Mindfulness For Caregivers - by Larissa Hall Carlson

COURSE

Mindfulness For Caregivers

With Larissa Hall Carlson

Discover newfound fortitude! Mindfulness practices are exceedingly valuable for preventing care-giver burnout, revitalizing, and fostering inner peace. Regardless of who you are caring for, mindfulness techniques can help you gain control over adverse thoughts and draining emotions—restoring balance, poise, and harmony. Over 10 sessions, you’ll learn to navigate common caregiver challenges (e.g. exhaustion, frustration, fear, overwhelm, or stress) through classic, fundamental mindfulness techniques that soothe, nourish, and rejuvenate. Through informative theory and enriching exercises, you’ll uncover the power of simple, short mindfulness practices for slowing down, recharging, and enhancing overall health.


Meet your Teacher

M.A. in Mindfulness Studies, End-of-Life Doula, Ayurvedic Practitioner, and Yoga Teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience. Larissa teaches elite performers to alleviate performance anxiety and enhance optimal performance, including students at Juilliard School, Boston Conservatory, Tanglewood Music Center, Nashville Ballet, Harvard, and Princeton. She is co-creator of Yoga Journal online. Ayurveda courses and faculty for Kripalu’s School of Ayurveda. Larissa leads transformative, empowering, and inspiring retreats and trainings around the world--supporting students in deepening their practice, finding radiant health, and making the most of this precious life. She is known for her exceptional knowledge, deep practice, and professionalism.

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10 Days

3.4k students

4.8 stars

13 min / day

Stress

English


Lesson 1

Self-Observation: Intention For Sustained Well-Being

Welcome! In this introductory session, we’ll begin our exploration of mindfulness by identifying essentials for thriving as a care-giver. We’ll identify mindfulness practices for increasing focus, relaxation, and compassion, and discuss the value of daily “mini” meditations. We’ll conclude with a relaxing self-observation and mindful intention-setting practice, which enhance intuition and will set the foundation for our course.

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Lesson 2

Time Out: Restful Body Scan Meditation

Now that we’ve established an intention for increasing mindfulness, we’ll begin with deep relaxation to assist with care-giver exhaustion. Through a supine body scan meditation, we’ll pause, rest, and rejuvenate--a perfect practice for a depleted body or weary mind.  Today’s experiential session helps support enhanced clarity, comfort, and awareness—a care-giver favorite for refreshing the body-mind!

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Lesson 3

Easing The Mind: Counting The Breath

After learning to enhance relaxation, we now explore how to enhance focus and concentration—excellent for active care-givers feeling scattered or restless. The counting breath is classically used to quiet the mind with its even, relaxing rhythm. This is a valuable technique to use anywhere, anytime (great for waiting rooms!)—a handy technique for quickly steadying, soothing, and calming.

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Lesson 4

Reducing Fear: Loving Kindness Meditation

Have you heard that mindfulness practices can help reduce fear? Loving kindness meditation (metta) is the main practice for accomplishing this great feat (it’s also celebrated for boosting concentration, enhancing inner peace, and increasing compassion). We’ll explore the classic first step of sending kind words towards self—an essential mindfulness technique when feeling nervous, worried, or anxious.

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Lesson 5

Making Space: Breath-Based Meditation

This session will introduce the stress relieving practice of slowing down to mindfully observe the breath. By following the natural movement and sensation of breath at the belly and nose, this classic meditation helps increase calmness, stillness, awareness, and spaciousness. A peaceful, subtle, mind-clearing technique for care-givers to use during quiet breaks and rest periods.

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Lesson 6

Comforting Interconnectedness: Expanding Metta Meditation

The techniques we’ve done so far primarily enhance personal relaxation, concentration, and awareness—wonderful for increased self-care. Today we’ll focus on mindfully expanding awareness and sharing kindness with others—a care-giver essential for flourishing connections. This metta meditation includes repeating kindhearted phrases for six classic categories—enhancing our sense of interconnectedness and shared humanity.

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Lesson 7

Empathy Vs Compassion: Karuna Meditation

Now that we’ve learned several mindfulness techniques, it’s time to delve deeper into philosophy--exploring why these meditations can be so effective for helping care-givers feel more balanced. We’ll begin by exploring the important difference between empathy and compassion.  We’ll then explore a simple, yet powerful mindfulness tool which helps reduce suffering and enhance goodwill.

