A Caregiver is someone who helps with the psychological and physical care of a person in need. Providing care to a family member with a chronic condition can be profoundly fulfilling as challenges have a tendency to bring people closer together. However, caregiving can also be daunting in many ways. The emotional and physical toll as well as the isolation can become a heavy burden to carry. Oftentimes, caregivers note an imbalance that takes place due to the focus no longer being on the relationship but on the tasks of caregiving. This can be especially profound when cognitive impairment is present. Many caregivers experience grief due to the significant changes taking place in their relationship with their care partners, and unlike a death, this type of grief is typically ongoing. Research tells us that the emotional consequences of caregiving can lead to unhealthy coping skills, strained relationships, reduced life satisfaction, and emotional and physical illness.

What is Caregiver therapy?

Caregiver therapy allows caregivers to have a safe space to freely express their thoughts and feelings about the caregiving process. Caregiver therapy allows the client to express the emotional and physical burden they are carrying, talk through anxieties, frustrations, and loneliness that oftentimes accompanies the caregiving experience. People going through the caregiver experience are not only those who have aging or ailing family members, but it’s also those who have a child or family member with a lifelong disability. In addition to exploration and processing of thoughts and feelings, caregiver therapy focuses on developing a realistic self-care plan, and connecting to state and local resources for additional support.