FOR THE CARER
You can’t keep doing everything.
You’ve been holding things together for everyone else - Mum or Dad, work, kids, appointments, decisions, problems.
And somewhere along the way, caring became something that only works if you keep stretching yourself further. It shouldn’t.
This stage helps you reduce the load, build a more sustainable system of care, and feel more like yourself again.
As featured in:
NO ONE SAYS THIS OUT LOUD
Some days, it sounds like this.
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“If I don’t do it, who will?”
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“Everyone needs something from me.”
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“I feel guilty when I’m with Mum, and guilty when I’m not.”
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“I’m snapping at the people I love.”
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“I can’t concentrate properly at work anymore.”
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“My siblings say they’ll help, but somehow it still lands on me.”
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“I’m exhausted, but I can’t switch off.”
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“I just need to get through this week.”
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None of this means you're failing. It means you've been carrying too much for too long.
PLEASE HEAR THIS
Looking after yourself is not the whole answer.
Most family members already know they should
rest more, exercise, take breaks and ask for help.
The harder question is:
How do you actually make that possible
when so much depends on you?
Preventing burnout isn’t about adding more “self-care” to your to-do list. It’s about making the list more manageable.
The goal isn’t to become a stronger carer. It’s to build a life
where caring no longer requires superhuman strength
Melissa
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We start by looking at the load itself.
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What genuinely needs to stay with you?
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What can be shared?
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What can be simplified?
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What can stop?
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And where can support come from, even when money or family help is limited?
MAKING CARING SUSTAINABLE
What we’ll work through together.
Not by asking more of you. By changing what you’re carrying.
Notice the warning signs early.
Learn what burnout can actually look like, so you can recognise when the current way of doing things is no longer sustainable.
01
Build a sustainable system of care.
Work out what needs to be done, what can be shared or simplified, and how to create more support around you in ways that are realistic for your family.
03
Understand why caring feels so hard.
Make sense of the guilt, resentment, frustration and exhaustion that can come with caring for someone you love, and stop judging yourself for having normal human reactions.
02
Make room for the rest of your life.
Create practical space for your children, partner, work, health, friendships and yourself, without feeling like you’re abandoning Mum or Dad.
04
Not every family can sit in my consulting room, but every family deserves help making care sustainable.
That's why I created the Dementia Playbook and answer families' questions live every week.
All 9 Stages • Weekly Q&As
AUD $297 • 7-day money-back-guarantee
Telehealth or in Sydney, Australia
$420 per 50-minute consultation
INSIDE YOUR PLAYBOOK
Everything you need to keep caring without losing yourself.
This stage gives you practical tools to recognise burnout early, reduce what you’re carrying, share care more effectively, set workable boundaries and rebuild space for the rest of your life.
Because caring sustainably isn’t about doing more for yourself.
It starts with having less resting entirely on you.
And your Playbook grows with your family.
Your family’s needs will change. So will the kind of support you need.
✔︎ Manage changes in Mum or Dad’s behaviour
✔︎ Introduce help at home
✔︎ Get siblings and family working together
✔︎ Understand what matters most to Mum or Dad
✔︎ Plan for future care
✔︎ Navigate aged care
✔︎ Handle difficult conversations
✔︎ Know what to do when circumstances change
The support doesn’t stop when this stage ends.
7-day money-back-guarantee · Weekly live Q&As
WEEKLY Q&A's
Last Wednesday, families asked…
💬 “Is it normal to feel resentful?”
💬 “How do I stop feeling guilty every time I say no?”
💬 “How do I keep working when Dad needs so much from me?”
💬 “How do I get my siblings to actually help?”
💬 “How do I know if I'm burning out?”
Every Wednesda, I'll answer as many family questions as I can. You can join live, or submit your question and watch the replay later.
"Bring me the question that's been keeping you awake at night. Whether you're overwhelmed, unsure, or simply don't know what to do next, you don't have to figure this out alone."
Melissa
Includes lifetime access to every stage of the Dementia Playbook, plus weekly live Family Q&As.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
Hi, I'm Melissa Levi
I've been on both sides of this table.
Before I was a Clinical Psychologist specialising in dementia and ageing, I was a granddaughter watching my own grandfather change, while my family tried to work out what we were supposed to do next.
That experience never left me.
Over the past almost twenty years, I've helped more than 1,000 families navigate dementia, ageing and caregiving, through diagnoses, difficult conversations, changing behaviours, decisions about care and some of the hardest days of their lives.
And I've learned something important:
No family is ever prepared for dementia.
You don't need to have everything figured out. You need someone who understands what you're going through, can explain what matters most, and help you work out what to do next.
That's why I created the Dementia Playbook: the practical guidance, strategies and exact words I've spent years giving families one-to-one, brought together in one place.
So you can feel less overwhelmed, more confident, and clearer about the next step for Mum, Dad and your family.
Melissa
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I've worked with:
We Need to Talk About Ageing
Published by Hachette, 2023
Melissa Levi • Clinical Psychologist, BA(Psych)(Hons I), MClinPsych, MAPS
YOUR NEXT STEP
Choose the support that's right for your family.
I'll meet you there. Start with the stage you need today, or unlock the complete Playbook for guidance through every stage ahead.
PRIVATE CONSULTATION
AUD $420
Per 50-minute session
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Personalised guidance for your family's situation
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Ideal for complex family situations
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Telehealth or in Sydney
Try the Complete Playbook for 7 days.
If you don't feel calmer, clearer and more confident about what to do next, simply email me within 7 days for a full refund. No awkward conversations, no complicated forms.
Trusted by 1,000+ Australian families
COMMON QUESTIONS
You probably want to know...
Can my siblings or other family members use it too?
Yes. The Playbook is designed to help families get on the same page. When everyone has the same trusted guidance, conversations become calmer and decisions become clearer.
Don't we need to see you in person?
In-person support is wonderful when you can get it — but professional dementia support often has a 6+ month waitlist. The Playbook gives you expert strategies the moment you need them, plus live weekly Q&As where I answer your family's specific questions — all for less than the cost of one appointment.
Is this just for Australians?
Not at all — dementia is a universal experience. Families worldwide share the same fears and challenges. Just read 'Mum' as 'Mom' and 'Ageing' as 'Aging'.
As stated in our Terms of Use, Talking Ageing Pty Ltd is not engaged in rendering therapy services by providing this site, and your use of the site does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Talking Ageing or Melissa Levi
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"Warm and compassionate, Melissa offers sound clinical information and practical advice... Sure to be helpful for all families."
- Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, UNSW Sydney
"We all MUST talk about old age and cognitive impairment, and Melissa shows the way!"
- Associate Professor David Burke, Discipline of Psychiatry, UNDA Sydney
I've worked with: