Why I Came to Kripalu: A Caregiver’s Reset

Author and mother of three Colleen Temple came to Kripalu feeling overwhelmed by the pace of everyday life and the constant demands of caregiving, work, and creativity. In this guest perspective, she reflects on the relief of stepping away, reconnecting with nature in the Berkshires, and remembering what it feels like to be cared for herself.

What brought you to Kripalu at this moment in your life?

Life has been feeling like it’s moving at warp speed lately. My kids are twelve, ten, and eight and between the three of their sports and various activities throughout the school year, I have felt like I’m on a moving train that can’t be stopped. But on this wild, speeding ride, I’m also trying to fulfill and balance my needs and commitments, including getting my second novel ready to birth into the world. Plain and simple, things were starting to feel a little out of control. I had been to Kripalu once before and knew it felt like a good time to return, I knew I needed it. My husband and I figured out child-logistics and I got myself to The Berkshires.

Was there a moment here that really stayed with you?

My hike in the woods. I absolutely loved my whole time at Kripalu, but the hike I took was exactly what I needed in that moment. Nature feels like my church—holy, in a lot of ways—and I let myself get too far away from that with the busyness of life. Reconnecting with nature on a guided hike, in a low-pressure way, removed the intimidation and instead made it feel accessible and easy. Sometimes I need things to just be simple, to remove the complications so it’s not overwhelming for me to be able to say ‘yes’. There was no expectation to talk or chat with my fellow hikers, no need to really know the path since our guide was leading us, so the experience gave me time to turn off my mind, and the worries that snuck into my suitcase, and just be. It reminded me how much I love being in the woods, in nature. It wakes me up, snaps me out of funks, and resets my nervous system.

How did you feel when you arrived, and how did you feel when you left?

I felt a little nervous, but relieved, when I arrived. Nervous, or anxious, just because I don’t love being away from my husband and kids, but I know it’s good for me to do at times. Once I settled in, some of that anxiety lifted and then I was able to just be excited and grateful for the opportunity to spend time with myself. Because life at home often feels chaotic, and my brain is always working in overdrive figuring everything out for everyone, it felt like a miracle that I got myself there, honestly. I was relieved I made it.

When I left, I felt so extremely grateful. I needed the break. I needed to hear myself think, to feel myself shift from overwhelm to calm. I felt peace. I felt nourished.

What are you taking home with you from this experience?

I need to get outside more! I need to go on hikes, with and without my family. I need to use this as a grounding tool on a regular basis—and to explicitly make time for it.

But something else, and just as important, I’m taking with me the permission to be cared for. It was beyond wonderful to have every beautiful meal cooked for me. Beyond! The food was SO good and I absolutely loved being looked after in this way. I’m often making multiple meals for my family during the already busy weeknights, and I’ve lost a lot of the joy cooking can hold. Too often I’m just shoving something in in between giving rides to someone, somewhere, just trying to make sure I have something in me. The fact that I didn’t have to think about what I would eat for a second, because I knew the Kripalu staff had it under control, was truly magnificent.

Having the space to rest when I needed and wanted to, the freedom to do as I please—reading when I felt like it, taking a yoga class when I felt like it, learning about Tarot cards or getting a massage when I felt like it—was a luxury I don’t often have access to.

Being on my own schedule? Or really, no specific schedule at all? More miracles!

Who would you recommend Kripalu to and why?

My first thought is: other mothers. I need other mothers to allow themselves time to take a break from their life as well as to have access to visit Kripalu. I say that because I am a burnt-out mother and know a lot of other burnt-out mothers (😂). We are often juggling a mountain of tasks between children and partners, work and home, family and friends. We are physically multitasking while carrying a million reminders and to-do’s in our minds, as well as serving as the emotional storage container for our children.

But that being said, caregivers in general! Fathers, people caring for their aging parents, people whose work involves caring for others on a regular basis. We all need to be cared for, especially when we’re pouring so much of our energy into others, and Kripalu is the perfect place for that.