Counselling for Caregivers Facing Burnout, Stress, and Guilt
Online and in-person therapy for caregivers in Burnaby and BC
Caregivers often tell me they feel exhausted and overwhelmed. They feel like they’re not doing enough for anyone — not enough for their parent, their partner, their children if they have them, their work, or themselves. And underneath it all is guilt: guilt for not being everywhere, for not knowing what to do, for not taking better care of themselves.
And caregiving doesn’t always mean full-time, live-in support. Even if you’re “just” organizing medical appointments, arranging rides, planning meals, helping with daily decisions, or coordinating the rest of the family, it takes energy — often more than you realize. It’s also deeply painful to watch your parent struggle with things they once managed with ease: showering, dressing, booking an appointment, remembering important details. That loss of independence is hard for them, and hard for you.
You may have heard that you’re part of the sandwich generation — caught between too many responsibilities at once, with no clear way to give enough to everyone who needs you.
The Weight You’re Carrying
Why I Understand
How I Can Help
In my work with caregivers, we focus on imperfect solutions — because if perfect solutions existed, you would have found them. Together, we’ll look at:
- Prioritizing what matters most in each moment, knowing that some things can wait and others cannot.
- Making space for your feelings — the sadness, frustration, and guilt that come with choices no one wants to make.
- Finding practical strategies that fit into your life, even if they’re small and simple.
- Practicing self-compassion — the grace to remind yourself that this situation is extraordinary, and you are not expected to be superhuman.
The Caregiver Counselling Program
You know you need some support, but you don’t know where to begin. The caregiving is occupying so much of your mind that coming up with things to talk about in counselling can feel like yet another task to do. This program may be for you.
Session 1: How did we get here?
We’ll explore your caregiving story so far, assess for burnout and overwhelm, identify your most pressing challenges, and create a first-aid plan for difficult moments.
Session 2: Why do I feel so guilty?
We’ll unpack the “never-enough” feeling that many caregivers experience, identify common guilt-traps, and develop practical tools for navigating competing responsibilities in ways that honour your values, priorities and well-being.
Session 3: Why is Rest so hard?
We’ll move beyond generic self-care advice and focus on what actually makes rest possible. Together, we’ll identify sources of support, examine barriers to rest, and create realistic strategies for caring for yourself while continuing to care for others.
Session 4: What do I expect of myself?
We’ll explore tools that allow you to treat yourself with the same grace and understanding you would offer a dear friend, especially during moments that feel overwhelming, messy or impossible.
Session 5: What am I really grieving?
Caregivers often find themselves grieving someone who is still here while also grieving the parts of their own life that have changed or been put on hold. We’ll make space for these losses and explore ways to acknowledge and honour them.
Session 6: What’s keeping you up at night?
The topic for this session is yours. We’ll focus on the issues that may not apply to every caregiver but have significant impact on your experience, including, family dynamics, sibling conflict, caregiving for a difficult parent, balancing multiple responsibilities, or navigating difficult decisions.
Moving Forward
Caregiving has a way of arriving before we’re ready. It changes how we see ourselves, our families, and even our future. It’s not easy, and it will never be perfect. But with support, it can become lighter, more manageable, and less lonely.
You don’t have to carry this on your own. I’m here to walk alongside you.
I would love to meet you.
Have some questions?
Book an Appointment
If you're struggling, know that help is available and I am here to support you on your journey. Book a free New Client Consultation today. I would love to meet you.
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