Navigating Grief Together
Navigating Grief Together
Dr. Tonya Cunningham Helps Cambridge Caregivers Refill Their Cups
Caregiving is a demanding career. When caregivers form bonds with clients, they also carry the weight of their loss. Yet grief at work often goes unaddressed: one study of 555 nursing-home employees found 95% had experienced at least one death at work, while nearly a third had never received formal grief support.
That’s why Cambridge Caregivers invites emotional wellness coach Dr. Tonya Cunningham to lead sessions on grief, self-care and healing for our Dallas and Fort Worth teams. We also offer one-on-one sessions with Dr. Tonya for any caregiver who needs additional support. We understand that professional development goes beyond practical and physical skills. We think it’s also critically important to invest in our caregivers’ emotional resilience.
Grief: Not Just About Death
Dr. Tonya stresses that grief takes many forms. It’s not only about death — it can follow the loss of health, mobility, identity, a job, or even a change in life expectations. “Each is something to grieve — and something to heal,” she says. Caregivers often move from one task to the next without time to process these changes, and unprocessed losses can compound into what Dr. Tonya calls cumulative grief, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout.
The Cost of Silence
Caregivers commonly hide pain behind a professional mask. Dr. Tonya reminded the group that emotional honesty is strength, not weakness: “We can’t heal until we feel. If you don’t feel, you’re not healing — you’re just carrying.” Unacknowledged grief affects not only the caregiver but the team and, ultimately, the quality of care families receive.
Secondary Trauma and Compassion Fatigue
Caregivers also absorb the emotional strain of the people they serve. When clients express anger, sadness, or loss, caregivers can carry that trauma home. Dr. Tonya explains, “Because you care deeply, you feel deeply. But if you keep pouring from an empty cup, you’ll have nothing left to give.” Her reminder: “You cannot pour from an empty cup — but you can share from a healed one.”
Practical Tools to Refill Your Cup
Dr. Tonya emphasizes safe spaces where caregivers can support one another. She encouraged simple, grounding practices that calm the nervous system and restore balance:
- Deep breathing between visits
- Mindfulness or prayer to stay present
- Movement such as a short walk or gentle stretching
- Rituals: lighting a candle, a reflective walk, or brief moments of silence to honor loss
- Connection: peer groups or professional support rather than isolating
Her closing question to the group — What helps you refill your emotional cup? — invited personal reflection and shared ideas. One caregiver said she found comfort standing under warm water; small rituals like that can be quietly healing.
Our Commitment
At Cambridge Caregivers, we appreciate the compassion our caregivers bring to every client and are equally committed to helping them care for themselves. Sessions with Dr. Tonya are one of the ways we invest in resilient, compassionate caregivers who provide steady, dignified care to families.
For family caregivers as well as professional caregivers, grief comes with the territory. We’re thankful for the work of Dr. Tonya Cunningham, who helps our caregiving team navigate grief with courage and care.