When Care Becomes Co‑Regulation And Recovery
We look squarely at the invisible load of caring for people with Long Covid and ME/CFS, why carers’ nervous systems shape recovery, and how boundaries and communication protect both sides. We share clear, humane steps that reduce burnout and build co‑regulation at home.
Nadyne McKie explores the often unseen reality of caring for someone with Long Covid or ME/CFS, focusing on the emotional, relational and nervous system impact on partners, parents and adult children. She highlights how caring can become invisible, isolating and exhausting, particularly when illness fluctuates and uncertainty fuels hypervigilance.
Drawing on both clinical experience and lived insight, Nadyne explains why a regulated carer is not a luxury but a protective factor in recovery. She unpacks how co-regulation works in practice, how over-functioning or “fixing” can increase tension, and why clear, compassionate boundaries prevent burnout and conflict. The conversation addresses vicarious trauma in carers, the weight of advocacy and admin, and the importance of sharing responsibility where possible.
Listeners are offered grounded strategies rather than overwhelming self-care lists, including simple communication shifts, micro-resets that calm the nervous system, and practical ways to honour both the patient’s needs and the carer’s limits. The episode ultimately reframes caregiving as a relational process where steadiness, clarity and grace create the conditions for recovery to unfold.