Carer Stress: 10 Surprising Ways Therapy Can Transform Your Wellbeing with Puradesa Therapy
- leanne0242
- Jul 7
- 3 min read
If you’re a carer—whether part-time, full-time, or one of the many silent “sandwich generation” caring for both children and aging parents—you know what it’s like to feel stretched, sleep-deprived, and emotionally maxed out. While love and duty fuel your care, the carer stress it creates is very real, often invisible, and deeply personal.
In this blog we're diving into original, therapy-backed strategies for managing carer stress, all grounded in real insight and the transformative support offered by Puradesa Therapy.
What Is Carer Stress, Really?
Carer stress goes beyond feeling tired. It’s an accumulation of emotional, physical, and mental fatigue caused by the ongoing responsibility of looking after someone else—often without breaks, validation, or enough support.
Common signs include:
Irritability and mood swings
Sleep disruption
Constant guilt or “not doing enough” syndrome
Isolation from friends or hobbies
Physical symptoms like headaches or back pain
Sound familiar? Then it’s time to turn the spotlight on you—without guilt.
How Therapy Helps Unravel Carer Stress
At Puradesa Therapy, we specialise in working with carers to help unpack the unique mental loads they carry. Therapy provides a space that’s completely yours—a place to pause, reflect, and reconnect.
Therapy for carers can help you:
Reframe destructive thought patterns
Learn guilt-free boundary setting
Create emotional safety nets for yourself
Build a long-term resilience toolkit
Now, let’s explore original, effective ways to manage carer stress with the help of therapy.
10 Surprising & Original Ideas to Manage Carer Stress
1. Narrative Therapy: Rewrite Your Caregiving Story
Reimagine your role in caregiving through narrative therapy, a powerful approach offered at Puradesa Therapy. Instead of being the overwhelmed over-giver, become the mindful guide. This shift in story changes everything.
2. Embodied Grounding with Temperature Play
Use temperature grounding to regulate your nervous system. Dip your hands in warm water, hold a chilled spoon, or place a warm stone in your pocket. These sensory resets are small but potent.
3. Create a “Micro-Sanctuary” at Home
Designate a chair, corner, or window seat that’s off-limits to others. Keep a candle, a photo, or a calming object there. This space is just for you—even if it’s five minutes a day, it’s sacred.
4. Reclaim the Lost Art of Doing Nothing
At Puradesa Therapy we often encourage carers to practice “intentional idleness.” Sit. Stare. Breathe. No podcasts, no productivity. Permission to do nothing is healing in itself.
5. Journaling with a Twist: The Reverse Diary
Instead of writing about what happened today, write the opposite of what you feel. “Today I feel rested, seen, and balanced.” This technique activates your brain’s visualisation and can shift mindset over time, if you practice it enough.
6. Therapy-Inspired Voice Notes
Record short affirmations or reflections based on your therapy sessions. Listen back to them during moments of doubt or exhaustion. Your own voice can become a calming coach.
7. Invisible Rituals
Build rituals that no one sees but make you feel grounded—tapping your fingers in a pattern when stressed, humming a private tune, or applying a drop of essential oil to your wrist.
8. Sensory Anchoring Tools
Create a sensory toolkit with items like velvet cloth, aromatherapy oils, textured stones, or music that calms you. Turn to it during high-stress caregiving moments.
9. “Emotion Pairing” Practice
At Puradesa Therapy, I guide carers through emotion pairing—identifying and holding two emotions at once. “I feel exhausted and grateful.” This emotional nuance helps relieve guilt and tension.
10. Unfollow the Inner Critic
Explore how therapy helps you separate your identity from your inner critic. Together, you and your therapist learn to spot its voice and replace it with a kinder, more truthful one.
Why Puradesa Therapy Is Different
Puradesa Therapy provides specialist therapy, just for carers, that's tailored to your emotional and mental needs. We understand that no two carers are the same. Whether you’re:
A working carer juggling a job and caregiving
A full-time carer in emotional overload
Someone adjusting to new caregiving responsibilities
We offer a compassionate, experienced approach that honours your reality. Our sessions are grounded and practical, to support you as you continue in your important caregiving role.
Final Thoughts: You Deserve Peace Too
You’re far from just a carer—you’re a person, with hopes, exhaustion, and a soul that needs tending. At Puradesa Therapy, we believe in caring for the carer. Therapy is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. And one that can bring deep clarity, confidence, and peace.
So, if you’re feeling the weight of carer stress, maybe it’s time to pass the emotional baton—if only for an hour—and let yourself be cared for too.
