Coping with Chronic or life-threatening illness

Are you struggling to cope with uncertainty and the changes caused by your illness?

Have your relationships with family and friends been affected by everything you're going through?

Are you feeling anxious and stressed and looking for help?

Since 2009 I have provided counselling to hundreds of adults, children and young people diagnosed with chronic and life-threatening illness. I will work with you to understand the challenges you're experiencing and offer strategies to help you to cope.

Counselling may help you to address concerns related to:

• Feelings of sadness, anger, grief and loss about the impacts of illness
• Living with uncertainty
• Managing anxiety and stress
• Managing the impacts of illness on employment and education
• Supporting children and other family members 
• Changed relationships and the challenges of being "a carer"
• Impacts of treatment (e.g. on fertility, sexuality and intimacy)
• Palliative care and end of life decision-making

I provide counselling one on one for individuals. And, counselling for couples and families.

When families experience significant events or have concerns about one family member’s behaviour or wellbeing it can have an effect on the relationships between all family members. Meeting together as a family provides an opportunity to discuss challenges and to identify strategies to help the family live together and support each other as well as possible.

As your counsellor, my goal is to make family therapy sessions a safe space for difficult conversations, to ensure all family members have the opportunity to share their experiences and to identify concrete steps to help your family.

I have particular expertise in supporting couples and families:

• Living with a family member who has a serious chronic and/or life threatening illness
• Experiencing challenges following the death of a family member