Stuck in the Middle Podcast

Mariam Parineh: Redefining Aging with Confidence and Concierge Support

About Mariam Parineh: Mariam Parineh is the co-founder of Viva Valet, a concierge support service designed to help older adults live independently at home with dignity, confidence, and control. Drawing from decades of personal experience caring for her grandparents, her 94-year-old husband, and her aging parents spread across Iran, Malaysia, and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mariam created the “confidence aging” framework, which focuses on preserving nine types of confidence in older adults rather than just prioritizing safety and longevity. Through Viva Valet, Mariam and her team provide confidence-informed concierge support—coordinating vetted local services, everyday tasks, and practical help—so that older adults can age in place while adult children are relieved of the “case manager” role. She also works directly with adult children as a coach, helping them release guilt, redefine their role from caregiver to cheerleader and partner, and navigate the emotional and logistical challenges of being “stuck in the middle.” Mariam splits her life across continents and time zones, modeling what it looks like to honor elders’ autonomy while still caring deeply—and practically—for the people we love. In this episode, Brian and Mariam Parineh discuss:  * Confidence Aging and autonomy in older adulthood * Emotional burden of adult children caring for aging parents * Balancing respect for aging parents’ choices with safety concerns * Concierge support models to help older adults age in place Key Takeaways: * Caring for aging parents isn’t about perfect decisions; it’s about caring. When you stop obsessing over the “right” choice and focus on genuine care, the pressure and guilt of caregiving ease. * Respecting aging parents’ choices can matter as much as keeping them safe. Sometimes, honoring how they want to live — even when it looks risky — is the deepest form of love and respect. * You don’t have to be your parents’ case manager to be a good child. Shifting from “manager” to “cheerleader and partner” can protect your own life, marriage, and kids while still supporting your parents. * Aging in place works best when confidence, not just safety, is the priority.  "Our parents have the most amount of years lived, and what we forget is that means the most life experience that they're sitting at the helm of their choices." — Mariam Parineh   Connect with Mariam Parineh:  Website: https://www.vivavalet.com/ [https://www.vivavalet.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariam-parineh-620452257/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariam-parineh-620452257/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariamgetsolder/ [https://www.instagram.com/mariamgetsolder/]  Host contact information:  * Email: briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com [briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com]   Sign up for your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER at www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com [http://www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com]

Resilience in the Middle: Michelle Walters on Caregiving, Loss, and Reinventing Your Path

About Michelle Walters: Michelle Walters is a digital marketing professional turned hypnotherapist whose life has been shaped by profound caregiving experiences, personal loss, and remarkable resilience. After earning her MBA and building a 20-year career working with major brands in the advertising and corporate marketing world, Michelle found herself repeatedly “stuck in the middle” — caring for partners with severe medical conditions while raising her son and maintaining her career. Her first husband lived with cystic fibrosis and later suffered a devastating stroke. Years later, the partner she fell in love with was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. Through these challenges, Michelle learned how mindset, intentional action, and emotional balance can help people survive life’s hardest seasons. Today, she is a hypnotherapist, author, app creator, and teacher who helps others navigate stress, grief, career uncertainty, and personal transformation with clarity and confidence. In this episode, Brian and Michelle Walters discuss:  * Navigating the emotional, physical, and financial realities of long-term caregiving * How repeated adversity shaped Michelle’s resilience and purpose * Using mindset, manifesting principles, and tangible action to create career and life changes * The role of hypnotherapy in managing stress, grief, and personal growth Key Takeaways: * Even in overwhelming seasons, optimism can be cultivated — a positive mindset doesn’t erase hardship, but it strengthens your ability to endure it. * Resilience grows when you learn to take deliberate action rather than staying stuck in fear or self-doubt; movement, even small movement, creates momentum. * Everything is connected: your environment, your energy, your routines, and your mental patterns all influence how opportunities show up in your life. * Careers rarely follow a perfect linear path; embracing starts, stops, and reinventions can open unexpected doors to fulfillment and purpose. “I'm a big believer in both dreams and prayers, but the point of life is really learning how to take action for things. And if you just sit around having dreams or prayers, the universe does not take that very seriously. The Universe wants to listen to people who are actually activating things…” — Michelle Walters   Connect with Michelle Walters:  Website: https://www.michellewalters.net/ [https://www.michellewalters.net/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleoliverwalters/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleoliverwalters/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindpowerjunkie/ [https://www.instagram.com/mindpowerjunkie/]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellewaltersauthor [https://www.facebook.com/michellewaltersauthor]  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindpowerjunkie [https://www.youtube.com/@mindpowerjunkie]  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Alignment-Spirit-Finding-Work-Love/dp/1737263726 [https://www.amazon.com/Alignment-Spirit-Finding-Work-Love/dp/1737263726]  Host contact information:  * Email: briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com [briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com]   Sign up for your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER at www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com [http://www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com]

