Counselling for living with chronic illness
Living with a long-term health condition can affect far more than your body. You may be coping with pain or fatigue, uncertainty about the future, or the frustration of feeling that others don’t understand. It’s common to feel grief for the life you expected, anxious about symptoms, or worn down by appointments and decisions.
You might be here because...
You’re newly diagnosed and trying to take it in
Your condition has changed what you can do, or who you feel you are
You feel anxious, low or exhausted by living with symptoms
You’re grieving the life or plans you had
Relationships, work or friendships feel harder to manage
You feel you have to be strong for everyone else
If any of this resonates, counselling can offer a calm, confidential space to explore what's going on and what you need.
How counselling can help
Counselling offers a calm, confidential space where you don’t have to explain or justify how you feel. Together we can explore what this experience means for you, make room for difficult emotions, and think about how to live alongside your condition in a way that feels more manageable. Counselling doesn’t treat or cure a health condition, but it can help with the emotional weight of living with one.
Working with me
Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly, online across the UK or in person in Tunbridge Wells. Your pace is respected, including on days when you’re tired or unwell, and we can adapt around your symptoms. [Book a free 20-minute call.]
Flexibility around your health. I understand that symptoms and energy levels can change from day to day. If you’re having a flare-up or aren’t well enough for a session, you can contact me and we can look at rescheduling or adjusting what we do. Online sessions can also be taken from home, or wherever you’re most comfortable.
Chronic Illness Counselling: Frequently asked questions
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Only as much as you want to. You don’t need to explain your diagnosis or history in full, and you won’t be asked to prove anything. Some people like to talk through their medical experiences, and others would rather focus on how things feel. It’s your choice, and you can change your mind at any point.
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This varies from person to person. Some people come for a short period to focus on a specific issue, while others choose longer-term therapy to explore deeper patterns or ongoing challenges. We can review this together as counselling progressesCounselling doesn’t treat or cure a health condition, and I can’t give medical advice, so I’d always encourage you to stay in touch with your GP or specialist team. What counselling can do is support the emotional side, such as anxiety, low mood, grief, frustration and the strain on relationships that often come with living with a long-term condition.
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That’s completely understandable. If you’re having a flare-up or aren’t well enough, let me know and we can rearrange. Please see my [Services & Fees page] for details of my cancellation policy.
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Yes. Most of my sessions are online by video, so you can join from home, from bed if that’s what is comfortable, or wherever suits you. In-person sessions are also available in Tunbridge Wells on a limited basis.
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There’s no right time. Some people come straight after a diagnosis, when everything feels overwhelming, and others come months or years later. If you’d like space to take things in, it’s fine to get in touch now.
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Yes. How hard something is doesn’t depend on how it compares with anyone else’s situation. If your condition is affecting how you feel, that is reason enough to seek support.
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Book a free, no-pressure 20-minute call. We can talk about what’s on your mind, you can ask any questions, and we’ll both get a feel for whether we’re a good fit. If we go ahead, sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly, paced around you.
Ready to Start?
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."
Carl Rogers
Contact me
Send me a message and I’ll get back to you to arrange a free introductory call.
I aim to reply within 2 working days.