EP15 – Rare Mamas Rising-Motherhood Reflections: Exploring Our Journeys & Fostering Emotional Wellness For Ourselves & Our Families With Neuromuscular Disease Foundation Emotional Wellness Director Carol Gelbard

Rare Mamas Rising Episode 15

In honor of Mother’s Day, this special episode invites rare mamas to reflect on our motherhood journeys and explore our emotional wellness. Guest Carol Gelbard stewards these explorations and provides insightful techniques and strategies from her 20+ years of experience performing individual, family, and group therapy in hospitals, schools, and private practice settings. Carol is the Emotional Wellness Director at the Neuromuscular Disease Foundation (NDF). NDF works to enhance the quality of life for those living with the rare muscle disease GNE Myopathy. NDF funds critical research focused on treatments and a cure and provides advocacy, education, and outreach. Carol was a member of the NDF Foundation board for eight years. She has led patient and caregiver groups covering various topics, including grief and loss, adjusting and implementing self-care plans, adopting effective coping skills, and helping manage stressors with a chronic progressive disease. Carol has also facilitated podcasts on stress management, promoting and supporting wellness, problems with ableism in our culture, and breaking the taboo of disability. She received a bachelor of science degree in psychology at UC Davis and a master’s degree in social work at UCLA. In this episode, Carol slows us down, guides us through understanding our current state of well-being, helps us discover ways to create a care plan that suits our individual preferences, and offers strategies to allow our families to process emotions. What a Mother’s Day gift!