What if the reason you feel stuck in the After isn’t a lack of discipline —

but a missing spark?

In this episode, Thérèse shares a deeply personal chapter from her life after caregiving: a long, quiet season when grief settled into her body, excess weight took up residence, motivation disappeared, and she honestly believed this version of herself might be permanent.

This episode isn’t about diets, rules, or forcing yourself back to life.

It’s about a pilot light — a small, unexpected spark of joy that reignited momentum after years of emotional and physical stagnation.

Through the unlikely act of planning a covert surprise for another caregiver, something shifted. Energy returned. Movement followed. And slowly, her body began responding through joy that finally brought her back to life.

In this episode, Thérèse explores:

• Why caregivers often feel defeated in the After
• How grief quietly lives in the body long after loss
• Why good intentions alone often fail
• How joy can become the catalyst for physical and emotional reclamation

This episode is for anyone in the After who feels heavy, stalled, or disconnected from their body — and wonders if that spark is still there.

Because sometimes the plot twist isn’t effort. It’s joy.

✨ Curious what your own Joy Spark might be? You’ll find reflective prompts and inspiration at NewYorkGirlAgain.com.

✨ Ready to step into February with intention?
Download the February Self-Love Calendar at NewYorkGirlAgain.com and begin with one small, meaningful action.

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Caregiving doesn’t just exhaust your heart —
it leaves a mark on your body.

In this deeply honest episode, Thérèse speaks to the physical aftermath so many caregivers carry in silence: the pain, the weight changes, the exhaustion, and the shame that often shows up after caregiving ends.

Drawing from her own experience as a long-term caregiver — including years of chronic back pain, significant weight gain, and turning to food for comfort under relentless stress — Thérèse explores what actually happens to the body when it lives in survival mode for too long.

You’ll hear about:

Why caregivers often feel physically worse after caregiving ends

How chronic stress reshapes the nervous system and metabolism

Why food becomes comfort — and why that makes sense

How shame convinces us our bodies failed, instead of recognizing endurance

What a gentle re-entry into your body really looks like in The After

This episode is about understanding your body — and beginning again with compassion instead of shame and punishment.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror after caregiving and wondered, ‘What happened to me?’ - this episode is for you.

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👉 Follow New York Girl Again on social media for daily support in The After

After caregiving ends, many caregivers are left with an unexpected question:

If I’m no longer in survival mode…why do I feel so unsteady?

In this episode of New York Girl Again – The After, Thérèse explores a skill no caregiver was ever taught — how to hold yourself once there’s no one else left to hold.

Drawing from her own 25-year caregiving journey, Thérèse explains why emotions feel overwhelming after caregiving ends, how the nervous system releases years of containment, and why many caregivers instinctively distract, overwork, or stay busy instead of staying present.

This episode is about:

why caregivers feel exposed after survival mode shuts down

what “holding yourself” actually means in real life

how internal safety is rebuilt after years of vigilance

and why learning to stay with yourself is the foundation for everything that comes next.

This is episode is about learning how to stay —
with your emotions, your body, and your life —
without bracing or abandoning yourself again.

👉 Join the New York Girl Again community at NewYorkGirlAgain.com for support and resources.

Follow us on social media at New York Girl Again, and share this episode with caregivers navigating their own After.