Caring for Carers : Monthly Skills Based Support Group

Caring for Carers is a combination Workshop and Support Group.

This group (which first began at Danielle's Place back in 2006) was created to help bridge the gap in services, and help support carers. Due to lack of services available carers often end up in the position of supporting loved ones through their Mental Illness. This workshop aims to bring like minded individuals together in a safe, confidential and supportive environment to discuss tough topics. 

This group is appropriate for:

• Individuals (parents, friends, spouses) who are supporting a loved one who may be struggling with Anxiety, Self Esteem challenges, Inability to attend school, Eating Disorders, Depression etc. 
• Individuals who are open to learning strategies, skills and discussing the challenges that come with learning to navigate Mental Illness in the home.
• Individuals who are feeling the impact of carer burn out (feeling tired, hopeless, agitated, confused and scared). 
• Individuals who would benefit from a check in and connect with others in similar positions. 
• Individuals who have recently been through a challenging time with their loved one and want to maintain support. 

This workshop series is 6 months long and will cover a different topic each week.

Each evening will include a group check in, a facilitator led topic presentation and open discussion.  

This group will run as an open concept group which means members can attend every group, or come sporadically. We highly encourage members to sign up for the 6 sessions in order to build community and build off of things from week to week.  The intent of this group is to continue to run monthly after January. 

 

This groups is limited to 10 participants per group. 

Why Groups? 

-No matter how you go about getting the caregiver support you need, the advantages of joining a support group are endless. Some of the benefits you’ll experience include:A chance to share common experiences. If you feel like you’re the only one who is dealing with a difficult caregiving situation, a support group can put that idea to rest. You’ll meet individuals who probably experience very similar situations day in and day out, and just talking about them gives peace of mind and can lead to you being a better caregiver, plus validate any feelings you might be having.

-Learning coping strategies. Support groups offer a way to learn new coping strategies by talking to others. Even when you feel like you’re doing just fine, caregiving duties can ultimately begin to take a toll. You’ll be able to discuss what worked for others, finding solutions to common issues.

-Receiving affirmation that attending to your own needs is vital. Caregivers can often feel guilty about leaving their loved one for any length of time, taking the full burden of their care needs. However, support groups can reaffirm the importance of taking care of yourself; that it’s not selfish to attend to your own needs.

-Forming friendships to help avoid isolation. Isolation can also become a problem for caregivers, who get so involved in caregiving that their world becomes quite limited. A support group provides not only a way to meet new friends with common interests, but also to avoid isolation that can lead to loneliness and depression.

-The opportunity to help others. The skills you’ve acquired as a caregiver can be shared with others. In a caregivers support group, you’ll be able to support and help others while receiving the support you need, too.

This group is for you if you have attended any of the Caring For Carers workshops Carly has run over the years and found them helpful. You don't  need to be in crisis to attend this group and we very much encourage parents to attend to get support for their own emotional health vs. finding ways to help the person they are supporting only. 

Facilitated by: Carly Crawford, Registered Psychotherapist 

Investment is $75.00 per group of $450 for the 6 months of support. 

**Receipt provided for insurance purposes. 

Deadline for payment and registration is due one week before each date.  We highly encourage you to sign up for as many dates as possible. This ensures connection, community and confidentiality in the groups. We recognize how streched everyone is for time AND we also know how much this is needed.