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Counsel to Counsel is a podcast for attorneys who are looking for insights to help increase their overall career satisfaction.  You can find it on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  You can also listen to episodes from this home page.  In each episode, I introduce you to consultants who have been shaping the legal industry and attorneys who have done interesting and sometimes unconventional things with their careers.  My guests will share with you tips on how to achieve greater career and marketing success.

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  2. Episode 173-Managing a Demanding Career While Caring for an Aging Parent

Episode 173-Managing a Demanding Career While Caring for an Aging Parent

Apr 11, 2026

In this episode, Steve Seckler speaks with Amy Mariani, a Boston-based mediator and former litigator. She shares her deeply personal journey navigating her professional life alongside caring for her mother with dementia. Her story offers valuable guidance for professionals facing similar challenges, emphasizing resilience, resources, and the importance of community.

This episode underscores the importance of early planning, community support, and embracing the skills caregiving can foster, all while balancing a demanding career. Whether you're in the midst of caregiving or preparing for it ahead of time, Amy’s insights and resources offer valuable guidance.

Note: Amy appeared on Counsel to Counsel in 2021 when she was in the midst of her family crisis. At that time, she only spoke about her transition to mediation; but clearly a lot was going on then in her personal life.  You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 75-Shifting Your Litigation Practice to Mediation  

 Main Topics:

  • The emotional and logistical complexities of caring for an aging parent with dementia
  • How caregiving impacts professional life and work-life balance
  • The benefits of family communication, mediating sibling relationships, and utilizing caregiver resources

Key Insights:

  • Amy's early recognition of her mother’s dementia symptoms and the timeline of care
  • The role of senior care managers in easing decision-making and reducing familial conflict
  • Strategies for professionals to continue working effectively while caregiving
  • The importance of establishing plans early, including involving future generations and professionals
  • How caregiving enhances skills like patience, active listening, and emotional resilience—valuable assets for mediators and others
  • Creating support networks, such as groups for children of aging parents, to share experiences and resources
  • The societal need for more open discussion about aging and eldercare support

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: Focus of the episode and guest background
02:23 - Amy’s experience caring for her parents during the pandemic
05:26 - Explanation of the "sandwich generation" and caregiving responsibilities
06:32 - How Amy’s caregiving journey began and evolving challenges
09:07 - Recognizing early symptoms and family dynamics in caregiving
21:12 - How caregiving improved Amy’s skills as a mediator