For many Canberra women, the day doesn’t start when they sit down at a desk.

It starts hours earlier with a mental checklist of school lunches, elderly parents’ care or appointments, preparation for their own working day and the invisible weight of a household that won’t run itself.

If you feel like you are running on empty while everyone else seems to be keeping it together, clinical psychologist and Canberra Weekly columnist Dr Vivienne Lewis has a message for you.

It’s not just you.

In her latest book, aptly titled It’s Not Just You, Dr Lewis draws on more than two decades of experience to address the issues that affect us all, including one of the most pressing issues for women today, unpaid burnout.

Dr Lewis reminds us that the ‘sandwich generation’ — those typically in their 40s and 50s who are simultaneously caring for growing children and aging parents — faces a unique brand of exhaustion.

“This isn’t just work stress; it is the unpaid burnout that comes from being the emotional and logistical glue of a family,” she says.

Dr Lewis notes that many women feel a constant sense of guilt or failure because they cannot “…do it all.”

“People don’t realize the cost that occurs to our mental and physical health when it relates to caring for other people, whether they’re sick or elderly or children…,” Dr Lewis adds.

For the sandwich generation, saying no to a child or an elderly parent feels impossible, leading to a state of chronic emotional exhaustion.

To combat unpaid burnout, It’s Not Just You suggests a shift in how we view our self-worth and confidence.

“I think probably that recognition that we all need to be more compassionate towards ourselves, recognising that as individuals we’re really important and that we need to look after ourselves,” Dr Lewis says.

“It’s about prioritising yourself and giving yourself permission to take a break.”

It’s Not Just You is a collaborative outcome of Dr Lewis’ work with her own clients, as well as the Canberra Weekly column, where thousands of local readers have already found practical and relatable articles that help make sense of everyday life.

“A lot of what is in the book is a result of what people have requested I write about,” says Dr Lewis.

At the heart of Dr Lewis’s work is another simple but powerful reminder that the struggles, doubts, and questions we carry are shared by those around us.

It’s Not Just You is written in a warm, engaging and accessible style, offering thoughtful perspectives on anxiety, stress, parenting, and healthy ageing.

“Whether you are facing a difficult period, supporting someone you care about, or looking for greater understanding in your life, you will find wisdom, reassurance and practical guidance within these pages,” Dr Lewis says.

If you are feeling the squeeze of the sandwich generation, this book serves as a toolkit for survival and a reminder to be kinder to yourself.

You’ve spent years looking after everyone else. Perhaps it’s time to pick up a book that looks after you. After all, it’s not just you.

It’s Not Just You is available via the Australian Academic Press website.