially, he described these traits as a special kind of “co-dependency” where he noticed his “Caregivers” defer their own satisfaction for the benefit of others.
Lon also noticed how depleted, emotionally and physically, these Caregivers could become; and how violated many of them felt late in their careers as if the “pay-it-forward” strategy left them out of the loop.
In doing research to support his speaking and consulting business he stumbled onto the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment of psychological preferences and their designation of a personality type called “The Caregiver!” and immediately found a credible source that had quantified his observations.
In summary, Here is what Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment has to say about; “The Caregiver!” (much more is available in the “Become ‘DOC’ Certified” portion of this website).
Portrait of a Caregiver!
A Caregivers primary mode of living is focused externally; they deal with things according to feel and fit into their own value system. Secondarily, they take things in via their five senses in a literal, concrete fashion.
Caregivers are “people persons”; interested in others and extremely good at reading them and understanding their point of view. They have a strong desire to be liked, are serious, dependable, and value security and stability.
Caregivers need approval from others to feel good about themselves; are hurt by indifference, confused by unkindness. They are giving people, who get personal satisfaction from the happiness of others and often change their own manner to be more pleasing to whoever they’re with at the moment.
Caregivers are prone to their own human frailty’s AND, by virtue of their empathy and need for approval are more prone to Cognitive Distortions; thought processes used by everyone enduring stress that when overused, can lead to depressive thoughts and feelings of diminished self worth:
Caregiver’s Distortions (aka – Cognitive Distortions)
1. All-or-Nothing Thinking (black and white thinking; hero or goat!)
2. Overgeneralization (one negative foretells a never ending pattern)
3. Mental Filter (focus on a negative and allow it to affect everything)
4. Disqualifying the Positive (reject good experiences as meaningless)
5. Jumping to Conclusions (making neg. interpretations without facts)
6. Magnification or Minimization (exaggerate failures; dismiss success)
7. Emotional Reasoning (assuming things are real because you “feel” it)
8. Should Statements (self punishment as motivation leads to guilt)
9. Labeling and Mislabeling (overgeneralization; colorful language)
10. Personalization (taking responsibility for things not involving you)
Cognitive Distortions from: Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns, MD
For additional perspective on this please enjoy this Excerpt from: “The Caregivers Dillemma: How to Care for Others without Losing Yourself!” available FREE here on the website:
According to Myers-Briggs, the Caregiver personality derives satisfaction from pleasing others. At some level whether conscious or subconscious, whether admitted or denied, the Caregiver needs someone to care for in order to be satisfied themselves.
As a result, they may resist help or support.
It’s not that the Caregiver is unwilling to share the credit. The Caregiver is not looking for a great deal of accolades from others; their reward is within and based on how they value the satisfaction and services they provide to others. If they accept too much help they risk diluting the self-satisfaction derived from the process of Care giving.
Part of The Caregivers Dilemma is that much of this behavior and thinking is subconscious. Saying this out loud or reading it here may even offend the Caregiver, as if their actions were selfish. They are not behaving selfishly; they are behaving naturally.
The idea behind this discussion is to allow the Caregiver to “see” this dynamic; to make them aware of it at a conscious level so that they can continue to be a Caregiver but stop denying themselves support.
This is an internal dilemma, the Caregiver is not seeking approval or praise but internal worth based entirely on how they value what they have done for others.
In the end, the only thing the Caregiver truly seeks from other people is acceptance; a belief that others “get them,” that they understand.
The Caregiver wants to be appreciated and understood!
Often the Caregiver simply needs someone to hear and understand them; and nothing more.
Here at “Defender of Caregivers!” we understand and ACCEPT you completely and unconditionally. Enjoy the peace and quiet comfort available by simply knowing we are here to DEFEND YOU the Caregiver!
Thank you for Caring!
coming soon...
