Term 4: Caring for Carers Monthly Skills Based Support Group

Caring for Carers is a support and skill-building group. 

This group was created to help bridge the gap in services and help support carers. Due to the lack of services available carers often end up in the position of supporting loved ones through their Mental Illness.  We have found that individuals who are caring for someone with a Mental Health diagnosis are often caring for others in their lives. In our more recent groups, our conversations have grown and we recognize that the role of "carer" is often never-ending. 

This group is led by Carly Crawford (and other Registered Psychotherapists) and is a combination of skill-building and support type group.  In this group, we start with a group check-in and introduce a topic that pertains to taking care of YOU as the carer.

Examples include:

-Self Compassion.

-Carer Guilt

-Boundaries.

-Attachment styles.

-Compassion fatigue.

-Self Esteem.

-Communication strategies. 

-Self-care. 

Now more than ever we need to focus more on caring for ourselves. The world is moving at a very fast pace and finding time to pause is often what people need, but find it hard to find. 

This group is the perfect space to explore strategies around coping with carer guilt, burn out and worry. We come together for 90 minutes a month to share space and skills and we grow together along the way.

This group may be 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, and skills and discussing the challenges that come with learning to navigate Mental Illness in the home.
• Individuals who are feeling the impact of carer burnout (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 ones and want to maintain support.

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

This group will be a CLOSED group limited to 10 people.  Your registration is for all 9 sessions. This helps with consistency and allows us to pick up each month and hold each other accountable for any goals or intentions made. We have decided to cap the group at 10 people to account for the occasional cancellation. 

Moving forward, the reminder for the group will be sent out from OWL (our booking system) on the Monday of the week of the group. If you cannot attend the group, please let us know. The group will not run if we don’t have 4 people who can make it. The cancellation fee will only apply if you cancel within 24 hours:) 

Wednesday, April 17th

Wednesday, May 15th

Wednesday, June 12th

Wednesday, July 10th 

Wednesday, September 11th 

Wednesday, October 9th

Wednesday, November 13th

Wednesday, December 12th

Please keep in mind there is NO group in August and the group dates are recurring monthly not every 4 weeks. 

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.

-Learn 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.

-Receive 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.

-Form 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 caregiver 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 +HST  per group 

**Receipt provided for insurance purposes. 

Payment is due the Monday before the group confirms attendance.