Therapy for Caregivers: Letting Guilt Go and Prioritizing Rest

You’ve been showing up for everyone else for so long that exhaustion probably feels like your baseline. When you’re a caregiver, whether for a parent, a child, a partner, or a patient, the needs of others often take priority over your own. You get used to running on empty, ignoring the signals from your body, and quietly pushing through because people are counting on you.

Somewhere along the way, you start believing your needs matter less. And when you do try to rest, the guilt creeps in: I should be doing more. Other people have it worse. Who am I to need a break?

I want you to know something: Rest is not selfish. Rest is necessary.

The guilt you carry isn’t a personal failure, it’s a learned response. Many caregivers were raised to believe that their worth comes from how much they give, how well they perform, or how tirelessly they show up for others. But that constant giving comes at a cost: your nervous system, your body, your relationships, and eventually, your sense of self.

Therapy can be a place where you lay some of that weight down. Together, we look at the beliefs that keep you running past your limits, we name the unmet needs beneath your exhaustion, and we practice building boundaries rooted in care rather than guilt. We create space for the part of you that’s been neglected, the one who also needs compassion, connection, and rest.

When you include yourself in the circle of care, you don’t love others less. You love from a place that’s sustainable. That shift doesn’t happen overnight, but you deserve the time and support to make it.

If you’ve been carrying more than your share for too long and want a place to set it down, I’m here. Therapy can give you space to breathe, to name what you need, and to practice caring for yourself without guilt.

Reach out here to connect with me.