About this episode

Betsy Hicks-Russ discusses navigating caregiving for children with high support needs and the importance of nutrition and community connections.

Betsy Hicks-Russ, Director of the nonprofit Autism Odyssey, shares what it takes to navigate caregiving when your child has high support needs. Drawing on her over three decades of experience as a family caregiver, Betsy discusses overcoming significant obstacles, letting go of victimhood, and choosing to try new things—even when the path forward feels uncertain. In this episode, we explore the powerful gut-to-brain connection and why good nutrition matters for caregivers and care recipients alike. Betsy also reflects on how caregiving has changed over time, comparing today’s information overload with earlier days of lower-tech living and stronger local community connections. Plus, we explore the joy of discovering shared interests with our care recipients—such as a love of Grateful Dead music and nature—and how these shared joys can deepen connection and resilience in caregiving relationships. Show notes with product and resource links: https://bit.ly/HHCPod224 Receive the podcast in your email here: http://bit.ly/2G4qvBv Order a copy of Elizabeth's book Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal: http://bit.ly/HHCjournal For podcast sponsorship opportunities contact Elizabeth…

People in this episode

Host: Elizabeth Miller

Guest: Betsy Hicks-Russ

Topics covered

• caregiving
• nutrition
• mental health
• community connection
• shared interests

Keywords

• caregiving
• Autism
• nutrition
• community
• mental health
• Grateful Dead
• resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Autism Odyssey, Happy Healthy Caregiver, Whole Care Network

Books & works: Just for You: a Daily Self Care Journal

More episodes of Happy Healthy Caregiver

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• Creative Therapy with Brendan Kelso · March 11, 2026 · 57 min
• Autism Advocacy and Brain Donation with Kathy Stein · February 18, 2026 · 54 min
• Building Your New Normal with Dr. Maggie Kang · February 11, 2026 · 59 min
• Guilt, Grief, and Goodness with Jeanette Yates · January 28, 2026 · 1h 1m

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