All parents endure stress, but studies show that parents of children with developmental disabilities experience depression and anxiety far more often. They are struggling to obtain support services, coping with the financial strain of various therapies, and worrying about how the future will pan out. Parents Robbie and Nicholas Pinter learned mindfulness techniques to cope with some of that stress. Robbie tells the New York Times that she focused on learning to breathe deeply and talk herself through crises, techniques she credits with helping her become more calm. “It is very powerful,” she said. Read “When the Cargivers Need Healing” and learn more about how other families are using mindfulness techniques to care for their loved ones with disabilities. Here on Mindful.org, mindfulness teacher Margaret Manteau-Rao talks about mindfulness and dementia, and offers techniques for caregivers to be more present with their loved ones.
