Counseling for Caregivers

This isn’t the life you imagined.

Your day-to-day seems endless.

Someone always needs something.

Things go wrong at the worst moments, and you feel depleted, exhausted, and alone by the end of the night.

You cannot remember the last time you woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day. You don’t have time for self-care, much less the soul-care essential for wellness.

Your support network has disappeared. Whether you are a parent, caregiver of an aging loved one, or for someone with a Traumatic Brain Injury:

I get it.

Parenting

You feel like everything you’re doing is wrong.

You are trying to be the parent you want to be, but you are far from that. You never expected it to be this hard. You feel like all you do is yell at your children, and you’re tired of it.

You don’t know why you feel so out of control. You want to feel confident in your parenting skills, and you want to feel a sense of order.

You are beginning to think that the things you experienced in your childhood could impact you as a parent today.

Aging Loved One

You thought this would be temporary, but the journey is turning into a longer road than you anticipated.

Promises were made. You promised your loved one you would not place them in a facility. You promised you would help out and take care of them. You didn’t expect that promise would take so much out of you.

You lack the skills you need – you are not a professional caregiver. You don’t know where to turn.

You need the support and guidance, not only for resources and referrals, but to walk the journey with you and hold space for all the emotions. Your emotions are conflicted: grief, shame, and anxiety about what will happen next.

Traumatic Brain Injury or Cognitive Disorder

Your days feel like they never end. You aren’t able to take a break.

You are the only one who knows how to calm down your loved one; you are the only one who understands the challenges and the behaviors.

The world feels like it is resting on your shoulders, and you are alone. You feel guilty for resenting your loved one. You know it’s not their fault, but you still have to handle ALL THE THINGS of everyday tasks.

The daily physical and emotional drain gives you very little time to worry about yourself. You know this is not sustainable. You are committed to this job, but you need help.

You don’t even know where to start.

You need care, too.

You cannot give care without receiving care yourself.

My approach to caregiving is focused on your soul. Your beautiful soul that took on the unpaid job as a caregiver.

As a confidential source of support, I take the time to get to know you and support you with the emotional journey of being a caregiver.

Then we form an action plan for working with you, your loved one, and other family members to customize resources and support.

We discuss your feelings and focus on the emotional challenges during the caregiving journey.

Parenting

I’m a parent, and saying “it’s hard” is a total understatement.

Sometimes, we need an outsider’s help to offer reassurance and guidance. Together, we take inventory of the things that are stressing you out and getting you down.

I will hold space for the emotions you are dealing with, and we will look back at your childhood, where many of our emotions stem from. We set goals that are action-focused and meaningful to you. We will hone in on building confidence. We create small, manageable steps to help you be the parent that you want to be.

Aging Loved One

As a gerontologist, I understand the aging process and the challenges of caregiving for a loved one.

I work with you to understand the challenges and formulate a game plan for the “right now” and the “week from now.”

As a caregiver, the situation can change in a moment – whether it be a fall, a medical crisis, and dynamics with other family members. The job of a family caregiver is constantly evolving – it can be hard to keep up.

In our work together, we can focus on getting you the support you need so you can feel ready for anything. I want you to be able to cherish and savor the moments you have with your loved one – rather than being weighed down by the stress and logistics. Let’s create a plan that supports you so you can remember this time fondly, without guilt or regret.

Traumatic Brain Injury & Cognitive Disorders

Let’s work on building a sustainable life full of support and resources outside of just you.

Together, we can find a place of balance so that you can feel confident enough to take a break. We want to take some of the pressure off, so you can breathe and become yourself again.

You deserve a space to grieve the loss of what you thought life would be like and create a life you love.

• You understand how caregiving impacts you – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
• Talk with a professional who gets it and can guide you
• Be real about the ups and downs of any caregiving journey
• Create a plan of action that aligns with your values and goals
• Move toward the vision of caregiving that is sustainable, supported, and focused on wellness.