The caregiving journey: service provider reflections on the experiences of family caregivers supporting individuals with serious mental illness

Limited research illuminates the prolonged, dynamic nature of caregiver responsibilities while caring for a family member with a serious mental illness (SMI). Using semi-structured interviews with mental health providers (N = 16), we examined challenges that caregivers experienced in various stages of the caregiving journey and the accessibility of supportive resources to meet their needs. Thematic analysis reveals unique challenges experienced in early stages of SMI, in ongoing daily routines of caregiving, and in the longer term, emphasizing the importance of assessing caregiver well-being and providing access to support across the caregiving trajectory to sustain persons with SMI and their family caregivers.