“A practical, highly informative, and sympathetic guide.”
—The Washington Post

Most of us will become a caregiver at some point in our lives. And we will assume this role for the most personal reason imaginable: wanting to help someone we love. But we may not know where to start, and we may be afraid of losing ourselves in this daunting task.

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, a longtime advocate for caregivers and mental health, knows firsthand the challenges of this labor of love. Drawing upon her own experiences and those of hundreds of others whose stories she gathered over many decades, Mrs. Carter offers reassuring, practical advice to any caregiver who has faced stress, anxiety, or loneliness.

Helping Yourself Help Others, reissued here with a new foreword, is as relevant as ever. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic inspired national conversations about the vast undervaluing of unpaid caregiving, the dangers of burnout, and the merits of self-care for relief, Rosalynn Carter was shining a light on these matters and everything else that caregivers confront. Filled with empathy, this encouraging guide will help you meet a difficult challenge head-on and find fulfillment and empowerment in your caregiving role.

Rosalynn Carter is an American activist who served as first lady of the United States as the wife of President Jimmy Carter. She is the author of several books, including Helping Someone with Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers, and coauthor (with Jimmy Carter) of Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life (University of Arkansas Press). She is the founder of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. Susan K. Golant, who has written more than forty books, collaborated previously with Rosalynn Carter on Helping Someone with Mental Illness.Jennifer Olsen, an experienced epidemiologist, serves as chief executive officer of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. Paurvi Bhatt is a global healthcare executive known for creating strategies that optimize public, private, and philanthropic capital to expand outcomes through more equitable care in communities around the world.