32: Brave Together Podcast - Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw - Episode 3232: Brave Together Podcast - Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw - Episode 32
UK Health Radio Podcast
Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lavelle and Dr. Zoe Shaw talk about how caregiving mums, especially single parents without support, can hold onto identity and purpose. Their conversation touches on grief, shifting values, hope and the importance of community for those feeling consumed by caregiving.
46:07•9 Sept 2026
Finding Purpose Beyond Caregiving: Brave Together’s Honest Chat for Single Mums
Episode Overview
- It’s valid to want a life and purpose beyond caregiving, even as a devoted parent.
- Grief for lost careers, spontaneity or imagined futures is normal and deserves compassion.
- Purpose can grow from everyday choices rooted in personal values rather than a single destination.
- Recognising different seasons of life helps mums accept times of losing themselves while still holding hope for change.
- Community, such as Connection Circles and shared stories, can ease isolation and offer a vital “me too” for caregiving mums.
“Purpose isn't found it's formed.”
What drives someone to seek a life that’s bigger than constant caregiving? This Brave Together Podcast episode on UK Health Radio drops into that raw question for mums raising children with disabilities, neurodivergence and complex needs. Jessica Patay, founder and CEO of We Are Brave Together, chats with fellow co-hosts Susanna Peace Lavelle and Dr. Zoe Shaw about what happens when caregiving seems to swallow your entire identity.
A listener asks, “How do I find my purpose when my whole life revolves around caregiving? I am a single mom, and I do not have respite caregivers or family to help me out.” From there, the conversation moves through single parenting, exhaustion, hope, and the quiet fantasies of just running away from it all. Dr.
Zoe shares a stark personal moment where she wondered if she should “quit work… and just stay home and just take care of Sully,” questioning whether wanting a life beyond caregiving was selfish. Her partner’s reminder that she still mattered and had “other talents and skills” anchors a key message: it isn’t wrong to have passions outside caring for your child.
The trio talk about shifting identity from “only a caregiver” to “I’m a caregiver and…”, honouring grief for lost careers or imagined futures, and recognising that “purpose isn’t found it’s formed,” as quoted from coach and author Lena Winslow. They stress values in each season of life, tiny practices like a one‑minute meditation on the loo, and the power of simply hearing “me too” from another parent.
Threaded through is a strong sense of community for isolated mums: support groups called Connection Circles, online mental health sessions, and the reassurance that “life never stays the same,” even in the darkest chapters. If your days feel like a “panini caregiver season”, crushed from all sides, this candid chat might be the reminder that your purpose can stretch beyond survival—so what small glimmer could you follow next?
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