Episode 20

Dementia Caregiver Chaos: How to Rewire Your Brain for Peace with Tracy Kenela

Published on: 13th September, 2021

Welcome to a powerful episode focused on how to manage the relentless chaos of dementia caregiving. Laura welcomes her dear friend and fellow therapist, Tracy Kenela, a certified hypnotherapist and host of the Calming the Chaos podcast.

Tracy and Laura dive deep into the mind-body connection, exploring how caregivers can use simple, preventative mental tools—like visualization and mindfulness—to literally rewire their brains for peace, resilience, and intentional self-care. This conversation is a soulful reminder that you have the power to calm the internal storm, even when the world around you is unpredictable.

Meet Tracy Kenela:

Tracy Kenela is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist Supervisor, and Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist (ACHT) with over 17 years of experience. Her approach is based on the belief that everyone has the power within themselves to work through painful, confusing, and chaotic situations. She uses a variety of cognitive behavioral, energetic, and mind-body techniques to help clients achieve harmony. She also hosts the podcast, Calming the Chaos.

Topics Discussed:

- Defining the Chaos: The internal and external overwhelm of caring for someone with a progressive disease.

- Preventative Tools: Daily practices like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to keep stress from escalating.

- Mindset & Resistance: Why "what you resist, persists" and the power of embracing difficult feelings.

- The Power of Suggestion: Noticing and refusing the social/cultural messages that fuel caregiver sacrifice.

- Reframing the Journey: Shifting the mindset to see the daily caregiving path as "stepping into the Labyrinth."

- Self-Hypnosis & Visualization: Using light and color visualization to build a stronger body, mind, and energy supply.

- Mindfulness in Action: Practicing "intentional noticing," engaging the five senses, and strengthening your ability to be present.

- Intentional Rest: Finding the balance between restorative breaks and mindless "checking-out."

- Brain Rewiring: How consistent, conscious effort creates effortless, positive mental shortcuts.

Timestamps (Approximate):

00:00 - Welcome & Laura's Intro to Tracy Kenela


03:45 - Why Tracy started the Calming the Chaos podcast.


07:30 - Preventative tools for managing over-stimulation.


10:50 - The power of the subconscious: "What you resist, persists."


15:30 - Reframing daily caregiving as "The Labyrinth."


21:00 - Visualization as self-hypnosis for strength and energy.


28:40 - Mindfulness defined: "Intentionally noticing" and the five senses.


37:00 - Finding balance: Intentional versus mindless "checking-out."


Key Takeaways:

- Chaos is preventable: Daily practices like visualization and mindfulness are vital tools for managing overwhelm.

- Refuse unhelpful suggestions: Consciously refuse the cultural messages that lead to burnout.

- Embrace the Labyrinth: Accept the day is an ever-changing maze; accepting the unexpected reduces being thrown off balance.

- Your thoughts are power: Use visualization (a form of self-hypnosis) to intentionally build the strength and energy you need.

- Mindfulness is trainable: "Intentionally noticing" strengthens your brain, leading to better decisions and less reactivity.

- Be intentional about rest: Set a timer for breaks and choose activities that align with your values, making it an intentional act of self-care.


Resources Mentioned:

Tracy Kenela’s Podcast: Calming the Chaos

The movie: The Labyrinth

App for guided visualization and sleep: Insight Timer


Connect with Tracy Kenela:

Website: http://www.lokahicounseling.com/

Podcast: https://calmingthechaos.libsyn.com/


Connect with Laura Vaillancourt & the Life on Repeat Podcast:

Website: https://lifeonrepeatpodcast.com

Instagram: @lifeonrepeatpodcast

Facebook: Life on Repeat Podcast

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeonRepeatPodcast


If this episode gave you a breath of hope, please like, subscribe, and share it with a caregiver or clinician who needs it. You're not alone.

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About the Podcast

Life on Repeat: A Dementia Caregiver Podcast
A Podcast for Dementia Caregivers
Life on Repeat is the podcast for dementia caregivers who need a breath, a laugh, and a lifeline.

Hosted by eldercare consultant and dementia coach Laura Vaillancourt, each episode offers practical tools, expert insights, and honest conversations to help you navigate the caregiving journey with more clarity and less overwhelm.

Whether you're a spouse, adult child, or long-distance caregiver, this show is your companion through the complex world of dementia care—offering wisdom, validation, and encouragement every step of the way.

You’re not alone. You’re doing better than you think. And this podcast is here to walk beside you.

About your host

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Laura Vaillancourt

Laura has a unique perspective of dementia. She grew up spending time in the nursing home wing of the hospital her mother worked at in a rural community in the Pacific Northwest. She learned from a young age the importance and impact that connecting with those that have memory impairment can have. This early exposure shaped her perspective and fostered her passion and love of working with those who experience and live with dementia.

Laura is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Geriatric Mental Health Specialist and Eldercare Coach. She owns a group practice that specializes in serving the aging population and she has extensive experience as a consultant providing counseling, coaching and care management to families that are in the midst of making difficult decisions related to their loved one’s care and health transitions.

Laura's passion and professional experience has been working with individuals and family members that have been affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. She is a passionate speaker and educator on topics related to dementia and caregiving. She is the host of Life on Repeat: a Dementia Caregiver Podcast.