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Lesson 8

Happiness Boost: Sympathetic Joy Meditation

The intensity of demanding care-giving responsibilities can sometimes trigger frustration, anger, jealousy, or resentment. Today we’ll explore the treasured practice of sympathetic joy (mudita) and identify how to use this mindfulness technique to restore happiness, increase appreciation, and feel a sense of abundance.

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Lesson 9

Cultivating Balance of Mind: Equanimity Meditation

Today’s lesson focuses on generating and maintaining radiant calm. We’ll discuss equanimity (upekkha) meditation and consider the many ways in which it affects stamina, patience, and contentment.  For our practice, we’ll explore classic phrases to establish an enduring balance of mind--enhancing the ability to skillfully and calmly navigate the changing twists and turns of life.

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Lesson 10

Peace & Quiet: Open Awareness Meditation

In our final session, we’ll invite increased space, peace, and quiet by thoughtfully slowing down through a refreshing open awareness meditation. Reflecting on all that we’ve learned, we’ll contemplate how daily “mini” meditations can reduce common care- giving challenges and thereby allow more opportunity for hope, joy, stamina, and serenity.

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4.8 (158)

Recent Reviews

Jackie

February 13, 2026

Thank you for introducing me and helping me practice These meditations. They are calming and restful. You are an excellent teacher!

Pam

May 9, 2025

I thoroughly enjoyed the many types of meditation introduced in this course. Her voice is lovely as she gently guides us through each session. I highly recommend this course 😉

Amanda

August 28, 2024

Each lesson so thoughtful and calming. I will absolutely be returning my to these often. Thank you!

Jayne

March 27, 2024

Just the course I needed as I care for my mother with terminal illness. Thank you 🙏 ❤️

Margaret

January 6, 2024

So helpful! I will begin again tomorrow. Thank you!

Kelly

November 3, 2023

Thank you for this course! I intend to return to it frequently to become more familiar with the various techniques you introduced us to. I particularly enjoyed the final open awareness meditation which truly gave me a sense of spaciousness and perspective; it helped me to feel less confined by my life situation. Thank you for so generously providing this caregiver focused course. I found it helpful and informative as well as very soothing. Namaste 🙏💕 Kelly

Gayla

June 6, 2023

Mindful caregiving replenishes an empty space within myself when I have forgotten my power. This course speaks to my inner being who then becomes more visible, more radiant and remembered. I find my forgotten child.

Melinda

April 13, 2023

Larissa's guidance and explanations helped to ease into the meditation practices. Being more comfortable with exploring feelings with compassion. To extend more to myself. I use several of the mini meditations daily,, especially as a transition from being a caregiver to the role of leader at work, and then back to caregiver at home.

Tisat

April 13, 2023

Thank you! Wonderful course

GINA

April 8, 2023

Thank you for this course.

San

March 14, 2023

Excellent course for caregivers - lots of valuable meditation options. I will definitely listen the course again. Thank you!

Áine

March 7, 2023

Plenty to practise and deepen, thank you for sharing this course, as someone who is juggling working and caregiving it's been very helpful ♥️

Akaljot

November 29, 2022

In gratitude to you! we will continue to repeat this course as it will become a strong part of our existence. Blessings to you for your life changing gift! Akaljot

K

September 30, 2022

Very helpful. Extremely validating as a caregiver feeling disconnected, exhausted and alone.

Caroline

March 24, 2022

I am a mom of two young children and found this course to be incredibly helpful!

Peter

December 6, 2021

Thank you for focusing on the caregiver.

Christian

November 27, 2021

Great course. I needed to get back on track and have been suffering from a lot of stress due to working with rehab patients in a dysfunctional workplace. This gave me perspective and tools.

Gray

October 24, 2021

Thank You. 🦋🙏🏼🦋

Suzanne

February 3, 2021

Thank you for this very valuable course. I am about to start it for the second time. I love the mini-meditations and find myself peppering the mantras through my day as I do my caring. I have noticed I am feeling calmer and stronger and kinder. Thank you Larissa.

Lucinda

September 29, 2020

🙏✨

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