Caregiver Counselling
Caregiver Counselling
Caregiving can be overwhelming, confusing, and heavy. No one prepares you to take on the added work of advocating, managing appointments, driving, personal care — the list can go on and on. You’re doing multiple jobs that you weren’t trained for, largely without the support that you need. For most of us, life doesn’t stop just because our whole daily lives have. Many caregivers still have to balance a job, spouses, kids, friends, and their home in addition to their caregiving work. It is a lot to manage. I know how hard you are working, and I know how impossible it can feel sometimes to keep up with it all. I know you’re likely doing the best you can with what you have, even when it doesn’t feel good enough to you.
You are pouring so much of yourself into others. It’s important that you have a space that is safe and supportive to you. Caregiver counselling is a supportive space where you can freely talk about the challenges you’re experiencing, without worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings or not being understood. We can develop healthy coping strategies to help you get through the difficult parts of caregiving and ensure that your caregiving is sustainable.
$160/60 Minutes
Who can caregiver counselling help?
Every caregiving situation looks different. For some, this role is professional, others it is personal, and for many it is both. Whether you provide occasional support or this feels like a full-time job, caregiver counselling can be a supportive resource to your wellbeing on this journey. Here are some examples:
Spouses or romantic partners
Adult children supporting their parents or caregivers
Professional care providers, such as personal support workers (PSWs), nurses, respite workers, and hospital staff
Siblings
People supporting their chosen family, friends or neighbour
What can caregiver counselling help with?
Caregiver Burnout
Are you finding it harder and harder to show up each day? Do you find yourself struggling to remember small details, even though you never miss the big stuff? Are you noticing you’re more irritable, less patient, and more sensitive than you normally are? If so, you might be experiencing caregiver burnout. Caregiver burnout is caused by the prolonged stress, anxiety, and over-working that so often can come with providing support to others. When we’re this overwhelmed and exhausted, it can feel impossible to stop and address the burnout, but the impact only grows over time. Caregiver burnout can become a vicious cycle that negatively impacts every aspect of our lives and wellbeing if left untreated, but there are ways to reduce our risk or recover from it.
Compassion Fatigue
Are you so exhausted that you’re finding it hard to be patient? Are you feeling more closed-off or struggling to have the same empathy you once did for the person you’re supporting? Do you find yourself snapping, avoiding, or dreading engaging with the person you’re providing care to?
If this resonates, please know that you aren’t alone. You aren’t a bad person and there isn’t anything “wrong” with you. You’re likely experiencing compassion fatigue, which is a common (but often avoided) result of being overwhelmed and under-supported for too long while engaging in care work. Compassion fatigue often comes hand-in-hand with caregiver burnout. In caregiver counselling, compassion fatigue isn’t something to be judged — it’s just a sign that you’re past your window of tolerance and need some additional support.
Book a FREE 15-Minute Discovery Call to Learn More!
Brianna is currently accepting new therapy and counselling clients for online therapy sessions.