Jessica Patay is a full-time caregiver to her son with Prader-Willi syndrome—and the founder of We Are Brave Together, a global support network for caregiving moms. In this episode, she joins Heather to talk about the emotional toll of rare parenting, why self-care isn’t a luxury, and what it really takes to show up for yourself when you’re constantly showing up for everyone else. They get honest about burnout, identity loss, and the power of community when you feel like you’re running on empty. If you’ve ever felt like you’re disappearing inside the role of caregiver, this conversation is for you.

FIND JESS:

🌟Bite Size Self Care Suggestions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_oy2od5u7P9qyPEvrcR72yqF8J66RGFK/view

🌟We Are Brave Together: https://www.wearebravetogether.org

Find Heather and Jake’s Help from Heaven:

❤️ APOY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aplaceofyespodcast/

❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/

❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven

❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio

FIND HEATHER & JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN ⬇️

❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/

❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven

❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast

Connect with us on social media:
• Heather’s Instagram
• Jake’s Help from Heaven
• Jake’s Help from Heaven IG
• Facebook
• Our YouTube Channel

Keep scrolling for the episode transcript.

Checkout our other episodes

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When Jude needed emergency surgery, there wasn’t time to process—just to act. That’s the reality of parenting a medically complex child. It’s not just the big surgeries or diagnoses—it’s the constant decisions, the fear of missing something, the exhaustion of always being on alert. But somehow, through it all, there’s still joy. There’s still love. And there’s a strength I never knew I had until I became Jude’s mom.

Losing My Sister at 15 – One Year Later

When my sister died, I felt like the world kept moving—and I didn’t. I was only 15, and suddenly everything changed. No one talks about how isolating it is to lose a sibling, especially that young. People asked how my parents were doing, but no one ever really asked me. I had to figure out how to grow up with a kind of grief that didn’t have a place. This is what it’s really like to lose your sister when you’re still just a kid.

I Traveled to Guatemala to Honor My Late Daughter | Losing Her to a Rare Disease

After losing her daughter Dalia to a rare disease, Jessica Fein embarked on a deeply personal journey to Guatemala—Dalia’s birthplace—to honor her memory and reconnect with her spirit. In this episode, she opens up about the rituals her family performed, the signs she received, and the profound ways grief and love intertwine.