From Grief to Giving Back: Julie Barth’s Story of Hope and Outreach

About Julie Barth: Julie Barth, author of Notes from A BlackBerry, From Blackberries to Thorns, and upcoming from Thorns to Blossoms, is a mother to six children and a professional writer whose life experiences transcend the boundaries of fiction. Her journey, marked by love, loss, and an unwavering spirit, lends authenticity to her writing. Julie's narrative style is deeply rooted in her belief that life's true essence is discovered in its most challenging moments. Her work reflects a dedication to finding joy and meaning in every experience, inspiring readers to embrace their own journeys with courage and gratitude. Julie Barth is also the CEO and founder of the Colin James Barth Outreach, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women-led households with the resources and aid necessary to find security and stability in times of crisis. Her mission is to use her experiences as a caregiver, special needs parent, and trauma survivor to encourage women in similar situations to think resourcefully and always protect themselves without stigma or feelings of selfishness. In this episode, Brian and Julie Barth discuss:  * Coping with emotional, financial, and physical challenges after life-altering events * The power of community and resource networks for women-led households * Transforming personal tragedy into purpose through charity work * Resilience, optimism, and practical strategies for surviving crisis and rebuilding life Key Takeaways: * When faced with overwhelming hardship, focusing only on what’s directly in front of you can keep you grounded and help you move forward one step at a time. * Life doesn’t always give us a choice in the cards we’re dealt, but we do have control over how we play them — with courage, resourcefulness, and faith. * Women in crisis often fall through the cracks of available support systems; building bridges between local resources can make the difference between despair and recovery. * Pain doesn’t have to end with suffering. When you turn it into purpose, it becomes a source of healing—not just for yourself, but for others too. "How great of a world would it be if we all just took that little situation, did what we could to make it better, used our experience to whatever part of it, to change it so that the next person going through doesn't have to go through it. And it really is not that hard." — Julie Barth   Connect with Julie Barth:  Website: https://www.juliebarthauthor.com/ [https://www.juliebarthauthor.com/]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.e.barth [https://www.facebook.com/julie.e.barth]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_barth_author/ [https://www.instagram.com/julie_barth_author/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebarthauthor/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebarthauthor/]  The Colin James Barth Outreach: https://www.cjboutreach.org/ [https://www.cjboutreach.org/]  Host contact information:  * Email: briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com [briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com]   Sign up for your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER at www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com [http://www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com]

Guiding Young Adults Through Emotional Struggles and Family Transitions with Joanna Lilley

