In The Room: Addressing Feelings of Guilt and Regret: Strategies to Employ as a Caregiver

Feelings of guilt and regret, including the anticipation of those emotions, are natural for all parents. However, they are particularly prevalent for those caring for children living with medical complexity. The stakes are high. Parents feel pressure to get it right – from making potentially life-saving medical decisions to ensuring that their child’s quality of life is as good as it can be to juggling the needs of the entire family.

In this webinar, Dr. Chrissy Salley, a pediatric psychologist, describes common sources of guilt and regret. Borrowing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the science of caregiving, she teaches attendees strategies they can employ to manage feelings of guilt and regret throughout the caregiving journey.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe common sources of guilt and regret for parent caregivers.
2. Explain how strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an evidenced-based mental health intervention, can be applied by parent caregivers to mitigate feelings of guilt and regret.
3. Name two strategies that clinicians can employ to support caregivers in mitigating guilt and regret.