The Hero’s Journey of Caregiving
Dr. Tonya Cunningham Helps Cambridge Staff Reconnect with Their “Whys”
At Cambridge Caregivers, we hire heroes — but not the kind who wear capes or perform death-defying feats. Our heroes work behind the scenes — in living rooms and kitchens, at bedsides and in senior living communities — making life better for our clients and their families. They are there when someone is anxious, recovering, or grieving. They bring steady hands and a calm presence when help is needed most.
That was the focus of a recent staff development session led by emotional wellness coach Dr. Tonya Cunningham, who periodically joins Cambridge to strengthen our team’s emotional resilience.
Her message was simple: Caregiving isn’t just hard work. It’s meaningful work that deserves to be honored and renewed.
“This session today is not about fixing you,” Dr. Tonya told caregivers. “It’s about honoring the Hero’s Journey … and helping you reconnect with why you stepped onto this path in the first place.”
Presence, Not Perfection
Dr. Tonya began by redefining what “hero” means in everyday life.
“Showing up with skill, compassion, and presence day after day is what makes caregiving heroic,” she said. “Heroism is not about being perfect … it’s about presence.”
Caregiving heroes, she noted, show up even when they’re depleted — not because they are perfect or tireless, but because they care.
She pointed to the recent ice storm as a reminder that caregiving continues even when the world slows down. When families rely on Cambridge, care does not pause for inclement weather.
In the classic Hero’s Journey in literature, the hero does not always recognize the call at first. The same is true in caregiving.
“Very few people stumble into this field accidentally,” she said. Many caregivers have “origin stories” — personal experiences that drew them to this work long before they could name it.
One attendee shared why she chose Cambridge Caregivers:
“A couple years ago, I lost my grandmother. Before she passed, my family turned to Cambridge Caregivers to help her in the early stages of what she was going through.”
Another described a pivotal moment while working as a housecleaner. She walked into a home where an older resident appeared to be having a stroke.
“I immediately took hold of the situation,” she said. “I didn’t know what I was doing, so I dialed 911. Right then I said to myself, ‘This is not ever going to happen to me again.’ Soon after, I earned my CNA. I’ve been caregiving ever since.”
Calling vs. Conditioning
Dr. Tonya also explored the difference between calling and conditioning. Both can exist, she said, “but only one will sustain you.”
A calling is internally motivated and rooted in purpose. Conditioning is driven by external pressures — expectations, survival, or obligation.
Conditioning is not wrong. But over time, it can bury the calling beneath administrative overload, chronic understaffing, and compassion fatigue — leaving caregivers feeling like “a number rather than a healer.”
Burnout, she emphasized, does not mean someone chose the wrong profession.
“Burnout doesn’t mean that you chose wrong,” she said. “It means that you’ve given a lot.”
Burnout can reflect grief — a loss of meaning, autonomy, or connection. For caregivers who offer deep empathy and steady attention every day, that loss matters.
“Purpose doesn’t remove the pressure,” Dr. Tonya said. “But it helps you survive it.”
She cited psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, who observed that those who find meaning can endure almost anything.
Every hero’s journey evolves, she added.
“Evolving doesn’t mean quitting. Rest is not betrayal. Boundaries are not failure.”
At Cambridge Caregivers, we will continue honoring the quiet heroes who show up, care deeply, and make a difference in the moments that matter most.