In Person in Nanaimo and Virtual Across British Columbia
Sandwich Generation
Caring for children while also supporting aging parents can leave little time or energy left over for yourself. Many people in this stage of life describe feeling pulled in every direction at once - managing school pickups, medical appointments, financial decisions, and emotional support for two generations simultaneously.
Counselling can be supportive when the weight of caregiving in multiple directions begins to feel unsustainable, isolating, or hard to explain to people who aren't in the same season of life.
At The Nest, we offer counselling that is calm, relational, and attentive to lived experience.
Counselling is offered in person in Nanaimo and virtually across British Columbia.
How sandwich generation caregiving may show up
People seek counselling for sandwich generation caregiving for many reasons, including:
Feeling stretched between the needs of children and aging parents
Difficulty finding time or space for your own needs
Guilt about not doing "enough" for either generation
Managing logistics such as appointments, finances, or care coordination
Grief or anticipatory grief around a parent's changing health or role
Burnout, exhaustion, or a loss of personal identity outside of caregiving
Support that makes room for you, too
Counselling offers space to name the full weight of what you're carrying, without minimizing it or rushing toward solutions. Sessions can support boundary-setting, communication with family members, and reconnecting with your own needs alongside your caregiving responsibilities.
Support is collaborative and paced with care, recognizing that sandwich generation caregiving often comes without a clear end date or roadmap.
FAQs
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This type of burnout usually looks like irritability, withdrawal from social situations, worry, numbing behaviours, and chronic tiredness that sleep doesn’t seem to fix.
If you see yourself in this list, know that you deserve to be cared for too. The Nest was created to provide a safe landing pad for people just like you. Book a free 20 minute consult and experience what it’s like to be the one tended to.
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This is such a tricky dynamic and one that requires nuance. It can be so painful to watch your parents age and require more and more support for daily functioning. It is also completely human to have your own capacity for what you can offer in the form of care. In therapy we will explore the compassionate boundary setting, communication skills, and your own emotional processing so you can make informed choices about your caregiver boundaries.
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Health crises in families often bring out old family patterns. We can find ourself falling into familiar roles, leading to resentment and frustration.
Therapy can help you navigate these patterns, learn communication strategies and boundary setting. You can also begin to understand relationship dynamics and how to create change in old patterns.