Lose the caregiver overwhelm, lean into love

I help family caregivers decrease their overwhelm, without compromising on the care they give.

My clients struggle, worry, and feel as frazzled as you do. Despite being resourceful problem-solvers, self-care advocates, and the reliable go-to person for everyone else when things get tough, life as a caregiver is hard.

When they first come in, they admit they just lost it on the phone when their mom called for the third time that day. It interrupted their work meeting and thew them off, feeling like they couldn’t show up for work or for mom. They can’t remember the last time they did something just for their own pleasure. Hell, they don’t even really know what they like doing for fun anymore, much less how they could make time for something on top of all the appointments. Each time their loved one is confused about something simple, they wonder if now is the time to move them in a care home or hire extra help.

Their overwhelm with caregiving gets in the way of the life they want in so many ways. They aren’t the kind of partner they want to be. They feel like they’re failing at work, and at spending time with their friends. And even their confidence in caregiving itself is tanking. Before they came to see me, they figured there probably wasn’t anything that anyone could really do to make it easier. They worried that therapy would be a waste of precious time (lord knows, they could always be prepping the next meal or catching up on a project or waiting on hold with a doctor’s office). And they were pretty certain that slowing down to talk about these challenges would hurt too much to face head on, so maybe it would be better to keep their head down, ignore their own feelings, and put all the fuel into meeting their loved one’s needs. Spending months or years in caregiver overwhelm is debilitating. Research shows caregivers often pass away before the loved ones they are caring for. Caregiving is no small feat; it’s not just you.  

Like my clients, you deserve to have time to yourself, without guilt. Weekly dinner dates with your partner and friends are not out of reach. If you want to feel like you can give great care without losing your shit, I’d love to help you get there. Feeling isolated as a caregiving is common, but its not the only option. Reach out and schedule an intro call if you’re ready for another way forward.