Therapy For Caregivers
Is The Stress Of Caring For A Loved One Becoming Too Much To Bear Alone?
Has caring for your aging or sick parent/family member caused you to feel depleted and burnt out?
Are you struggling to balance all of your responsibilities—including work—on top of caregiving for your loved one?
Do you wish you had an outlet for your emotions and better stress management strategies?
As adults of a certain age, we are part of the “sandwich” generation, often managing the care of aging parents and growing kids all at once. Despite work and other obligations, it usually falls on us to make sure everyone in our family has what they need to thrive. And on top of it all, there are usually feelings of anticipatory grief that come with caring for sick and/or elderly family members.
If you’re a caregiver, chances are you’re feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. You’re probably in the position of having to make huge decisions for your loved one, sometimes running into conflict when the two of you disagree on which steps need to be taken to ensure their comfort and safety—and your sanity. You may have developed guilt about putting them in a particular living situation or making them feel powerless, and the whole situation is likely stirring up painful sensations, thoughts, and memories.
Whether you’re just starting the process of transitioning your loved one into retirement/assisted living or waiting for the other shoe to drop on their next medical emergency, you have a lot on your plate. I understand the stress and burnout you’re feeling.
When We Spread Ourselves Too Thin, There’s Not Enough Left For Us
Being put in the role of caregiver introduces a whole new set of dynamics to our relationships. You may be struggling with the parent-child role reversal or trying to reconcile past conflict with the knowledge that you don’t have much time left to get all the answers you need. It’s possible that your relationships with another parent, sibling, or family member are also changing in rapid succession, causing you to feel even more isolated by your stress and emotions.
Furthermore, you have your own partner and/or children to worry about. Without much flexibility for dedicated, quality time with your family at home, you may worry that you don’t have space for anyone in your life except your aging or ailing loved one—let alone yourself.
I can relate to your experience and want to offer you the healing opportunity of therapy to pause, gain perspective, and recharge. Working together in counseling, we will develop coping and stress management techniques that can help you to thrive as a caregiver.
Are You Expected To Fill The Role Of Caregiver For Sick And Aging Family Members
When it comes to caregiving, there are a lot of cultural norms at play. In addition to expecting children to eventually care for their parents, there is often an assumption that women or the eldest child will take on the vast majority of the work. Faced with a significant premium on elderly/end-of-life resources (especially following the pandemic) and little guidance about how to move forward, it’s no wonder our generation feels particularly burnt out in caring for our parents. Not to mention, healthcare and assisted living systems are notoriously difficult to navigate, and it’s incredible the lengths we often have to take to advocate for quality, effective care on behalf of our loved ones.
But just as we don’t want our family member feeling alone as they navigate a new transition, we shouldn’t expect ourselves to navigate this chapter of life by ourselves either. Feelings of helplessness, frustration, grief, and guilt are completely normal in these situations, and we owe it to ourselves to take time and space to heal, reflect, and recover.
In therapy for caregivers through Inner Voice Counseling, you can prioritize your mental health in a way that reduces anxiety and clarifies your next steps. As you learn to identify what you do and don’t have control over, you can make choices that conserve your energy and honor your loved one.
Therapy For Caregivers Through Inner Voice Counseling
Change is a big deal, and few of us welcome it with open arms. Therapy offers you a chance to embrace your new role as a caregiver, engage in helpful stress management tactics, and make space for your grief. As we team up and work together to explore the parts of you that are changing, we can figure out which elements to hold onto—and which to leave behind.
What To Expect
The therapeutic process is always highly individualized to the goals of each client. As I learn more about your situation, we will gain meaningful information about how you hold onto stress and where that stress shows up most in your life. With these perspectives, we can establish customized coping strategies to help you feel less anxious and activated in real time.
Once you’re better resourced, we can begin the deeper work of exploring and repairing your relationships. This might involve healing childhood wounds or learning how to assert boundaries in the interest of your mental and emotional health. Whatever the circumstances may be, the goal of therapy is to help you come to terms with the reality of your role as a caregiver and have the perspective needed to act—rather than react—in times of stress.
I know your situation feels overwhelming, maybe even impossible at times, but I assure you a path to emotional healing and freedom exists. With the help of a therapist, you can find solutions that make sense for all of the roles you possess, balancing your responsibilities as a caregiver with your needs as an individual. As you learn to navigate this period of loss and transition in a way that honors your loved one, you can establish a newfound sense of peace and control in your life.
Still Unsure If Counseling Is Right For You?
Do you have experience with aging/ill parents?
I do. Working hand-in-hand with my sisters, we care for my aging father, who has lived alone in his home for several years since our mother passed away. Losing her to dementia, I understand the reality of medical emergencies and life-changing healthcare decisions. I know what it’s like to manage the stress and worry of keeping a parent living independently and at home, ever dreading the “I fell” phone call or other crisis.
As your therapist, I want to offer coping and emotional regulation strategies that have aided me in times of distress while considering your unique triggers and stress response. I will customize the counseling process to meet your specific situation and needs as a caregiver.
What is the most effective stress management strategy for caregivers?
There are a lot of behavioral and stress reduction techniques we can use in therapy, but my favorite one for caregivers, in particular, is meditation. Because it allows you to slow down, visualize, and recalibrate, meditation can be an incredibly useful treatment tool for when you’re experiencing caregiver burnout.
That said, it’s called a meditation practice for a reason—and I don’t suggest beginning your practice in earnest if you are in the middle of a highly stressful transition. Instead, let’s start by slowing your brain down with simpler means, perhaps using a meditation app that can guide you through simple, five-minute exercises.
The stress of being a caretaker is already overwhelming—I don’t have time for counseling.
If you’ve read this far, it means you are seriously contemplating counseling to help manage the stress and burnout you feel as a caregiver. Trust your intuition! Getting the support and skills you need will actually free up your time and energy in the long run. And I think you will find that weekly sessions aren’t necessary for all that long. Once you’ve honed some skills and begun to feel a little less stressed, you’ll be able to reduce the frequency of your appointments.
Putting your needs as a caregiver is the first step to a lifetime of making healthy, affirming decisions.
By Making Room For Yourself, You Can Be The Caregiver You Want To Be
If you’re a caregiver and struggling to balance the needs of your loved one with a manageable, satisfying quality of life, therapy can provide you with solutions for reducing stress, anxiety, and emotional burnout. For more information about how I can help, contact me.
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