Victoria's story: reiki, rest and resilience

Victoria's story: reiki, rest and resilience

Victoria cares for her mum, who due to complex needs, now lives with her. Her mum has vascular dementia, significant hearing loss and arthritis, requiring support with all aspects of daily living. Caring responsibilities had become all-consuming, and Victoria had recently given up work to provide full-time care. 

"I had to stop working to support Mum and it's really difficult watching her decline. As much as I love caring for her, there are times when I am completely exhausted due to lack of sleep." 

The emotional and physical demands of caring had left Victoria feeling overwhelmed and struggling to find time for herself. While exploring support options for her mum, Victoria's support worker spoke to her about Time to Live and encouraged her to think about what kind of break would help her most.

With replacement care arranged for her mum over a long weekend, Victoria applied for a Time to Live grant. Having always been interested in complementary therapies, she chose to attend a residential reiki retreat that was close enough to home for her to feel reassured she could return if needed.

"I had been on an emotional rollercoaster and was finding it difficult to cope. The Time to Live grant helped me attend a reiki retreat that I had been interested in for some time. It was perfect for me. The weekend was relaxing and I was able to reconnect with nature, with myself, and get the rest that I desperately needed."

The retreat provided Victoria with a rare opportunity to step away from her caring role and focus on her own wellbeing. Through reiki sessions, mindfulness activities and time spent in a peaceful environment, she was able to slow down, rest and recharge. 

During the retreat, Victoria also learned a range of relaxation and self-care techniques that she continues to use at home.

"On the course I learned lots of relaxation techniques, and we also did guided meditation, which was incredibly relaxing. I now feel more able to rest when I have the opportunity and use the techniques I've learned to help manage stress. I hope to attend another retreat in the future." 

Taking a break gave Victoria the time and space she needed to focus on her own wellbeing. By stepping away from her caring responsibilities for a short time, she returned feeling refreshed, more resilient and better equipped to continue in her caring role. The experience reminded her of the importance of looking after herself as well as her mum.

Find out more about Time to Live here.