The Sandwich Generation: Caring for Everyone but Yourself
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
If you’re a midlife woman and feel like you’re being pulled in two caretaking directions at once, you are. One moment you’re helping your aging parent navigate medical appointments or memory loss, and the next you’re supporting a teenager, college student, or young adult child who still needs guidance and emotional presence. Somewhere in between, there’s your job, your relationships, your household, and…very little space left for you.
This experience is known as the sandwich generation, and it disproportionately impacts midlife women. Women in the sandwich generation often carry the emotional, logistical, and mental load of caregiving on both ends, leaving them feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and quietly depleted.
In this blog, we’ll explore what it means to live in the sandwich generation, why this season can feel so darn stressful, and how therapy can help you navigate caregiving without losing yourself in the process. If you’ve been wondering, Why does this feel so hard?—you’re not alone.
Understanding the Emotional Weight of the Sandwich Generation
The sandwich generation refers to adults—most often women in midlife—who are simultaneously caring for aging parents and raising or supporting children. This stage of life often arrives unexpectedly and lasts longer than anticipated, especially as people live longer and young adults take more time to become financially or emotionally independent.
One of the most common challenges sandwich generation caregivers face is chronic emotional overload. You may be managing your parent’s health concerns, cognitive decline, or loss of independence while also showing up for children who still need you. This can create a constant sense of urgency, responsibility, and vigilance. And, it’s downright exhausting.
Many midlife women I work with describe feeling:
Pulled in opposing directions with equal urgency
Guilty no matter what they choose
Invisible in their own lives
Emotionally exhausted but unable to rest
What makes this season particularly difficult is that caregiving often intersects with other midlife transitions: career shifts, hormonal changes, identity questions, and evolving relationships. You may notice increased irritability, resentment, or grief for a version of life that once felt simpler.
The problem isn’t that you’re doing something wrong. The problem is that the sandwich generation asks one person to hold too much, often without adequate support, acknowledgment, or space to process the emotional toll.
A Therapist’s Perspective on the Sandwich Generation
From a therapist’s perspective, the sandwich generation is less about logistics and more about identity strain. Many women have spent years being the reliable one holding it all together. Mamas typically take on the role of the caretaker, the organizer, and the emotional anchor. In midlife, those roles can intensify just as your inner needs are asking for more attention.
In therapy, I often hear women say:
“I don’t know who I am outside of what everyone needs.”
“I feel guilty and selfish for wanting time for me.”
“I’m exhausted, but I can’t stop. I don’t have a choice.”
These phrases often point to a nervous system emphatically signaling that the current pace and expectations are unsustainable. It’s too much.
Therapy offers a space to slow things down and separate who you are from what you carry. Together, we can explore boundaries, grief, resentment, and the invisible emotional labor that often goes unnamed. We can also work on redefining responsibility in a way that honors your values without erasing you, and, do the important work to delegate and find time for you to take care of YOU.
You may find it helpful to explore related reflections on:
Practical Strategies for Navigating the Sandwich Generation
While there is no perfect way to manage this season, there are ways to make it more sustainable.
1. Name the season you’re in
Simply acknowledging that you are part of the sandwich generation can reduce shame and self-blame. This is a demanding life stage—not a personal shortcoming. To take it a step beyond naming, share what you are going through with your partner, friends, or therapist. This is not a season to navigate alone.
2. Redefine “being a good daughter or mother”
Many women hold rigid internal rules about what caregiving should look like. Therapy can help you loosen these expectations and create definitions that are compassionate and realistic.
3. Practice values-based boundaries
Boundaries aren’t about saying no to people you love; they’re about saying YES to what matters most. This may include emotional boundaries, time limits, or asking for help, without justification or apologies.
4. Seek therapy and use it as a place just for you
Therapy isn’t another task on your to-do list. It’s a space where you don’t have to be strong, organized, or holding it together.
You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone
Being part of the sandwich generation can feel lonely, exhausting, and emotionally complex. You may love the people you care for deeply—and still feel overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility you’re carrying.
Therapy offers a place to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself during this demanding season. You deserve support that honors your humanity, not just your capacity to give.
If you’re navigating life as part of the sandwich generation and feeling stretched thin, I invite you to reach out. We can explore how to care for others without losing yourself in the process.
i would love to support you
If you’re a midlife woman feeling overwhelmed by caregiving, I offer individual therapy for women navigating the sandwich generation in Orange County and throughout California.
👉 Schedule a free consultation to see if working together feels like a good fit.
Hi, I’m Jen!
Would you like to work together? Contact me to set up a free phone consultation. I look forward to connecting with you. 💛
