Therapeutic Issues

My area of focus is counseling clients living with stressors which are causing a sense of loss of control over one's life, increased stress, grief, and difficulty getting a handle on emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, shame, sorrow, or hopelessness. A significant change in one's situation can challenge one's way of living in the world-- the ways you used to handle stress and challenges isn't quite working well enough anymore

These stressors can include a loss of a loved one, a change in employment, change in relationship, or a change in physical health, to name a few. Often a medical illness flare or new diagnosis will bring a client to my practice.

Sometimes a client is feeling stuck in their life, or is looking to make a change but is coming up against long-held habits which get in the way, including self-judgment, shame or fear, and is ready to explore these and learn how to move past these limiting ways of being. The scope of my training and experience comprises issues such as: depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, grief, life transitions, stress management and relationship issues.

Below you will find a summary of therapeutic topics I address in chronic illness counseling.

Illness & Psychological Distress

In addition to the traumatic impact disease can have on one’s physical health, illness can also assault one’s sense of self, change personal relationships, and shatter one’s perception of the predictability of life. Illness can create a profound sense of isolation, alienation, anxiety, depression, trauma, anger, loss and grief. As one experiences the cycles of relapse and recovery, these can intensify and compound over time.

Stress Management

Chronic illness can cause physical, social and psychological stress. While our bodies are designed well to deal with short periods of stress, prolonged and unmanaged stress can lead to depression, anxiety, poorer coping responses, lack of motivation for proper self-care, and weaken the body’s ability to heal itself.

Some who seek counseling for help managing stress are experiencing increased pain, headaches, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, or increased digestive problems. Studies show that stress can worsen many illnesses and that utilizing stress management techniques can alleviate insomnia, lessen chronic pain, decrease gastro-intestinal disorders, alleviate other physiological conditions, and improve quality of life.

Caregivers

Illness can change work and family roles, and impacted family members may suffer from feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and grief, as well as experience changes in their quality of life. While I do not provide family therapy I do counsel caregivers or those in a support role who are struggling with their own feelings connected to their loved one’s illness.