About Joanna Lilley: Joanna Lilley holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from West Virginia University and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. Before entering the consulting field, she spent more than a decade working with struggling adolescents and young adults through both state-run and private wilderness therapy programs. She also served as a coach for students on academic probation and worked on a university treatment team supporting students in recovery. After years of helping young adults find stability and direction, Joanna transitioned to consulting, where she now serves as an independent matchmaker between families and the resources their young adult needs—rather than acting as the coach or therapist herself. Known for her balance of empathy, honesty, and directness, she builds trust with both parents and young adults, helping families move from confusion to clarity with compassion and transparency. In this episode, Brian and Joanna Lilley discuss:  * Understanding the unique challenges faced by young adults when parents are balancing elder care and work stress * How therapeutic consulting provides neutral, qualified guidance for struggling families * The importance of setting clear and consistent boundaries as children transition into adulthood * Building collaborative support systems that include parents, professionals, and mentors Key Takeaways: * Parents must take care of their own mental and emotional health first; without stability and rest, they can’t effectively support their children. * Boundaries are not punishments; they’re safeguards that protect both parents and young adults while fostering respect and accountability. * Having a neutral, qualified third party, such as a therapeutic consultant or life coach, can transform family dynamics by easing conflict and restoring communication. * Consistency between parents is vital. When caregivers present a united front and follow through on expectations, young adults feel secure and guided rather than confused or rebellious. “If you set any type of boundary but you don't uphold it, then that's the biggest sin, because at this point, you've just allowed your child to disregard anything that you put in front of them that feels like a rule or an expectation.” — Joanna Lilley   Connect with Joanna Lilley:  Website: https://lilleyconsulting.com/ [https://lilleyconsulting.com/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-lilley-ma-ncc-12546566/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-lilley-ma-ncc-12546566/]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilleyConsultingLLC/ [https://www.facebook.com/LilleyConsultingLLC/] Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/success-is-subjective-podcast/id1499891712 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/success-is-subjective-podcast/id1499891712]  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LilleyConsulting/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@LilleyConsulting/featured]  Host contact information:  * Email: briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com [briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com]   Sign up for your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER at www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com [http://www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com]

Reducing Chaos and Confusion in the Journey to Assisted Living with Shari Ross

About Shari Ross: Shari Ross is a senior living consultant, author, and aging and caregiving resource expert who has spent over a decade guiding families through the emotional and logistical complexities of elder care. A former corporate travel director and marketing executive, she brings both professional insight from senior living communities and a personal connection to dementia care through her own family experience. Shari is the author of Senior Living Made S.I.M.P.L.E.: A Real World Guide for Navigating Senior Care for Your Loved One, a practical and compassionate roadmap designed to replace confusion with clarity. Known for her warm, no-nonsense approach, she empowers caregivers with tools, checklists, and humor to navigate one of life’s toughest transitions. In this episode, Brian and Shari Ross discuss:  * Navigating the emotional and logistical challenges of transitioning a loved one into senior living * Understanding modern assisted living and memory care options * Managing family dynamics and communication during caregiving decisions * Using education and guided planning to reduce chaos and confusion in senior care transitions Key Takeaways: * Establishing a strong foundation of emotional, professional, and logistical support early in the senior care journey prevents exhaustion and confusion when urgent decisions arise. * Following the SIMPLE framework—which emphasizes Support, Information, Mindset, Planning, Logistics, and Execution—gives families a structured roadmap that turns panic and guilt into confidence and organized action. * The most effective way to approach resistant parents is through empathy and gradual, question-based conversations that allow them to feel respected, independent, and part of the decision-making process. * Advances in senior living now allow residents to age in place with increasing levels of care—often including 24/7 nursing, therapy, and hospice—reducing the need for multiple disruptive moves.  "The journey doesn’t end just when they get to the community. There’s a lot, and it takes time for your loved one to settle in. And there are a lot of bumps along the way." — Shari Ross Connect with Shari Ross:  Website: https://seniorlivingmadesimple.com/ [https://seniorlivingmadesimple.com/] Book: Senior Living Made S.I.M.P.L.E.: https://www.amazon.com/Senior-Living-Made-S-I-M-P-L-Real-World/dp/B0FFQ8J5LB [https://www.amazon.com/Senior-Living-Made-S-I-M-P-L-Real-World/dp/B0FFQ8J5LB] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-jill-ross1975/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-jill-ross1975/] Host contact information:  * Email: briansacksnewsletters@gmail.com  Sign up for your FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER at www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com [http://www.stuckinthemiddlenews.com]