Mental Health Awareness for Caregivers: You Matter Too

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while much of the focus is often on those receiving care, it's equally important to shine a light on the mental health of those giving care, the parents, grandparents, foster parents, kinship caregivers, and guardians who show up every day for children in need.

The Silent Struggle of Caregiving

Caregiving is a powerful act of love, but it’s also emotionally and physically demanding, especially when caring for children who have experienced trauma, loss, or special needs. Caregivers often carry silent burdens:

• Chronic stress
  
• Compassion fatigue or burnout
  
• Feelings of guilt or isolation
  
• Anxiety about doing the "right" thing
  
• Depression or emotional numbness
  
• Loss of identity outside the caregiving role
  

And yet, many caregivers feel they have to “stay strong” and push through. The truth is, your mental health matters. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Why Your Mental Health Deserves Attention

When caregivers are supported, children thrive. Taking care of your emotional well-being isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Mental health challenges don’t mean you're failing; they mean you’re human.

Being open about your own needs helps model healthy emotional expression for your children. It also helps prevent burnout, increases patience, and fosters stronger relationships.

Signs It Might Be Time to Pause and Check In

If you’re experiencing any of the following, it may be time to seek support:

• Feeling persistently overwhelmed or hopeless
  
• Struggling to sleep or relax even when things are calm
  
• Feeling disconnected from the children or others around you
  
• Crying easily or feeling numb
  
• Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
  
• Constant irritability or guilt
  

What You Can Do

• Talk to someone. A friend, therapist, support group, or spiritual advisor can offer a safe space to process your feelings.
  
• Take small breaks. Even 10 minutes to breathe, stretch, or drink a cup of tea matters.
  
• Seek respite. Whether through a trusted relative, agency, or local program, getting help is not a weakness.
  
• Join a caregiver support group. Being seen and heard by others who “get it” can be life-changing.
  
• Say yes to services for yourself, not just your child. Counseling, coaching, and wellness tools can help sustain you.
  

Resources for Caregivers

• National Alliance for Caregiving – www.caregiving.org
  
• Mental Health America – www.mhanational.org
• National Foster Parent Association – www.nfpaonline.org
• 2-1-1 (Call or visit 211.org) to find local support, respite, and mental health services
  

A Final Note to Every Caregiver Reading This

If no one has told you today: you are doing sacred work. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to need help. In fact, reaching out is one of the bravest things you can do—for yourself and for the children who rely on you.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s normalize this truth:
Caregivers deserve care, too.