When you're caring for someone you love with dementia, the weight of responsibility can slowly consume you. Emma Heming Willis knows this reality firsthand. After her husband Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, Emma found herself in one of life's most challenging roles: caregiver. In this raw, powerful conversation, she reveals what actually helps when caregiving gets hard, why asking for help saved her, and the one thing every caregiver needs to survive.
Emma Heming Willis is a mother, step-mother, wife, advocate, and co-founder of Make Time Wellness, a brand devoted to women's brain health. Following Bruce Willis's frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, Emma became a leading voice for care partners and families navigating neurodegenerative disease. Through her storytelling and advocacy, she helps caregivers feel less alone. Her new book, "The Unexpected Journey" is available now.
WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 – How Emma met Bruce (and why it wasn't love at first sight)
09:45 – The phone call that changed everything
14:58 – Why standard dementia tests can miss FTD
16:58 – Diagnosis day 2022: "We Walked Out With Nothing"
21:33 – When they don't know they're sick: anosognosia explained
23:03 – Why the right diagnosis matters (wrong meds can backfire)
26:56 – The reframe that reduced Emma's family stress
32:49 – The burnout stat that snapped Emma back to herself
39:26 – How to turn "let me know how to help" into real help
42:22 – "Give yourself 30" Patti Davis's simple reset for heavy emotions
47:00 – The importance of understanding ambiguous grief
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MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU:
Grab your copy of Emma Heming Willis' new book The Unexpected Journey → https://amzn.to/4ox2PYt
How to Get Anything You Want (Free Audio Training) → https://www.marieforleo.com/how-to-get-anything-you-want
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