Caregiver Grief Counselling

The Grief No One Talks About

Caregiver grief is the sadness and emotional exhaustion of caring for a loved one through illness, disability, or cognitive decline, often felt long before that person dies. It's common, it's normal to feel it alongside gratitude, and therapy can help you carry it without losing yourself in the process.

Caregiver grief is common among people caring for a parent with dementia, a partner with cancer, or a child with a disability. Because your loved one is still here, this grief is often invisible to everyone but you.

Caregiver Grief Counselling

Caring for someone you love through illness, decline, or disability comes with a grief that's rarely acknowledged, because the person you're grieving is still here. Counselling gives you space to name what you're carrying: the guilt, the exhaustion, the moments of resentment alongside deep love, without judgment. At Grit Psychology, our therapists help caregivers process anticipatory grief, set sustainable boundaries, and hold onto their own identity while continuing to show up for the people who need them.

Virtual & In-Person

Rosa Rino

Provisional Psychologist

$220 per hour

Rosa supports teens, adults & couples with relationships, anxiety, depression, identity, grief, stress, burnout & self-esteem.

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Virtual & In-Person

Camila Schroh

Provisional Psychologist

$220 per hour

Camila supports teens & adults with anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma & emotional overwhelm, plus psycho-educational assessments.

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Virtual & In-Person

Anne Walsh

Provisional Psychologist

$220 per hour

Anne helps individuals 16+ navigate anxiety, trauma, and burnout with practical tools for clarity, balance, and confidence.

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Virtual & In-Person

Ava McLinskarr

Provisional Psychologist

$220 per hour

Ava supports teens, adults & couples with trauma, relationship difficulties, stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD & ADHD.

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Virtual & In-Person

Jennifer Berrow

Provisional Psychologist

$200 per hour

Jennifer supports children, teens & adults through anxiety, depression & ADHD with neuro-affirming, strength-based care.

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Virtual & In-Person

Jaimee Grossklaus

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

aimee works with adults on anxiety, trauma (PTSD), depression, stress, low self-esteem, work concerns & brain injuries.

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Virtual & In-Person

Emma Godin

Provisional Psychologist

$200 per hour

Emma helps teens & adults with anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, trauma, self-harm, grief, life transitions, panic attacks & more.

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Virtual & In-Person

Calen Jobson

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

Calen works with individuals & athletes on anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, grief, self-esteem, relationships & performance issues.

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Virtual & In-Person

Lule Begashaw

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

Lule supports diverse individuals through healing & growth, rooted in faith, empathy & authenticity, for connection & resilience.

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Virtual & In-Person

Danielle Gelleny

Provisional Psychologist

$200 per hour

Danielle supports children, teens & adults with anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD, trauma & more, plus assessments for ages 6-16.

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Virtual & In-Person

Shaheena Kassam

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

Shaheena offers assessments & counselling for children, families & adults on anxiety, depression, ADHD & autism (ASD).

Returning Clients Only

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Virtual & In-Person

Alison Statham

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

Alison supports children (6+), teens & adults with anxiety, trauma, depression, OCD, ADHD, stress & relationship issues.

Returning Clients Only

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Virtual & In-Person

Kristy Honan

Provisional Psychologist, MACP

$220 per hour

Kristy has 13+ years working with anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, PTSD, identity crisis, body image, relationship concerns, and more.

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Virtual & In-Person

Vanessa de Guzman

Provisional Psychologist

$220 per hour

Vanessa supports children (4+), youth (12+) & adults with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma & major life transitions.

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Virtual Only

Dr. Sharanpreet Kaur

Registered Psychologist

$260 per hour

Sharanpreet specializes in trauma assessment and treatment, chronic pain, workplace issues, medication management, anxiety, grief and more.

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Virtual Only

Joel Zimmerman

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

*Direct billing Available* Joel supports individuals with anxiety, depression, personal growth & trauma, plus couples & families on communication.

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Virtual & In-Person

Cecily Wang

Registered Psychologist

$220 per hour

Cecily helps with anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, relationships & stress, plus assessments for ADHD, giftedness & mental health (3+).

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Signs of Caregiver Grief

Grief shows up differently for everyone, but it tends to cluster into three areas.

Emotional Persistent sadness or numbness, anxiety about the future, guilt over taking time for yourself, and irritability that feels out of character.

Behavioral Trouble sleeping or concentrating, loss of motivation, sudden crying, and pulling away from friends and family.

Physical Headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, and chronic fatigue. The body holds stress that hasn't had anywhere else to go.

The Mental Health Challenges of Caregiving

Caregiving takes a toll that goes beyond physical exhaustion. Most caregivers move through several distinct emotional struggles at once, often without realizing they have names, or that they're common enough to expect.

Conflicting Emotions

It's common to hold opposite feelings at once: love and resentment in the same afternoon, relief after a hard day followed by guilt for feeling relieved at all. These swings are a normal response to an abnormally demanding situation. They don't mean you love your family member any less.

Guilt

Caregivers tend to hold themselves to impossible standards. I should be stronger and shouldn't feel frustrated. I don't deserve a break. These thoughts create guilt even when you're already giving everything you have. Learning self-compassion is one of the most overlooked parts of healing.

Burnout

Grief and burnout often show up together. Burnout tends to look like emotional detachment, fading joy, physical fatigue, and a sense of being trapped. It isn't a sign you've failed. It's usually a sign you've carried too much, for too long, without enough support.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Grief Counselling

Is it normal to grieve someone who is still alive?

Yes. This is called anticipatory grief, and it's a common, healthy response to watching a loved one decline or change. You can grieve real losses, of memory, independence, or the relationship you once had, even while that person is still with you.

What's the difference between caregiver grief and caregiver burnout?

Burnout is exhaustion from the ongoing demands of caregiving. It builds from lack of rest and support, and eases with more of both. Grief is the sadness of watching someone you love change or decline, even while they're still here. It doesn't ease with rest, only with time and space to feel it. Most caregivers carry both at once.

How do I know if I need therapy for caregiver grief?

Consider reaching out if you're experiencing constant anxiety, persistent guilt, panic attacks, thoughts you can't continue, or difficulty functioning at work or home. You don't need to wait until you're in crisis.

How long does caregiver grief last?

There's no fixed timeline. Unlike grief after a death, caregiver grief tends to ebb and flow with the course of the illness itself, resurfacing with each new decline, diagnosis, or loss of ability. For many caregivers, it continues in some form even after caregiving ends, sometimes shifting into a different kind of grief once the person has passed.

Does caregiver grief get better after the person dies?

Not always in the way people expect. Some caregivers feel a wave of relief alongside their grief, which can bring its own guilt. Others find the grief intensifies once caregiving responsibilities end and the distraction of daily tasks is gone. Both reactions are normal.

Is caregiver grief the same as compassion fatigue?

They're related but not identical. Caregiver grief is the emotional response to loss and change in your loved one. Compassion fatigue is the numbing that can develop from prolonged exposure to someone else's suffering. Caregivers often experience both together, especially over long caregiving periods.

Caregiver Grief

Navigating Grief for Someone Who's Still Here

The Grief No One Talks About